The 50% reservation for in-service doctors in State quota seats is being implemented in admissions to MDS courses for 2021-22. Welcoming the move, doctors’ associations hope the quota comes into place in MD/MS and DM/MCh courses too.
The selection committee, the Directorate of Medical Education, which has kickstarted the admission process to MDS in government and self-financing colleges for the 2021-22 session, has stated the provision of the 50% quota for in-service doctors in the prospectus for 2021-22.
It said that of the seats sanctioned for MDS courses in government dental colleges, 50% were offered to the All-India Quota (AIQ) for allotment by the Director General of Health Services. The Centre had been intimated about the State’s position on follow-up reservation during the AIQ and High Court judgment on the issue. The remaining 50% seats will be allotted under the State quota during the first phase of counselling.
Of the 50% of seats in the State government quota, 50% will be exclusively allocated to in-service candidates serving in government health institutions, and the remaining 50% will be allocated to the open category, and will be available to both service and non-service candidates. The seats will be filled up based on the marks obtained in NEET, along with eligible incentive marks.
A doctor, who has completed BDS, said the in-service quota was essential to have adequate faculty members in government dental colleges in the future. “Not many service doctors are able to pursue postgraduation in the absence of the quota,” he said.
The Service Doctors and Postgraduates’ Association has thanked the government for providing the 50% quota for in-service doctors. “This has been a long-standing demand of government doctors. Hopefully, the quota will be implemented in MD/MS and DM/MCh courses too,” president of the association P. Saminathan said.
The association, in a petition last year, had said that in the absence of an in-service quota, service candidates getting into MDS in the government dental college were zero in 2019, and just three in 2020.
There are 42 seats in the Tamil Nadu Government Dental College and 268 in self-financing dental colleges in the State.
Mr. Saminathan said government orders 462 and 463 were issued for granting 50% service quota for doctors working in the State government service in PG admissions.
M. Akilan, State secretary of the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers’ Association, said the service quota had been denied since 2017, and the association had staged protests and taken up the issue legally. The Supreme Court had ruled that States can reserve 50% seats for in-service candidates. “On the basis of this, the State government has granted reservation for in-service candidates in MDS courses. We request that the reservation be assured for in-service candidates in the counselling for MD/MS and DM/MCh courses as well. The government should bring in the Service Quota Act to ensure this reservation in the ongoing Assembly session,” he said in a release.
An official said they had started receiving applications from August 19.
