New Delhi: The Supreme Court has permitted the Tamil Nadu government to implement 50% reservation for in-service doctors in super specialty courses in the NEET SS admissions for the academic year 2021-22. 

The TN government can proceed with the NEET SS counselling 2021-22 and allocate 50% super-specialty seats in government medical colleges to NEET-qualified in-service candidates across the state. 

A bench comprising of Justices L Nageswara Rao and B R Gavai vacated its interim order of November 27, 2020, by which it had ordered that the NEET SS counselling for admission to super-specialty medical courses for the academic year 2020-­2021 will be done without implementing 50% quota to in­-service doctors. 

Writing the judgement, Justice Gavai, said that there is no case made out to continue the interim protection granted for the academic year 2020-21. As a result, the bench rejected the prayer in that regard. 

He said that the state can now enjoy the liberty of continuing the NEET SS counselling for the academic year 2021-22 by taking into account the reservation provided by it according to the said government order. It then directed a listing of a batch of petitions for further hearing after Holi vacation. 

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Earlier, last week, the apex court had reserved an interim order on the petitions challenging the decision of Tamil Nadu government to implement 50% super-specialty seats in government medical colleges to NEET-qualified in-service doctors.

On the behalf of the petitioners, Dushyant Dave, Senior advocate had argued that the state government's order was “completely unconstitutional” and “without any authority”. He referred to the clause which stated that there is no reservation of seats for super-speciality courses. 

The state government had said the prescribing of quota for in-service doctors is a “separate source of entry and not a reservation” and it serves the laudable purpose sought to be achieved by making special provisions for such doctors who would be then available for serving in rural areas.

Further, it said that taking away the power of the state to provide for sources of admission would violate the federal structure, leading to complete centralization of policy-making in the fields where the state is competent enough to create laws and policy. 

About NEET SS 

The NBE conducts the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test, NEET Super Specialty (NEET SS) for admissions into various DM and MCh courses that can be pursued after post-graduation in MS/MD or DNB. 

Candidates who have qualified the entrance exam can appear in NEET SS 2022 Counselling and seat allotment. The authority will also release the list of compulsory documents that need to be produced by the candidates for verification.

This year, the NEET SS 2022, has been scheduled to be conducted on June 18 and June 19, 2022, as a computer-based test. The NBE will start the registration of the NEET SS 2022 in the 4th week of April 2022 (tentatively). 

The registered candidates will be able to fill NEET SS 2022 application form in the 3rd week of May 2022. Candidates must meet the NEET SS eligibility criteria before applying for the exam, i.e, the applicant must have secured 50% marks in the entrance exam to be considered qualified for the exam. 

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