Tamil Nadu Health Minister K.G. Arunraj, speaking in Coimbatore on Friday, said the State Government had corrected the previous two years’ lapses by securing a Supreme Court order ensuring that 50% of unfilled super speciality seats are reverted to Tamil Nadu if the qualifying cut off is lowered, reiterating that the government would not surrender seats meant for the State’s doctors.
Coimbatore: Tamil Nadu Health Minister K.G. Arunraj on Friday asserted that the State Government would not surrender super-speciality medical seats meant for Tamil Nadu doctors and said it had rectified the "major lapses" of the previous two years by securing a favourable order from the Supreme Court.
Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, Arunraj said the apex court had ruled that if the qualifying cut-off for super-speciality admissions is reduced after the second round of All India Quota (AIQ) counselling, 50% of the unfilled seats should be reverted to Tamil Nadu instead of remaining under the AIQ.
Responding to questions over the issue, the minister said the State Government had taken a firm stand to protect seats reserved for Tamil Nadu's service doctors. He also clarified that the senior advocates representing the State had argued the matter before the Supreme Court and were unable to join on the day of the verdict due to a technical issue.
Rejecting allegations that the present government had surrendered seats to the AIQ, Arunraj said the previous State government had surrendered 119 super-speciality seats in 2024 and 145 seats in 2025 after conducting two rounds of counselling based on the minimum qualifying percentile prescribed by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
He alleged that the unfilled seats reserved for Tamil Nadu's service doctors were surrendered without any conditions, and were subsequently filled through AIQ counselling after the DGHS lowered the qualifying cut-off, depriving eligible doctors from the State of opportunities.
"This year, we were faced with a similar situation. Although the Supreme Court directed the State to surrender the unfilled seats after two rounds of counselling, we challenged the order through a writ petition because reducing the qualifying percentile would have enabled Tamil Nadu doctors to fill those seats. We were even served with a contempt petition for not surrendering the seats, but we remained firm in protecting the interests of our doctors," he said.
The minister said the State had argued before the Supreme Court that there were sufficient eligible service doctors in Tamil Nadu who could secure admission if the qualifying percentile was lowered. Based on these submissions, the court directed that while the second round of AIQ counselling should proceed under the existing qualifying criteria, 50% of the seats remaining vacant after any subsequent reduction in the cut-off should be returned to Tamil Nadu.
"The government is firmly against surrendering these seats. We have corrected the failures of the previous government. The TVK government's stand is clear — seats earmarked for Tamil Nadu must be filled by Tamil Nadu doctors," Arunraj said.
On the shortage of nursing staff in government hospitals, the minister said steps had been initiated through district administrations to fill vacancies. However, the recruitment process has been challenged before the court by a section of nurses. He added that the issue would be discussed during the forthcoming budget session and that the government would arrive at an appropriate solution to address the staffing shortage.
Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, Arunraj said the apex court had ruled that if the qualifying cut-off for super-speciality admissions is reduced after the second round of All India Quota (AIQ) counselling, 50% of the unfilled seats should be reverted to Tamil Nadu instead of remaining under the AIQ.
Responding to questions over the issue, the minister said the State Government had taken a firm stand to protect seats reserved for Tamil Nadu's service doctors. He also clarified that the senior advocates representing the State had argued the matter before the Supreme Court and were unable to join on the day of the verdict due to a technical issue.
Rejecting allegations that the present government had surrendered seats to the AIQ, Arunraj said the previous State government had surrendered 119 super-speciality seats in 2024 and 145 seats in 2025 after conducting two rounds of counselling based on the minimum qualifying percentile prescribed by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
He alleged that the unfilled seats reserved for Tamil Nadu's service doctors were surrendered without any conditions, and were subsequently filled through AIQ counselling after the DGHS lowered the qualifying cut-off, depriving eligible doctors from the State of opportunities.
"This year, we were faced with a similar situation. Although the Supreme Court directed the State to surrender the unfilled seats after two rounds of counselling, we challenged the order through a writ petition because reducing the qualifying percentile would have enabled Tamil Nadu doctors to fill those seats. We were even served with a contempt petition for not surrendering the seats, but we remained firm in protecting the interests of our doctors," he said.
The minister said the State had argued before the Supreme Court that there were sufficient eligible service doctors in Tamil Nadu who could secure admission if the qualifying percentile was lowered. Based on these submissions, the court directed that while the second round of AIQ counselling should proceed under the existing qualifying criteria, 50% of the seats remaining vacant after any subsequent reduction in the cut-off should be returned to Tamil Nadu.
"The government is firmly against surrendering these seats. We have corrected the failures of the previous government. The TVK government's stand is clear — seats earmarked for Tamil Nadu must be filled by Tamil Nadu doctors," Arunraj said.
On the shortage of nursing staff in government hospitals, the minister said steps had been initiated through district administrations to fill vacancies. However, the recruitment process has been challenged before the court by a section of nurses. He added that the issue would be discussed during the forthcoming budget session and that the government would arrive at an appropriate solution to address the staffing shortage.