NEWS TODAY 31.07.2026

No promotion, no pay rise: TN’s super specialty seats go begging

No promotion, no pay rise: TN’s super specialty seats go begging 

31.07.2026

Chennai: Govt doctors in Tamil Nadu are shunning super specialty training because the additional qualification brings no assured promotion, salary increase or posting in whichever field they train in, doctors’ associations said, leaving the state with hundreds of unfilled seats in disciplines critical to public hospitals. 

Supreme Court this week directed Tamil Nadu to surrender 151 unfilled super specialty seats to the Directorate General of Health Services, triggering a political tug-of-war. While DMK accused the govt of failing to defend the seats, the ruling TVK said the order protects the state’s claim if cut-offs are lowered. But doctors’ bodies say the deeper question remains unanswered: why would a govt doctor spend years in advanced training if the job that follows does not change? 

Records show that 119 seats in 2024 and 145 seats in 2025 were surrendered to All India Quota during the previous regime. “We are an army of more than 20,000 doctors. If seats are vacant, it is because the govt has failed to expand specialist care in govt hospitals,” said Service Doctors and Post Graduate Association general secretary A Ramalingam. 

Doctors who complete a DM or MCh course say the state does not consistently reward that training through promotions, adequate pay rises or appointments in their specialty. Tamil Nadu Govt Doctors Association, welcoming SC judgment, said the govt must increase at least 350 super specialty seats if it wants to place doctors where they are needed. “We must have a wide range of specialists in all medical colleges. 

Without opportunities, it will be difficult to encourage govt doctors to study further,” said association state president A Srinivasan. Beyond pay and postings, mid-career doctors are also bound by service rules mandating them to remain in govt employment until retirement. Specialists in some branches say the workload is high, the risks are greater, and the incentives are too modest. 

TN Medical Officers Association said the loss of seats would eventually weaken public hospitals. “These posts and facilities are created by the state with taxpayers’ money. The quota exists because service doctors will serve in govt hospitals until superannuation,” said general secretary M Akilan.

NEET SS 2025 counselling deadlock ends as MCC prepares revised Round 2 schedule after SC verdict

NEET SS 2025 counselling deadlock ends as MCC prepares revised Round 2 schedule after SC verdict 

TOI Education | Jul 29, 2026, 10.12 AM IST 

The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) is expected to announce the revised schedule for NEET SS 2025 Round 2 counselling soon after the Supreme Court directed the restoration of 151 vacant Super Speciality medical seats to the central pool. The order has ended the long-pending dispute involving Tamil Nadu’s in-service seats under the All India Quota (AIQ) framework. The apex court has instructed that the remaining counselling process must be completed within two weeks. 

The decision has brought relief to thousands of candidates waiting for admission to Doctor of Medicine (DM) and Master of Chirurgiae (MCh) programmes. Supreme Court order clears Round 2 counselling delay The NEET SS 2025 Round 2 counselling process was stalled after a legal dispute involving the case Tamilvani & Others vs State of Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu had filed a review petition seeking to retain 151 vacant in-service Super Speciality seats instead of returning them to the central counselling pool. 

On July 29, 2026, the Supreme Court dismissed the delay attempts and directed the restoration of all 151 seats. The MCC will now have to complete the pending counselling stages within the fixed 14-day timeline. 3

NEET SS 2025 Round 2 counselling timeline Event Original timeline Current status Round 1 counselling March 10 to March 25, 2026 Completed 

Round 2 registration March 28, 2026 Portal reopened until further orders

 Round 2 choice filling April 2026 Paused and expected to resume Seat matrix changes April 2026 18 seats added, 1 seat removed; 151 seats now restored Seat allotment result Not announced Expected shortly Reporting and counselling closure Postponed To be completed within two weeks as per Supreme Court order 151 DM and MCh seats added to central poolThe restoration of 151 seats will significantly change the Round 2 seat matrix. These seats include highly competitive Super Speciality courses such as DM and MCh programmes.

 Candidates who had already completed choice filling may need to review their preferences after the updated seat matrix is published. MCC is expected to release revised counselling details through an official notification on the Super Speciality counselling portal. Auto-upgradation rule applies in Round 2 MCC has introduced automatic upgradation for this counselling round. Candidates who participated in Round 1 will be considered for better seat allocation in Round 2, irrespective of whether they submitted an upgradation willingness form earlier. 

 If a candidate does not receive an upgraded seat, their Round 1 allotted seat will remain protected according to the counselling rules. Medical bodies welcome Supreme Court decision Medical organisations, including the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), have welcomed the Supreme Court directive. The organisation highlighted that delays in Super Speciality admissions affected the career progression of specialist doctors and created challenges for healthcare institutions. What candidates should do next Candidates should regularly check the official MCC Super Speciality counselling portal for the revised PDF schedule and avoid relying on unverified social media updates. Aspirants should keep documents including the NEET SS admit card, scorecard, academic certificates and state medical registration documents ready for verification once the updated counselling schedule is released.

NEWS TODAY 30.07.2026

Govt. simplifies NEET-UG counselling procedure

Govt. simplifies NEET-UG counselling procedure

J.P. Nadda

The Hindu Bureau

NEW DELHI. 30.07.2026

Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda on Tuesday reviewed the preparedness for the forthcoming NEET-UG counselling 2026.

The government has introduced several technology-enabled and student-centric reforms aimed at enhancing transparency in counselling, improving accessibility and simplifying the admission process.

One of the key reforms is the introduction of a one-time physical reporting framework aimed at reducing the need for repeated visits. Following seat allotment, candidates will be able to exercise their willingness online by selecting either the ‘Freeze or Float’ option.

Those opting for the freeze option will physically report to their allotted institute within the prescribed schedule to complete admission formalities, including verification of documents and payment of the admission fee.

Those opting for the float option for participating in subsequent rounds for upgradation will be able to complete admission formalities through the online mode within the stipulated timeline.

During this period, they will not be required to physically report to the allotted institute, submit original documents or pay the admission fee. Their provisional admission will remain valid while participating in subsequent counselling rounds.

The upgradation facility will remain available up to the third round of counselling. After completion of the third round, candidates holding allotted seats will report physically to their institutions for verification of original documents, payment of admission fees and completion of institutional formalities.

Online resignation

Candidates wishing to forego their allotted seat will now be able to submit their resignation through the MCC Counselling Portal without the need to visit the allotted institute.

Special emphasis has been placed on improving accessibility for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD). The Ministry has fully digitised the admission process under the NRI category. The review also highlighted several steps to strengthen operational efficiency, including online document verification, validation of the seat matrix by the National Medical Commission and verification by participating institutes.

Govt. should explain surrender of 151 super speciality seats: Stalin

Govt. should explain surrender of 151 super speciality seats: Stalin

M.K. Stalin

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI. 30.07.2026

DMK president M.K. Stalin on Wednesday demanded that the TVK-led government explain why it had failed to retain 151 super speciality medical seats in the State, resulting in their transfer to the all-India quota.

“It is a vital issue for Tamil Nadu. We have lost 151 super speciality seats, which would have otherwise produced doctors to serve the State,” he said in a social media post.

Mr. Stalin also questioned why the government had not adopted a resolution in the Assembly, opposing the transfer of the super speciality seats to the all-India quota. “Why did the government fail to file an appeal against the Supreme Court’s order dated May 29, 2026,” he asked.

He further questioned why the advocates appointed by the State government had failed to appear in the case, and why there had been a delay in engaging a senior advocate. “Why has there been such a lackadaisical approach to this issue from the very beginning,” he asked.

Mr. Stalin also wondered why the State government had “surrendered” despite the case being in Tamil Nadu’s favour.

Minister responds

Responding to Mr. Stalin’s criticism, Health Minister K.G. Arunraj said that unlike in previous years, when unfilled super speciality seats were lost after being surrendered to the all-India quota, the TVK government had ensured that if the qualifying cut-off is reduced, 50% of the remaining vacant super speciality seats will be reverted to Tamil Nadu.

In a statement on X, the Minister said that previously, after the completion of the super speciality counselling, all unfilled seats reserved for service candidates were surrendered to the all-India quota. The Union government later reduced the minimum qualifying cut-off marks and filled those seats through the all-India merit list. As a result, government doctors from Tamil Nadu were severely affected, he said.

This year, though 151 seats remained vacant, the State government refused to surrender them immediately. It took a firm stand that these seats would be surrendered only if there is an assurance that the qualifying cut-off would not be reduced. Accordingly, the State pursued a legal battle and secured a “historic” judgment from the Supreme Court, he added.

M.G.R. medical varsity challenges UGC regulations on according ‘deemed university’ status to private colleges

M.G.R. medical varsity challenges UGC regulations on according ‘deemed university’ status to private colleges

The university said the UGC regulations should be interpreted only as a directory and not a mandatory provision.

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI. 30.07.2026

The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University has moved the Madras High Court, challenging the validity of the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations that permit the grant of deemed-to-be-university status to private medical colleges without the express consent of the State university.

The university has also challenged the grant of such status to the Pudukottai-based Karpaga Vinayaga Educational Trust on May 20, 2026.

Court orders notice

The First Division Bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan on Wednesday ordered notices to the Union Ministry of Education, the UGC, the Tamil Nadu government, and the private trust, seeking their response to the two writ petitions filed by the State medical university.

The petitioner university contended that the UGC regulations, which require a State university to respond within 60 days to an application filed by a medical college for being accorded the deemed university status, failing which it would be considered that there was no objection for the conferment of such status, should be interpreted only as a directory and not a mandatory provision.

The university said the UGC regulations should be interpreted only as a directory and not a mandatory provision.