Madras: The NEET-SS cut-off for in-service doctors came under sharp focus in the Supreme Court on June 24, 2026. The Court said the qualifying percentile for government doctors serving in public hospitals may need to be lower because they are working while preparing for the exam. The case is linked to Tamil Nadu’s vacant super-speciality seats meant for in-service doctors and the proposal to shift them to the All India Quota (AIQ).
The issue matters because these seats are meant for doctors already working in the government health system. If they lose access to these seats, it could affect the supply of specialist doctors in public hospitals, especially in states like Tamil Nadu.
Details of Tamil Nadu NEET SS Seat Row
A Bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard a plea against the move to surrender vacant in-service super-speciality seats in Tamil Nadu to the All India Quota.
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During the hearing, the Court observed that in-service government doctors are different from regular candidates because they are doing public service and studying at the same time. The Bench indicated that their NEET-SS qualifying percentile should be lower than others.
The Court also issued notice in the matter and listed the case for further hearing on July 15, 2026.
Background of the Tamil Nadu NEET SS Seat Row
An earlier Supreme Court order in the Tamilvani case had led to directions concerning vacant Tamil Nadu super-speciality seats. After that, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) said Round 2 of SS counselling was put on hold and referred to 151 vacant seats in its June 6 notice. This explains why some reports mention 151 seats while the fresh plea speaks of 152 seats.
Tamil Nadu NEET SS Seat Row: Court Directives
The Supreme Court strongly indicated that in-service doctors deserve a separate and more practical standard.
Court’s main concern:
- Government doctors cannot stay at home and prepare full-time
- They are already serving patients in public hospitals
- If they gain super-speciality training, they can return and strengthen the public health system
- Taking away such seats may hurt states that depend on public-sector doctors
The Bench also questioned how ordinary patients can afford private hospital treatment if public hospitals do not get enough trained specialists.
What the petitioners told the Court
Senior Advocate P. Wilson, appearing for the petitioners, argued that:
- The percentile had been reduced for some postgraduate medical seats
- But for super-speciality seats, counselling had not fully moved forward because of the earlier case
- If the 152 seats are handed to the All India Quota now, in-service doctors in Tamil Nadu may suffer serious loss
- This could also hurt the state’s public health infrastructure
The petition was filed by the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association and another petitioner.
What Do Official Records Show
The most important official document so far is the MCC notice dated June 6, 2026.
MCC notice highlights
| Point | What the official notice says |
| Counselling status | Round 2 of SS counselling was kept on hold |
| Reason | Pending decision in W.P.(C) No. 415/2026, Tamilvani & Ors. vs State of Tamil Nadu & Ors. |
| Seat count mentioned by MCC | 151 vacant Super Speciality seats |
| Action sought | Tamil Nadu was asked to revert vacant seats to DGHS/MCC for the ongoing counselling process |
| State response | Tamil Nadu informed MCC that it had filed a review petition before the Supreme Court |
| Advice to candidates | Keep checking the MCC website for updates |
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