NEET-SS 2025: Centre Offers All Unfilled Super-Speciality Seats to Tamil Nadu

The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it is prepared to return all unfilled NEET Super Speciality (NEET-SS) 2025 seats to Tamil Nadu after the completion of the second round of counselling.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told a bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe that the Centre was likely to take a final decision on holding an additional round of counselling. She said the government was considering giving Tamil Nadu all seats that remained vacant, while clarifying that no decision had been taken to reduce the qualifying percentile.

The development could put around 40 vacant super-speciality seats back into Tamil Nadu’s pool.

The Supreme Court, however, expressed concern over the prolonged litigation surrounding the admission process, asking, “for how long can this go on?” The bench adjourned the matter until Tuesday to allow the Centre to present a clear decision.

Tamil Nadu welcomed the Centre’s proposal. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the state along with senior advocate P Wilson, said returning the seats was welcome, but stressed that the qualifying percentile should also be reduced.

The dispute stems from 151 unfilled super-speciality seats that Tamil Nadu had initially declined to surrender to the All India Quota. The state sought to retain the seats for in-service government doctors, particularly those serving in rural areas.

In its July 28 order, the Supreme Court had directed counselling at the existing percentile and left open the possibility of reducing it after the second round. It had also directed that if seats remained vacant, 50% would revert to Tamil Nadu, while the remaining seats would be filled through subsequent counselling.

The Centre’s latest position goes further by offering 100% of the remaining vacant seats to Tamil Nadu.

However, the Centre and National Medical Commission oppose reservation in super-speciality courses, arguing that the limited number of seats should be allocated strictly on merit. They have also cited the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling in N Kartikeyan v Tamil Nadu, which required in-service super-speciality seats to be surrendered to the AIQ.

Tamil Nadu maintains that its in-service quota addresses the shortage of specialist doctors in government healthcare and helps strengthen services in underserved areas.