The Supreme Court on Monday (August 24, 2026) asked the Centre to consider a plea by the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association seeking reduction of the cut-off or qualifying percentile for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Super Speciality seats (NEET-SS) for in-service government doctors.

A Bench headed by Justice P.S. Narasimha heard senior advocate P. Wilson, for the association, on an application seeking the Centre to return 100% of the unfilled in-service seats to the State.

The Union Government had submitted that out of the 152 seats transferred by the State of Tamil Nadu, approximately 40 seats continued to remain vacant.

Mr. Wilson submitted that the entire 40 in-service seats must be returned to the State of Tamil Nadu, as 111 candidates were awaiting a reduction in the qualifying percentile.

Subsequently, the court turned to the Union Government to take a call on whether the qualifying percentile for Super Speciality admissions should be reduced. It posted the case for further hearing on August 31.

The association had challenged the “premature diversion” of 152 vacant Super Speciality seats earmarked for in-service government doctors in Tamil Nadu to the All India Quota. It had also sought protection of the State’s in-service reservation policy, pending a final decision on the reduction of the NEET-SS qualifying percentile.

The petition submitted that Tamil Nadu had earmarked 219 super speciality seats for in-service candidates for the academic year 2025-2026. Upon completion of two rounds of counselling, only 68 candidates had joined, leaving as many as 152 seats vacant.

“Over 111 in-service candidates remain on the waiting list and are legitimately anticipating reduction of the qualifying percentile in accordance with the consistent practice followed during previous academic sessions. A substantial number of these candidates narrowly missed the existing qualifying percentile and would become eligible if the qualifying percentile is reduced/relaxed,” the association said.

These candidates possessed a legitimate expectation that they would be considered for admission in the in-service category, it submitted.