Docs file plea against domicile issue

Doctors are up in arms against the state medical education department’s decision to reserve all 84 seats in super-specialty medical courses for applicants domiciled in Maharashtra.

Doctors are up in arms against the state medical education department’s decision to reserve all 84 seats in super-specialty medical courses for applicants domiciled in Maharashtra.

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State officials said the criteria had been changed because the government spends a huge amount on the three-year super-specialty course but does not benefit much from it because most doctors return to their states to practice.

A group of eight doctors, who hope to pursue super-specialisation in the state, filed a petition in the Bombay High Court on Tuesday and another group of doctors plans to move court later this week to demand admission by merit and not state of domicile. “The government should remove domicile from the eligibility criterion for admission. The decision to give preference to locals is in violation of the Supreme Court 2003 ruling that states that there can be no reservation in super-specialty courses,” said Dr Ajay Agarwal, a petitioner.

The state offers 18 super-specialty medical and surgical courses. About 1,000 students will appear for the entrance exam on June 22. At least 40 per cent of them are from outside Maharashtra.