SC expresses concern over vacant super-speciality seats in medical colleges

We are aspiring to be a country with top-notch healthcare and we say that we are short of doctors, but in the same case we have seats going vacant for doctors, observed the Supreme Court.

While hearing a batch of students, the apex court has expressed concern over vacant super-speciality seats in medical colleges across the country. The students approached the top court against arbitrary rules where students cannot change the course after taking it once and heavy penalties are slapped on doctors.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Pankaj Mittal said, "We are aspiring to be a country with top-notch healthcare and we say that we are short of doctors, but in the same case we have seats going vacant for the doctors," as reported by India Today.

During the hearing, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan on behalf of the petitioners told the bench, "If a student wants to change his stream at super-speciality level, he or she should be allowed to do so, but imposing a penalty like this is not correct."

The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing on April 14, 2023, and has asked the Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati to get clarity on the rules and fixed the matter for further hearing.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati that "Super-specialty medical seats are a valuable and national asset. They should not be permitted to remain vacant." The government has already done away with the penalty clause in most of the cases, but he said in this particular batch of cases, will get instructions for the next hearing.

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