MBBS students and their parents at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Chandigarh, have sought the intervention of the Union Health Ministry to halt the proposed reallocation of State quota seats to the all-India quota (AIQ) for admission to postgraduate (MD/MS) courses in the academic year 2024–25.
As the admission process is currently under way, GMCH has, through a notification dated June 3, stated that half of the State quota seats for postgraduate admissions will now be filled on the basis of all-India merit under NEET-PG 2024. The notification further mentioned that the third counselling round for the remaining (32) State quota seats will be filled equally based on Institutional Preference and AIQ rank obtained in NEET-PG.
The GMCH offers approximately 148 postgraduate seats, distributed between the State and all-India quotas.
Students and parents have raised objections to the revised mechanism. “We are opposing this decision because following this notification, half of the State quota seats would be filled through the all-India quota, which would rise up to 75%, exceeding the set National Medical Commission (NMC) norms that limit AIQ to 50% across the country,” Dr. Sanjeev Bhatia and Dr. A.K. Agarwal, who are representing the affected group, said.
“This shifting of seats puts GMCH students at a significant disadvantage. The GMCH would effectively be the only college in India with 75% of its PG seats under AIQ, which is grossly unjust. If such an unwanted change — which is apparently against the spirit of existing five-judge Supreme Court judgment allowing 50% Institutional Preference quota seats — is enforced, then all medical colleges across India should follow the same 75% AIQ rule, giving GMCH students equal rights. There should be uniformity,” Dr. Bhatia said.
“We request immediate intervention of the Union Health Ministry, Director General of Health Services and NMC to ensure this discrepancy is addressed and to protect the rightful interest of GMCH students. A uniform and fair national policy is essential. The GMCH students and their parents request for fair and equitable justice at par with all other students all over India,” he added.
Published – June 13, 2025 06:47 pm IST
