Hyderabad: The doctors’ fraternity on Thursday opposed the in-service quota in the NEET super specialty examination, arguing that admissions to NEET super specialty (DM/MCh) courses should remain purely merit-based.

Several doctors’ bodies have opposed the government’s proposal, stating that super specialty courses represent the highest level of medical education, where excellence directly impacts patient care, medical teaching and research.

Opposing the move, the Telangana Senior Resident Doctors Association (TSRDA) said that NEET super specialty admissions should be based solely on merit. The association stated that every candidate appears for the same national-level examination and, once the examination process is common, admissions should also be decided only on merit.

The TSRDA argued that government employment alone should not become a basis for preferential admission into super specialty courses, as it could affect the quality of medical education and healthcare delivery.

The Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) also firmly rejected any proposal to introduce an in-service quota in NEET super specialty (DM/MCh) admissions. The association said that super specialty courses are the pinnacle of medical education and admissions must be based on merit and national ranking.T-JUDA pointed out that the benefit of an in-service quota has already been provided at the NEET-PG level. Extending the same benefit again at the NEET-SS level is neither fair nor justified, it said. The association added that candidates should not receive repeated preferential treatment merely because of government service, especially when all aspirants appear for the same national entrance examination.