Summary:
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Gujarat government to give 50% reservation to in-service candidates for admission to postgraduate medical diploma courses in line with the regulations of the Medical Council of India. A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and A M Khanwilkar also asked the state government to define remote rural or difficult areas in which the in-service medical officers will be working. The apex court directed the state government to grant the reservation to these candidates in the second round of counselling, starting on Saturday.In-service medical officers are those who work for the government or public authority in 'remote rural or difficult areas'. The Gujarat high court had on May 5 dismissed the petition of in-service medical petitioners on the grounds that it was not mandatory for the state government to follow the rules and regulations issued by the Medical Council of India, particularly the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000.The medicos have challenged the state government order of granting only 25% reservation to in-service candidates for admission in PG medical diploma courses. The plea, filed by GMS Class II Medical Officers' Association before the apex court through advocate Ankit Shah, said the state government had issued a notification on April 21 by which the seats allocated to in-service candidates were restricted only to diploma courses and excluded degree courses for the current academic year without providing any reasonable cause.The petitioners said the issue involved a substantial question of law of public importance and its adjudication will have an impact on the large number of in-service medical officers working in rural areas in Gujarat.
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