In-service quota for PG medical courses in Karnataka cut by 192 seats in 2022

In 2021-22, Karnataka had 398 PG medical in-service quota seats; this year, the number is 206

A representational photo of a medic attending to a patient. Karnataka Government has reserved 70% of PG medical seats for non-service doctors, and 30% seats for government in-service doctors. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Karnataka’s share of in-service quota post-graduate (PG) medical seats for the academic year 2022-23 is down by 192. In 2021-22, the State had a total of 398 PG medical in-service quota seats. This year, the number is 206.

The State Government has reserved 70% of PG medical seats for non-service doctors, and 30% seats for government in-service doctors.

The Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) has released 4,157 PG medical and dental course seat matrix for the 2022-23 academic year. The seat matrix for Diplomate of National Board (DNB) courses is yet to be released.

No notification

The State Government has not published the gazette notification for PGNEET-2022 counselling. However, it has released the PG medical seat matrix and started the counselling process.

Within the 30% of in-service quota seats, the government has allotted 77% for doctors in the Health and Family Welfare Department, 12% for autonomous institutions, 6% for BBMP, and 5% seats for doctors in boards and corporation.

The Directorate of Medical Education (DME) has released a list of 130 in-service medical officers in the final eligibility list. Owing to the lack of aspirants, the DME has not reserved any seat for BBMP in-service doctors. But in the KEA PG medical seat matrix list, 13 seats are allotted for BBMP doctors.

Confusion over six names

There appears to be a mismatch in the doctors’ list, which is published by KEA and DME.

The DME has announced 116 names in the final eligible in-service medical officers’ list, who are working in the Health and Family Welfare Department. However, in the KEA provisional verified list, six doctors have been added.

In the KEA list, all these six candidates are mentioned as in-service doctors of Health and Family Welfare Department. But these six names are not in the final eligible in-service medical officers list of the department.

An in-service doctor said, “In 2021, there were 398 MD and MS seats, and 114 DNB seats. But we don’t know why the government has cut 192 PG medical seats in our State’s share this year. If there are not enough eligible candidates, the remaining seats can be re-distributed to non-service doctors. Last year too, the government gave back over 100 DNB seats to the National Testing Agency before the second round of PG medical counselling. Every year, in-service doctors are facing the same injustice.”