In a significant move, the Andhra Pradesh government has increased the in-service reservation quota for government Primary Health Centre (PHC) doctors pursuing postgraduate (PG) courses. The reservation quota for clinical seats has been enhanced from 15% to 20% in all specialties, benefiting doctors who serve in government health institutions. This comes after amendments were made to the AP Medical Colleges Rules, 1997, following requests from PHC doctors.
As per the new notification issued by the state government under GO 85, for the academic year 2024-25, 20% of clinical seats and 30% of non-clinical specialty seats will be reserved for in-service candidates within the 50% state government quota. This revised reservation quota aims to provide more opportunities for government doctors to enhance their qualifications and skillsets in various medical fields.
Furthermore, the government has laid out specific guidelines for candidates pursuing these opportunities. PHC doctors who joined the government service with a PG diploma will now be eligible to study any PG medical degree on deputation for one year. However, those who have already obtained a PG degree after entering government service will not be allowed to pursue another PG degree.
Additionally, doctors who acquired a PG degree prior to their entry into government service will be permitted to enroll in in-service PG programs but will need to do so at their own expense. Candidates who have already obtained a super-specialty qualification, either before or after joining the government service, will not be eligible for admission into another super-specialty course.
This announcement follows protests and demonstrations by PHC doctors, who boycotted work for several days in opposition to the previous GO 85, which had reduced the in-service quota for clinical seats from 30% to 15% and non-clinical seats from 50% to 30%. The new revisions come as a relief to government doctors seeking to further their education and contribute more effectively to the healthcare sector in Andhra Pradesh.
With these enhanced reservation quotas, the Andhra Pradesh government aims to support its in-service healthcare professionals, enabling them to improve their medical expertise and better serve the public.
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