Delhi HC Challenges AFMS PG Seat Allocation: Centre Must Respond to Ex-Army Doctors' Plea

The Delhi High Court has issued notices to the Centre and the Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), seeking a response to a plea filed by 16 ex-Army doctors challenging the current system of PG medical seats allocation at AFMS institutions, which allegedly discriminates against ex-servicemen.

The Delhi High Court has taken cognizance of a serious plea challenging the alleged lack of fairness and transparency in the allocation of Postgraduate (PG) medical seats within the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) institutions for the academic session 2025-28. The Court, presided over by Justice Vikas Mahajan, issued notices to the Central Government and the Director General of AFMS, demanding a response on the contentious issue.

The petition was filed by 16 ex-Army doctors, represented by Major (Retired) Ashish Kumar Pandey and others, who served as Short Service Commission (SSC) medical officers. Their core grievance centers on the current system, which they contend disproportionately favors serving officers (Priority-I) while systematically marginalizing ex-servicemen, who are categorized as Priority IV candidates for MD/MS/DNB courses.

Allegations of Systematic Discrimination

The petitioners’ plea meticulously outlines the alleged discriminatory structure of the AFMS PG medical admission process:

• Reserved Seats: A substantial 210 seats are reserved exclusively for Priority-I candidates (serving AFMS officers).
• Unrestricted Pool: The remaining 207 seats are left "unrestricted" and open to Priority II, III, IV, and V categories (which include ex-servicemen, paramilitary/central government doctors, and civilians, respectively).

The ex-servicemen doctors argue that in practice, this “unrestricted” pooling does not guarantee fair access. Instead, it allows candidates from Priority III (paramilitary/central government doctors) and Priority V (civilians)—groups with strong competition—to effectively "corner the bulk of seats" in highly preferred clinical subjects. Consequently, Priority IV ex-servicemen, despite securing meritorious ranks in NEET PG, are often left with only negligible or no seats in preferential subjects each year.

The petitioners are seeking judicial intervention to ensure an equitable distribution of educational opportunities, particularly for those ex-servicemen doctors who have dedicated years of service to the military.

Court’s Directive and Next Steps

Acknowledging the issues of fairness and transparency raised in the petition, the Delhi High Court has not only sought the Centre’s detailed response but also granted an interim prayer requested by the petitioners. The authorities have been directed to provide details, including the number and categories, of the No Objection Certificates (NOCs) issued to officers eligible to join the PG courses. This information is crucial for assessing the actual utilization and distribution of seats across the different priority categories.

The case has been listed for further hearing on November 7, 2025. The outcome of this legal challenge is highly significant for thousands of ex-servicemen doctors, potentially reshaping the reservation and allocation policies for specialized PG medical courses in military institutions.

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