Medicine: the spotlight is on the ranking list updates for the current semester

The Council of State (Order No. 2636/2026) has clarified that academic merit must once again be the central criterion for the allocation of places on medical degree courses. This statement may seem obvious, but in reality it calls into question one of the most hotly debated mechanisms introduced with the new ‘filter semester’.

If this approach were to be upheld in the main proceedings, the rules governing the allocation of places that become available after the initial enrolments could change, with tangible consequences for thousands of students. The crux of the matter is clear. Currently, an applicant who does not immediately accept the place allocated risks being permanently excluded from the process, even if places become available in the following days at a university closer to their preferences. In other words, the system ends up rewarding the speed of the choice rather than the result achieved in the selection process. It is precisely this aspect that the Panel at Palazzo Spada considers inconsistent with the meritocratic principle.

The order marks the first significant step regarding the new admissions model for Medicine and shines a spotlight on an issue that had previously fuelled doubts amongst students and universities: what happens when a candidate declines their place? According to the Council of State, those places should not be withheld from those who achieved a higher score, but should be reallocated strictly in accordance with the order of the ranking list. And the difference compared to the past is substantial. Under the previous system, students remained on the national ranking list and, thanks to the ‘scorrimenti’ (reallocations), could secure a better place if others withdrew. Today, however, the first allocation becomes almost definitive: the deadline for enrolment is very short, and anyone who does not confirm within that timeframe loses any chance of being subsequently reallocated, even if places perfectly compatible with their score become available in the meantime. It is precisely this consequence that has led the Council of State to raise doubts about the current regulations. The order notes that the current mechanism does not guarantee compliance with the meritocratic principle because it prevents vacant places from being reallocated in accordance with the order of the ranking list. The result is that a student with a high score may be permanently excluded from the possibility of securing a better place, whilst the places that become available are allocated according to criteria other than the ranking list.

The decision emphasises a guiding principle in admission procedures: in this selection process, the ranking list is not a secondary factor, but constitutes the fundamental criterion for ensuring impartiality, transparency and equal treatment of all candidates. In the case under consideration, the judges also found that there was a risk of serious and irreparable harm. Indeed, the case files revealed that there were still vacant posts available which would have allowed for a different and more favourable allocation than that initially arranged. The matter, however, is far from settled. The order is of a precautionary nature, and it will be the subsequent trial on the merits that will determine whether the current rules governing the ‘filter semester’ actually comply with the principles governing selection procedures. In the meantime, however, a guideline has emerged that is set to carry weight in the debate on new admissions to medical degree programmes: when selecting students, merit cannot stop at the publication of the first ranking list, but must underpin the entire procedure right up to the allocation of the last available place. Furthermore, the order could have implications that extend beyond this individual case. The issue concerns the delicate balance between the need to ensure a swift start to teaching activities and the need to guarantee that every available place is allocated to the candidate who is actually entitled to it on the basis of the marks achieved. The merits review will, in fact, be required to assess whether the current regulations truly manage to reconcile these two requirements, or whether corrective measures are needed to prevent any remaining vacant places from being allocated without following the ranking criteria.