Centre approves 850 MBBS seats at 7 Medical Colleges in Tamil Nadu

These additional seats would be available at the seven new government medical colleges, informed the Health Minister of the State, MA Subramanian as reported by TOI.

Newly established medical colleges in Virudhunagar, Kallakurichi, and Ooty have received the nod from Union Government to admit 150 MBBS students each. Apart from these, the medical colleges in Namakkal, Tiruvallur, Tirupur and Ramanathapuram have been granted to fill 100 MBBS seats in each of these colleges.

This comes after the inspection team of the National Medical Commission (NMC) visited the 11 new medical colleges, for which the Directorate of Medical Education had sought permission, and inspected the infrastructure and human resources facility required to admit students for the first year MBBS course in these new medical colleges.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the central government had given permission to open 11 medical colleges in the state as part of the national mission to increase the number of medical colleges in the country. However, it was necessary for the medical colleges to clear the approval from NMC, the apex medical education regulatory body before they could start admitting students.

Also Read: After NMC nod to 11 New Medical Colleges, 1650 MBBS Seats to be Added to Tamil Nadu

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, while inspection, the NMC teams visited the hospitals, anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry labs, library, hostels – required for first-year students. On the basis of the findings of the NMC team, the Centre has asked the State Government for upgrading infrastructure, mostly civil works, in Dindigul, Krishnagiri, Ariyalur, and Nagapattinam medical colleges.

While commenting on the issue, Health Minister Subramanian said, "Most of these are civil work and are expected to be completed in ten days."

"We will reapply for inspection to these colleges in October. We will also ask for an additional 50 seats in Namakkal, Tirupur, Tiruvallur, and Ramanathapuram. We are hopeful of getting 850 more seats for the coming academic year. If that happens, the total number of seats will go up to 5,200," he added.

Currently, the State has a total number of 52 medical colleges, out of which 26 are run by the Government. So, there are a total number of 3650 MBBS seats in Tamil Nadu that belong to the Government medical colleges, revealed the data presented by MoS Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar. Now, with the state getting permission for 850 more MBBS seats, there would be a total number of 4,300 government medical seats in Tamil Nadu.

Although the analysts in the private coaching centers are predicting that the competition might be tough this year for MBBS admission, now with the additional medical seats in the State, more candidates would get the opportunity to pursue medical education.

Back in 2020, the NEET cut-off for the open category was 598, followed by 554 for BC, 527 for BCM, 521 of MBC, 443 for SC, 375 for SCA, and 346 for ST at the government colleges, adds the daily.

"This year, the NEET score may be higher, and the competition is likely to get tougher. Additional seats will offer more space for meritorious students," said a teacher who provides coaching to NEET candidates.

Apart from giving more students from the State to pursue medical education, these new medical colleges will be also effective for expanding the tertiary care to the districts and most of these colleges will have 700-750 bed hospitals attached to these colleges and all kinds of facilities would be available there, opined the teacher.

Speaking to TOI regarding the issue, Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said that these new medical colleges will help the health department for providing quality medical training at the affordable cost and also offer specialty and super specialty care to people living in the area free of cost.