PM Modi to inaugurate 11 TN Medical Colleges on January 12

The confirmation regarding this came from the Health Minister Ma. Subramanian, reports The Hindu.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Central Government had given its nod to add 850 MBBS seats to Tamil Nadu in seven out of eleven newly constituted medical colleges. At that time, the newly established medical colleges in Virudhunagar, Kallakurichi, and Ooty had received the nod from Union Government to admit 150 MBBS students each. Apart from these, the medical colleges in Namakkal, Tiruvallur, Tirupur, and Ramanathapuram had been granted to fill 100 MBBS seats in each of these colleges.

After the State rectified the deficiencies pointed out by the NMC team, the Central Government had permitted the State 600 more MBBS seats in the four new government medical colleges at Krishnagiri, Dindigul, Nagapattinam, and Ariyalur.

With this, a total number of 1,450 MBBS seats were added to Tamil Nadu in this Academic year in 11 new medical colleges.

These medical colleges had been set up under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for "Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals". Both the Union and State Government shared the cost of 325 crore for each of the medical colleges in a 60:40 ratio.

The AIADMK had also proposed colleges in Cuddalore and Kancheepuram. However, as the Annamalai University in Chidambaram and a private medical college is in Kancheepuram, Central Government didn't give its nod to the State Government.

Also Read: With 17 New Institutes, Tamil Nadu now has highest number of medical colleges

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, these 11 new medical colleges will be opened on January 12 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Chief Minister M K Stalin will attend the inauguration ceremony. In fact, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will also attend the event.

This is the first time that PM Modi will be visiting Tamil Nadu after the Stalin-led DMK Government assumed office.

Speaking to TOI, a source said, "The state government is ready to open the colleges as approval has been obtained for admission of 1,450 seats in these colleges. The PM (is keen on) attending the event."

The State Health Minister Ma Subramanian told The Hindu, that online applications to MBBS and BDS seats would be received from students at 10 a.m. on Sunday.

While commenting on the matter, former health minister C Vijayabaskar mentioned that the Health Department took up the implementation of the scheme on a war-footing and completed land acquisition so that the government agencies gave its approval quickly.

Recalling how appointing doctors had been a big challenge in Nagapattinam, Ooty, and aspirational districts like Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar, C Vijayabaskar said, "It was historic that TN got sanction for 11 medical colleges at one stroke. Even the newly created Kallakurichi district was included."