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

Among these, 2350 MBBS seats have been added to the State in this year alone.

As per the data provided by MoS Health Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, there were previously a total number of 52 medical colleges in Tamil Nadu. Among them, 26 medical colleges are run by the Government and 26 are self financing medical colleges.

On the other hand, the data further revealed that with a total number of 60 (19 Government-run and 41 run by private management) medical colleges, Karnataka was the State with the highest numbers of medical colleges.

Also Read: NMC gives Nod to additional 50 MBBS Seats at Coimbatore Medical College

However, this year 11 new Government-run medical colleges had been added to Tamil Nadu. 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 for 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. Apart from this, NMC recently gave its nod for 50 additional MBBS seats at Coimbatore Medical College.

This resulted in a total number of 37 Government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu with an intake capacity for 5,150 MBBS seats.

Also Read: With 83,275 MBBS, 42,720 PG seats 558 Medical Colleges Operative in India: Health Minister

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, four new self-financing medical colleges- Arunai Medical College And Hospital in Tiruvannamalai, Swamy Vivekanandha Medical College Hospital And Research Institute in Namakkal, Faculty of Medicine, Sri Lalithambigai Medical College and Hospital in Chennai and St Peters Medical College Hospital and Research Institute in Krishnagiri -- attached to the state TN Dr MGR Medical University will add another 600 MBBS seats to the seat matrix of the State for 2021 admissions.

Another 300 MBBS seats are set to be added to the State from VELS Medical College (deemed university) and Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital (private university) as they would contribute 150 MBBS seats each.

So, the total number of MBBS seats in Tamil Nadu will now cross the benchmark of 10,000.

While commenting on the matter, director of medical education Dr R Narayanababu told TOI, "We have got permission for all the 11 new colleges we had applied for with this we will be able to add 1,450 MBBS seats this year. This is the biggest addition to the seat matrix we have made in one year. We also have permission to add 50 more seats to the existing government Coimbatore medical college."

As a result, in 2021Tamil Nadu will contribute around 12% of government medical seats to the country. Resultantly, the State will offer the highest number of seats under the 15% all India quota as well, because 15% of MBBS seats from government medical colleges across India are given to the Medical Counselling Committee, operative under the directorate general of health services for admitting students.

On the other hand, for the remaining 85% of the seats, the admission gets done on the basis of merit in NEET and other rules of reservation.

The daily further mentions about the State's policy of having at least one government medical college in every district. Referring to the same policy, the State Health Minister Ma Subramanian informed TOI regarding the State's plans of increasing the number of MBBS seats in all existing medical colleges to 250.

Speaking to the daily regarding the matter, he added, "Besides offering medical care at a reasonable subsidized cost to meritorious students, these medical college hospitals will also help us take tertiary healthcare to the rural parts of the state."

The daily further mentions that these medical college hospitals also have plans of commencing postgraduate courses and specialty departments within five years. Besides, the state has also asked for funds from the Central Government for beginning secondary care hospitals in districts with new medical colleges.

"The district headquarters hospitals were converted into teaching hospitals and attached to medical colleges. To avoid overcrowding at medical colleges, we will need secondary care hospitals in oldies districts immediately," said the State Health Minister.