It is said that the cut off for undergraduate medical courses for government reserved seats in government medical colleges and private medical colleges in Tamil Nadu will be higher this year.
Because neither new government medical colleges were started this year nor increased seats in existing government colleges, TOI reported.
Applications for 5 new medical colleges including 3 self-financed institutions affiliated to Tamilnadu Dr. MGR Medical University are pending with the National Medical Commission.
On the other hand, while the number of seats has not increased, the number of students with high marks has increased. Schools and coaching centers point to at least 2,000 students who scored more than 600 in NEET. In 2023, 1,538 students scored more than 600 marks. Eight students scored 720 out of 720 in Tamil Nadu this year. As a result, the cut-off for government medical courses will be above 650 marks, said an education consultant.
The government should encourage more students from Tamil Nadu to enroll in MPBS courses through All India quota. Tamil Nadu contributes 15% seats (around 770) for all India quota. Students should also be encouraged to join central government colleges and government medical colleges in other states. This will ensure that local students get more seats in the state, says the education consultant.
In 2023, the Tamil Nadu government lost the opportunity to apply for new medical colleges when the National Medical Commission gave a one-year exemption and opened the online application portal from November 16 to 23. At least nine government medical colleges, including Chengalpattu and Trichy, have only 100 seats each against the sanctioned 150 seats that opened a decade ago and are yet to get permission to increase seats.
Parents have requested the government to ask the Supreme Court to allow supernumerary seats or review marks to ensure parity for irregularities in examination norms.
The National Examinations Agency says it has given grace marks to about 1,500 students to make up time. Additionally, for a question in Physics, the National Examinations Agency has clarified two answers. Students who chose either of the two were given marks. But because of negative marking, many students who saw two answers may not have answered them. So either they should be awarded marks, or the entire question should be dropped, say parents.
