Medical, dental counselling a mess on day one Names of students with disabilities that figured on rank list not found on shortlist prepared by the selection committee.

CHENNAI: Counselling for MBBS and BDS admissions, which began at the Government Multi Super-Speciality Hospital in the Omandurar Estate on Sunday, was marked by confusion and arguments. 

Under the special category quota covering sportspersons, the students with disabilities and wards of ex-servicemen, out of 101 candidates called for, 63 attended the counselling. On day one, 38 MBBS seats in government medical colleges and two BDS seats in government dental colleges were filled up, 14 candidates opted out and eight were wait-listed.

Though the government has increased the number of MBBS seats under the sports quota from three to seven this year, a sportperson, who couldn’t get seat, said the State was not doing justice to sportspersons by not increasing the percentage of seats for them.  K Priya, a basket ball player from Coimbatore, couldn’t get seat as more students scored high marks this year.”My sports achievement mark last year was 490, and this year 360. It has dropped because I couldn’t participate in a national tournament in Punjab because the NEET-UG was scheduled for the same day. So, this year too I lost MBBS seat”.

“The government should increase the percentage of seats allotted under the sports quota. It has now increased it from 0.09 per cent to 0.25 per cent, but in Kerala it is 0.58 per cent and even in Puducherry it is 1 per cent,” said  S Krishnamoorthy, father of Priya.Meanwhile, there was confusion when the disabled candidates whose names had figured in the rank list ,but were not found in the shortlist prepared by the selection committee. After arguments, the candidates were sent for evaluation. 

After doctors certified that the candidates are above 50 per cent disabled, they were allowed for the counselling. A few others were sent back as they are not eligible. Among the students with disabilities, who secured seats after evaluation, were R Dhanalakshmi from Chennai and Vinoth Kumar from Thanjavur.Counselling for the general category will begin at 9 am on July 2 at the same venue.

Confusion on listing 
There was confusion when the students with disabilities, whose names had figured on the rank list, were not found on the shortlist. After arguments, the candidates were sent for evaluation. After doctors certified that the candidates are above 50 per cent disabled, they were allowed for the counselling. A few others were sent back as they were not eligible.