117 MBBS seats, 459 BDS seats wasted due to delay in intake

117 MBBS seats, 459 BDS seats wasted due to delay in intake

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  21.01.2021 

At least five MBBS seats in government medical colleges and 112 seats in self-financing medical institutions are vacant in TN this year after two rounds of counselling. This is not because of the dearth of qualified students but because of the state’s own admission policies and “early” deadline for admission procedure due to the pandemic.

The state selection committee says it will not be able to allot these seats as the deadline set by the National Medical Commission for the admission process ended on January 15. Besides, 12 undergraduate dental seats in government colleges and 447 management seats in self-financing dental colleges are vacant. In the second round, students were allowed to “upgrade” seats — take admission in colleges where seats weren’t available during first allotment. The committee could not fill the vacancies created, particularly in government colleges, with giving the option of “upgrade” to other students.

On January 15, when the second round of counselling ended, one seat each at Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital and Government Vellore Medical College Hospital and three at Rajah Muthiah Medical College were vacant. “All seats in colleges were taken in the first round. During the second round, a student allotted a seat in Kilpauk Medical College, opted for Christian Medical College. We can’t allot the vacant seat to the next student without giving “upgrade option” to all students below his rank,” said selection committee secretary Dr G Selvarajan. The council didn’t have time to fill 112 lapsed NRI MBBS seats and 469 BDS seats. The state has set a separate fee structure for lapsed NRI seats, he said. The counselling process was also slowed because officials had to ensure pandemic protocols were followed.

The directorate of medical education has now moved the Supreme Court seeking additional time for mop-up counselling. “At least 23,000 students had applied for government quota seats and more than 14,000 students had applied for management quota seats. A week-long mop up will give others a chance,” said director of medical education Dr R Narayanababu. The case is likely to come up for hearing on Thursday.

While states such as Karnataka have also reported vacancies in MBBS/BDS seats this year, student counsellors say TN has not just been “slow” with counselling, but also did not plan ahead of time.