Caught in quota tussle, MBBS, BDS admissions delayed

Caught in quota tussle, MBBS, BDS admissions delayed

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:

17.11.2021

Even two weeks after the declaration of National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) results, the Tamil Nadu government is yet to call for applications for MBBS and BDS admissions, increasing anxiety and stress among medical aspirants. The delay also would affect students who may not get a medical seat as admissions would be closed to other professional courses by the time medical counselling ends.

Officials said the state has decided to wait for clarity over cases related to special quota for vanniyars and economically weaker sections (EWS) which are pending before the Supreme Court.

Dharani, a medical aspirant who has scored above 450 marks in NEET, said, the anxiety increases everyday as there was no information about admissions. "It has been two weeks since the NEET results were declared. The government is yet to call for applications. I want to know which college I would get admission to for my score," she said.

Another aspirant from the city who has scored 500, said she was stressed over the delay in admissions. "This year, the conduct of the NEET and declaration of results were delayed. There is no update about all-India quota admissions and state quota admissions so far. My friends who have selected engineering and other courses have started going to colleges. Even if the selection committee starts admission now, we will be able to go to medical college only in January 2022," she said.

After the 10.5% special quota for vanniyars was struck down by the Madras high court, the state government filed an appeal against the HC's order. A decision also expected in a few days on the petitions challenging the centre's decision to implement a 27% quota to OBCs and 10% reservation to EWS within all-India quota (AIQ) seats.

“We normally don’t start counselling here until at least one round of counselling is completed by the Medical Counselling Committee under the directorate general of health services,” said a senior official from the directorate of medical education. “This will give toppers an opportunity to choose seats from AIQ. Once they pay their fees and join a college, they are not allowed for counselling here. If we hold counselling before them there will be unnecessary movements,” the official said.

Meanwhile, health minister Ma Subramanian said the state would start counselling only after two rounds of counselling for all-India quota seats.