State selection committee applies for more medical seats

State selection committee applies for more medical seats 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 23.08.2024 

Chennai : The Tamil Nadu selection committee has sent proposals to National Medical Commission, the apex body regulating medical education in the country, seeking permission to increase MBBS seats in at least eight govt-run medical colleges that have 100 seats each. The state has proposed to add at least 50 seats each in these colleges. If NMC permits, the state will get 400 more MBBS seats in govt colleges in 2025.

At least a dozen of the 36 govt medical colleges in the state have 100 undergraduate medical seats each. “We have asked for more seats in eight medical colleges. If they are approved, we can start admissions with an improved seat matrix from 2025,” said health minister Ma Subramanian.

Competition is making it increasingly tougher for students to get into medical colleges as cutoffs go up every year. So, more seats will ease the situation for students. Some of the govt colleges, such as Chengalpet Medical College, are nearly 60 years old, said director of medical education Dr J Sangumani. “We have the infrastructure, including hospital beds, patients, and teaching staff (to add more seats),” he said. 

Most new medical colleges have 150 seats, but at least a dozen old colleges are stuckwith just 100 seats for several years now, he said. Apart from this, the state has sought funding from Centre to start new medical colleges in six districts. “We wanted to start new medical colleges under a centrally sponsored scheme in which 60% of funds come from Union govt,” Subramanian said. The state has a policy to establish one new medical college in every district. These will provide specialty care to patients in rural areas, the minister said.