Medical counselling begins with 7.5% quota for govt school students

Counselling for medical education admission in Tamil Nadu began on Wednesday with 7.5% reservation for the students who cleared NEET exams through government schools.

Inaugurating the medical counselling in the Nehru Indoor stadium, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami announced scholarships for the government school students who secured medical seats under the 7.5% reservation and handed over allotment orders along with stethoscopes and aprons.    

Addressing the students and their parents, CM Palaniswami said that the AIADMK government will continue its legal battle against NEET in the court, reaffirming his government’s stand on the issue. The Chief Minister also added that the Opposition parties never spoke in support of the horizontal reservation.

The CM promised that in the 2021-22 academic year, 1,990 more seats will be created by the government and this year 313 government school students will secure medical seats.

N. Jeevithakumar from Government Model Higher Secondary School, Silvarpatti, S. Anbarasan from Government Higher Secondary School in Kallakurichi and S. Dhivyadharshini from Government Higher Secondary School in Chennai were the three toppers who selected the Madras Medical College. Out of 38,000 applications 23,707 allocations were accepted for 3,032 seats in the government schools and another 1,147 seats under government quota from private medical colleges.

Till Friday counselling will happen for the students who come under the 7.5 % reservation category and on Saturday for special categories. From Sunday, counselling will begin for the general category.

All students who appear for counselling are subjected to swab tests and special arrangements have been made by the government to maintain physical distancing among the students.