In the final week of April, the seat matrix for MBBS seats throughout Tamil Nadu still remains fluid and is constantly evolving and therefore, it is impossible to commit a number that would hold good for the admissions this year.
What does remain constant with the government medical colleges is the same number of seats as last year ? 1483 in 15 State-run institutions. The uncertainty surrounds the fate of two other medical colleges ? Thiruvarur Medical College and Villupuram Medical College ? both of which came up only this year. It remains to be seen whether the Medical Council of India will grant recognition to these two medical colleges.
While the health department is confident that the recognition is coming through anyway, students and parents are still diffident, considering that the MCI refused approval for the Government Medical College, Dharmapuri, last year, because it had not satisfied certain criteria.
It was only after a long drawn out battle that the college managed to take students for the academic year 2009-2010.
?The last date for giving recognition is June 15. We are very hopeful that clearance will come through for both colleges which have satisfied all of MCI's criteria. We have done our best,? V.K. Subburaj, Principal Secretary, Health, told The Hindu . The actual number of seats available will be clear only after that date.
Again, there is some confusion regarding how many seats will be available under the State quota seats offered by private medical colleges affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University.
At the moment, a total of 348 seats are said to be available from five colleges.
However, it is being said that a further 146 seats might become available at Chennai Medical College, Tiruchi, if the issue of the college's recognition and affiliation are sorted out before the start of this academic year.
Chennai Medical College, started by the SRM group, has promised to provide this year's quota of 65 per cent of seats (97) from a total of 150 and half of last year's quota (49) to make up for not providing the quota during 2009-2010.
The situation continues to remain fluid and all students are waiting for is some clarity at least by the time the applications are to be submitted (May 27).
