The NEET-based merit list released on Wednesday has belied the conviction that students from CBSE would take away a large chunk of seats in MBBS and BDS.
Sources at the Directorate of Medical Education said that out of the nearly 3,530 seats in the government quota, State Board students are likely to bag some 2,220 seats while the remaining 1,310 will go to students from other Boards. This means nearly 63% of the seats will be filled by the State Board students. Among the 2,220 State Board students, 1,281, or 60%, are from this academic year.
Among the top 20, there are only five from State Board. Five of the candidates are girls.
On Thursday, counselling will begin for special categories, including persons with disabilities, sportspersons and wards of ex-servicemen. Officials said 48 candidates had been called for 20 seats in these categories. This year onwards 5% seats will be reserved for persons with disabilities.
The merit list for seats in management quota in self-financing colleges was also released. The topper in the government quota category, Santhosh R. of Hosur, has scored 656 marks; and the topper in the self-financing management quota category, Jaee Milind Naik of Hyderabad, has scored 655 marks.
The State has a total of 3,534 seats, including those in the self-financing colleges and the Rajah Muthiah Medical College. A total of 102 seats have been surrendered to the State after counselling under the All India Quota.
Counselling for general category will begin on Friday and will continue till September 4, the last date permitted by the Supreme Court to complete the process, said health secretary J. Radhakrishnan, who released the merit list.
The state has on offer a total of 1,198 dental seats including 85 in the government dental college.
