Annamalai University scraps entrance examination

Professional course admissions on the basis of Plus-Two marks

For the current academic year, Annamalai University will do away with the entrance examination and admit students to professional courses such as MBBS, BDS, B.E and BSc (Agriculture) on the basis of their marks in the Plus Two examinations, Shiv Das Meena, government-appointed administrator of the university, said on Tuesday.

The university would scrupulously follow the reservation system. As for the fee structure, it would follow last year’s model, he said at the press conference here.

He said the Annamalai University Act, 2013, made it clear that in admission, the institution would follow the norms set forth in the Tamil Nadu Admission in Professional Educational Institutions Act, 2006.

As for the public demand that the university collect the government-fixed fee because it was under the government control, Mr. Meena said that since these were self-financing courses, being run without government grant, the fee structure could not be altered. But the university would extend the benefit of the first-generation graduate scheme to students and arrange for educational loans for them from banks.

He said the number of MBBS seats on offer this year would be 150, BDS 100, BE 3,000 and BSc (Agriculture and Horticulture) 1,075. Compared with last year, the number of BE seats would go up slightly from 2,970 to 3,000. To suit the infrastructure, the number of seats in agriculture and horticulture would be cut to 1,075 from 1,700.

Mr. Meena said candidates opting for the five-year integrated courses could download the application form from the university websiteAs for conferment of dual degrees (BA/BSC and MA/MSc) in the integrated courses, he said the academic council was working out the modalities. (Now, only the postgraduate degree is given at the end of the five-year courses).

In the meanwhile, the university moved the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission for getting “equivalence” to the integrated courses (only when such degrees are recognised by the nodal agency as equivalent to those offered by other universities would candidates be considered eligible for employment).

Mr. Meena said the university would send a team of faculty members to schools in the districts of Cuddalore, Villupuram, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Ariyalur and Perambalur to create awareness among the students of its courses.