This year, medical aspirants from Tamil Nadu can appear for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test in 18 towns, following the inclusion of examination centres in Chengalpattu, Virudhunagar, Dindigul and Tiruppur.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed this to Health Minister Ma. Subramanian during a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday. Last year, the test was held at 14 places.
The National Testing Agency increased the number of centres from 10 to 14 in 2018, following complaints that aspirants were being forced to travel long distances, sometimes to the neighbouring States, for taking the test.
Last year, around 1.21 lakh candidates had registered themselves for the test. Of the 99,610 aspirants who took the test, 57,215 qualified.
With the State looking forward to add 11 more medical colleges this year, an additional 1,650 MBBS seats will be added.
As several boards across the country have reduced the Class XII syllabus owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Testing Agency has introduced changes in the exam pattern.
There will be two parts in each section — A (35 questions) and B (15 questions) — in each of the four subjects: physics, chemistry, botany and zoology. The test is for 720 marks.
