MBBS: Has an annual fee of Rs 35 lakh become a problem? Over 800 seats remain vacant in private universities in Tamil Nadu..

Significant news has emerged regarding MBBS admissions in Tamil Nadu. The state’s selection committee has filled all vacant MBBS seats under the state quota during the 'stray vacancy' round. The admission process was conducted based on merit and the students' preferences. Conversely, more than 800 seats remained vacant in private universities falling under the central counseling process. According to reports, students showed less interest in these institutions, partly due to annual fees reaching as high as ₹35 lakh. However, one private university with lower fees saw over 100 seats filled during the final round.

Were any seats left vacant in government colleges?
A 'stray vacancy' round was held to fill the state-quota MBBS seats. According to the seat allotment list for this round, the selection committee allocated all available MBBS seats based on merit. Not a single MBBS seat remained vacant in government medical colleges. However, 43 seats for the BDS (dental) course remained unfilled. Officials note that most students who secure a seat during the stray round choose to accept the admission—partly because declining an allotted seat could result in a heavy penalty. Consequently, students generally prioritize completing their admission once a seat is offered.

How far down the merit list did admissions go?
This year, students in certain categories were able to secure admission to government medical colleges even with lower rankings on the merit list compared to the previous year. According to available data, the final rank for admission in the 'Open' category was 150 (an improvement from a rank above 150 last year), with the minimum NEET score for this category rising from 553 to 571. In the BC (Backward Class) category, the final rank was 3,682—compared to 3,301 last year—with the minimum score increasing from 306 to 532. In the BCM (Backward Class Muslim) category, the final rank for admission reached 4,475. Here, the minimum score has increased to 520. It is important to understand the distinction between 'rank' and 'score' in these figures.

Why did the merit rank drop this time?
According to officials, one reason more students secured admission to government medical colleges this year is an increase in the number of available seats. Tamil Nadu has added 150 new seats to its seat matrix. This increase provided more candidates with the opportunity for admission. However, the closing rank did not decrease across all categories; in some categories, the closing rank was higher compared to the previous year. This indicates that factors such as seat availability, candidate merit, and admission preferences can vary across different categories. Therefore, it would be inaccurate to gauge the overall admission scenario based solely on rank.

In which categories was the closing rank higher?
In certain categories, the closing rank for admissions this year was higher than in the previous year. For the MBC category, the closing rank stood at 4,212 (compared to 4,484). In the SC category, it was 9,637 (down from 11,222). For the SCA category, the closing rank reached 13,034 (down from 19,895), while for the ST category, it was 14,790 (down from 15,006). According to the provided data, the minimum NEET score also increased in these categories: by 24 points for MBC, 33 points for SC, 40 points for SCA, and 23 points for ST. This clearly shows that admission figures varied depending on the specific category and the number of seats available.

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