Tamil Nadu unveils ‘minority list’ for MBBS admissions

The committee decided to make this mandatory after it found that some colleges never took candidates from the minority pool for several years, while some others predetermine the number of minority students they can take. Of the 17 self-financing colleges under Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University, nine are minority colleges.They share 35%-50% of seats to the state's merit pool, compared to 50% given by non-minority institutions. There are five Telugu minority institutions, one Malayalam minority institution, and three Christian minority institutions in TN.

In 2020-21, only five colleges surrendered seats to the state for admission through merit. As for admission to CMC Vellore, Vasanthamani said that until now nearly 85% of seats were being filled by the selection committee based on the minority rank list prepared by the college. For 2021 admissions, a rank list for 70% of the students will be drawn from the Christian minority list prepared by the Tamil Nadu government, she said. They share 35%-50% of seats to the state’s merit pool, compared to 50% given by non-minority institutions.

There are five Telugu minority institutions, one Malayalam minority institution, and three Christian minority institutions in Tamil Nadu. In 2020-21, only five colleges surrendered seats to the state for admission through merit. As for admission to CMC Vellore, Vasanthamani said that until now nearly 85% of seats were being filled by the selection committee based on the minority rank list prepared by the college.

For 2021 admissions, a rank list for 70% of the students will be drawn from the Christian minority list prepared by the Tamil Nadu government, she said. Meanwhile, the state government has sent the NMC’s communication stating the fees for 50% of seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities should be at par with that of the government medical colleges to the selection committee and fee fixation committee. 

“We are awaiting further clarifications for implemention,” health secretary J Radhakrishnan said. “There are challenges on both sides. For instance, if we implement it this should allow students admitted in the first round to upgrade seats,” he said. The selection committee also said that it was still unclear about the admissions to the Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital, which falls under the ambit of Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan University, the sole private medical university in Tamil Nadu. "A case regarding fees fixed by the college is still pending before the court. We are waiting for the orders," the secretary said.