Medical seats: Big share for CBSE, Class 12 students of 2016

2,500 students from state board had qualified, while this year, only 1,281 odd students have qualified for counselling, implying that the number of state board students eligible for counselling has come down by 60 per cent. 

Data released by the Tamil Nadu Selection Committee shows that 943 students who are eligible from the state board are old students, which is almost 50 per cent of the total eligible.

After over two months of delay, the rank list was finally released on Wednesday. The state Selection Committee has released two rank lists – one for the state quota and the other for Management quota seats.

While releasing the merit list, health officials said that of the 3,534 government seats, 2,224 from the state board are eligible for counselling, of which, 943 are old students and 1,281 current students. Also, 1,310 students are from the CBSE and other boards, indicating that the numbers may have increased as compared to last year’s bare minimum.

Stating that MBBS and BDS counselling will begin on Thursday, state Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said, “Counselling will continue on all days until all available seats are filled. It will be held during intervening holidays, including Vinayaka Chaturthi, in view of the limited number of days available before the deadline of September 4.” 

“Even if eligible students have not received any call letter for counselling, they must attend counselling if they come within the zone of consideration on the basis of NEET marks,” he added. Of the students who made it to the top 20 on the rank list, 15 belong to the CBSE and other boards, while five are from the state board. One transgender too has found a place in the merit list. Of the top 100 students, 61 have already joined various medical colleges under the All India Quota.