Tamil Nadu is no different; medical education has always been a crucial component of national progress. The remarkable medical education system in the southern Indian state is seen in the region’s numerous medical colleges and other institutions. There are 71 medical colleges in Tamil Nadu, of which 34 are private and 37 are run by the government. Together, these colleges provide 4,263 MD, MS, and PG Diploma seats in addition to 11,225 MBBS seats, the most in India. The medical school system in Tamil Nadu will be examined in further detail in this article, along with recent changes to the state, the counselling procedure, and the reservation policy.

Recent Changes in the Medical Education System in Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened 11 public medical schools in 2022. These institutions of higher learning were founded as a result of a government-sponsored drive to link fresh medical schools with neighbourhood referral hospitals. The state’s total number of medical seats increased by 1,450 thanks to the establishment of the new institutions in the districts of Virudhunagar, Namakkal, Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Tiruvallur, Nagapattinam, Dindigul, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur, Ramanathapuram, and Krishnagiri.

Tamil Nadu’s process for medical counselling

The Directorate of Medical Education (DME), Government of Tamil Nadu, oversees the counselling process for medical admissions. Tamil Nadu offers two phases of counselling for its MBBS and BDS programmes. State quota candidates receive 65% of the seats in the first phase, while candidates who qualify for the All India Quota (AIQ) receive the remaining 35% of the seats. The state quota’s open seats are filled in the second phase. 50% of the places for MD/MS/Diploma courses are given to state quota students, and the remaining 50% are given to AIQ candidates.

The National Eligibility Cumulative Entrance Test (NEET) UG, administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA), for undergraduate medical courses, and the NEET PG, administered by the National Board of Education (NBE), for postgraduate medical courses, are the basis for the counselling process. The following are the essential components of counselling:

Registration

Candidates who have achieved NEET success must register for counselling on the DME Tamil Nadu website. To finish the registration procedure, they must supply their contact information, NEET roll number, and other required data.

Optional Filling

Candidates must fill up their desired colleges and courses after registering in accordance with their NEET score. Before the counselling deadline, they can change or revise their decisions.

Based on the candidates’ preferences and their NEET scores, DME Tamil Nadu publishes the merit list. On the DME’s official website, the merit list will be accessible.

Counseling

In accordance with their rank and preferences, candidates will be contacted for counselling. Candidates must present their original documents for verification throughout the counselling process. The seat distribution, document verification, and fee payment are all parts of the counselling procedure.

Enrolling In College

Candidates must report to their assigned college within the stipulated time limit following the counselling procedure. To reserve a seat, they must turn in the needed paperwork and pay the fees.

Tamil Nadu’s policy on reservations

Tamil Nadu’s reservation policy for medical admissions comprises a 7.5% reservation for students who attended government schools from sixth to twelfth grade and a 10% reserve for those who did not.

Government colleges in Tamil Nadu

1. Madras Medical College, Chennai
2. India Institute of Medical Sciences, Madurai 
3. Stanley Medical College, Chennai 
4. Madurai Medical College, Madurai 
5. Thanjavur Medical College, Thanjavur 
6. Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai 
7. Tirunelveli Medical College, Tirunelveli
8. ChengalPattu Medical College, Chengalpattu
9. Coimbatore Medical College, Coimbatore
10. Raja Muthiya Medical College, Annamalai Nagar
11. Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College
12. Government Erode Medical College And Hospital, Perundurai 
13. KAP Vishwanathan Medical College, Trichy
14.  KanyaKumari Medical College, AsariPalam
15. Government Vellore Medical College, Vellore 
16. Theni Government Medical College, Theni
17. Government Puri Medical College, Dharampuri
18. Thiruvarur Government Medical College, Thiruvarur 
19. Government Villupuram Medical Colleg,e Villupuram
20. Government Shiva Gangai Medical College,  shivagangai 
21. Government Tiruvannamalai Medical College, Tiruvannamalai 
22. ESIC Medical College And PGISMR, Chennai 
23. Government Medical College, Omandudar
24. GovernmentMedical College and ESIC hospital, Coimbatore
25. Government Medical College, Pudukkottai 
26. Government Medical College, Karur
27. Government Medical College Thiruvallur Government
28.  Government Medical College Tirupur 
29. Government Medical College, Kallakurichi 
30. Government Medical College, Virudhunagar
31. Government Medical College, The Nilgiris
32. Government Medical College, Namakkal
33. Government Medical College, RamanthaPuram
34. Government Medical College, Nagapattinam
35. Government Medical College, Krishnagiri
36. Government Medical College, Ariyalur
37. Government Medical College, Dindigul

Private Colleges in Tamil Nadu

1. Christian Medical College, Vellore
2. PGS Institute of Medical Sciences, Coimbatore 
3. Ramachandran medical college and Research Centre, Chennai
4. Vinayaka Mission kirupananda Variyar Medical College, Salem
5. Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute, Enathur
6. Shri Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai 
7. SRM Medical College and Research Centre, Chengalpattu
8. Shri Mukambika  Institute of Medical Sciences, KanyaKumari
9. Chetinath Hospital and Research Institute, Kanchipuram
10.  Savita Medical College and Hospital, Kanchipuram
11. Sathya Sai Medical College And Research Institute, Kanjipuram 
12.  ACS Medical College and Hospital, Chennai 
13. Melmaruvathur AdhiParasakthi Institute of Medical Sciences and research
14. Karpaga Vinayaka Institute of Medical Sciences, Madruranthungam
15. Trichy SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy
16. Tagore Medical College And Hospital, Chennai 
17. Sri Muthukumaran Medical College ,Chennai 
18. Madha Medical College And Hospital, Chennai
19. Annapoorna Medical College And Hospital, Salem
20.  Dhanalakshmi shrinivasan  medical College and Hospital, Perambalur 
21. Karpagam Faculty Of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Coimbatore
22. Vellamal Medical College  Hospital and Research Institute, Madurai 
23. KMCH Institute of Health science and research ,Coimbatore
24. Indira Medical College And Hospital, Thiruvallur
25. Bharat Medical College and Hospital, Chennai
26. Pani Milar Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Chennai
27. Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital, perambalur 
28. Swami vivekanandha Medical College and Hospital And Research Institute, Tiruchengonde
29. Arunai Medical College and Hospital, Thiruvannamalai
30.  Faculty of medicine, Shri Lalithambigai  medical College and Hospital, Kachipuram
31. Vels Medical College and Hospital, Chennai
32. St.Peters Medical College Hospital and Research  Institute,  Chennai
33. Shri Venkateswara Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Chennai
34. PSP Medical College hospital And Research Institute, Coimbatore