The Tamil Nadu Directorate of Medical Education recently confirmed that no additional UG medical seats would be added to government healthcare institutions this year. While the state awaits finances and consent to open six new healthcare institutions, there has been no application to increase the number of seats in the existing colleges.

The Department of Health has announced information about the number of MBBS and PG medical seats legally available nationwide. Tamil Nadu has the highest number of MBBS seats, with 11,275 spread across 72 medical colleges, including 37 provincial, one centralised AIIMS, Madurai, 20 self-financing, and 12 deemed universities.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) recently enacted 150 MBBS seats in a new self-financing medical college in Kancheepuram, PSP Medical College and Research Institute. This brings the total number of MBBS seats in Tamil Nadu to 150.

However, it is extremely unlikely that any additional MBBS seats will be added to the state’s seat structure for 2023 admissions, as DME officers have confirmed that they have not applied for any increase in MBBS seats in government healthcare institutions.

State Health Minister Ma Subramanian has stated to the press that building work on the building structures for these latest medical institutes will begin once the Central Government grants permission. Perambalur, Mayiladuthurai, Tirupathur, Ranipet, Kancheepuram, and Kallakurichi will be among the six districts in the state where these latest medical colleges will be set up. The Central Government will contribute 60% of the total capital required to establish these institutes under the centrally financed projects.

Students seeking admission to MBBS programmes will undoubtedly be significantly impacted by the state government’s decision to not raise the number of undergraduate medical seats this year.

The Health Ministry has been working to improve the state’s overall medical seat count despite the lack of a clear plan for increasing medical seats in Tamil Nadu. One such decision is the National Medical Commission’s approval of 150 MBBS seats at the recently established self-financing medical institution.