Increase govt seats by 50 to compensate for loss: PMK

CHENNAI: The Pattali Makkal Katchi on Wednesday alleged that Tamil Nadu has lost as many as 700 government quota MBBS seats after six private medical colleges were converted into deemed-to-be universities, a move it said would severely impact access to affordable medical education for students from poor and middle-class families. It sought an increase of 50 MBBS seats each in the 16 government medical colleges to compensate for the loss.

PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss said the conversion of private medical colleges into deemed universities has significantly reduced the number of seats available under the state government quota.

According to him, three institutions -- including St Peter’s Medical College, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College and Srinivasan Medical College in Chennai -- have already been granted deemed university status. As a result, the state has lost around 350 government-quota MBBS seats previously available at these colleges.

He further claimed that three more private medical colleges, including Karpaga Vinayaga Medical College at Maduranthakam, are expected to receive deemed university status soon, leading to the loss of another 350 government quota seats.

He also sought an increase of 50 MBBS seats each in the 16 government medical colleges currently admitting only 100 students annually, saying the expansion is essential to compensate for the loss of government quota seats and improve access to affordable medical education.