CHENNAI: Chennai district tops the list of number of candidates eligible for medical and dental admission 2018-2019 counselling with Kancheepuram district in the second place and Tiruvallur district in third place.
Data accessed by Express showed that of the number of candidates eligible to attend the counselling, 2,939 candidates were from Chennai district,1,390 from Kancheepuram district and 1,344 candidates were from Tiruvallur district.
Among the top 10 districts, Salem stands in the fourth place with 1,317 candidates eligible to attend the counselling, Vellore in the fifth place with 1,256 candidates, Madurai in the sixth place with 1,251 candidates, Coimbatore seventh with 1,158, Tirunelveli eighth with 1,155, Tiruchy ninth with 1,144 and Kanyakumari in the 10th place with 975 candidates.
The performance of candidates from backward districts like Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Perambalur, and Ariyalur has been negligible. From Sivaganga, 373 candidates were eligible for counselling, Ramanathapuram 350, Perambalur 211 and Ariyalur 316 candidates.
The medical admission is done based on National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test (NEET) score. Students who cleared NEET-UG alone are eligible for admission to MBBS and BDS courses.
“This shows the accessibility to NEET coaching centres and socio-economic background of a child, whether the child is able to spend a year or two after completing higher secondary school. Children who can sit with textbooks most of the time without involving themselves in the socio-economic condition in the family can crack NEET. How many children from economically weaker section will get this privilege?” P B Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary, State Platform for Common School said.
J Kathirvel, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association said, “The data is a reflection of what we have been highlighting all these years. This shows the disparity between available resources in urban and rural areas. Students from backward districts like Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Ariyalur are affected by NEET,” he said.
Meanwhile, as there is a controversy over candidates from other States securing medical seat in the State counselling, the data with the selection committee also showed that 52 students from Kerala, 18 students from Andhra Pradesh, four from Karnataka and 34 from other States are eligible to attend counselling.
state’s NEET Bills withheld by Prez, says health Min
Chennai: Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar on Thursday told the Assembly that the President’s office has withheld till date the two Bills relating to NEET examination adopted unanimously by the Assembly last year and that the government had sought reasons for withholding the legislation.
The minister said this while responding to the issue raised by Leader of Opposition MK Stalin during the zero hour. Stalin wanted to know the status of the two NEET Bills and suggested that the government should move the Supreme Court seeking directives to the Centre to take an early decision on the bills. Stalin said there were reports that students hailing from neighbouring States could get admission for medical courses in Tamil Nadu since they managed to produce fake residential certificates. Denying this, the minister said enough screening was being done.