TIRUCHY: As many as 28 of the 76 students trained at State Medical Education Centre functioning at the Government Model School in Thuvakudi have secured MBBS seats under the 7.5% reservation in the MBBS counselling held in Chennai on Thursday. Of them, 22 secured seats in government medical colleges and six in private colleges. Four more students are likely to secure MBBS seats in the upcoming online counselling.
All 28 students were first-time NEET candidates, according to Education Department officials overseeing the centre. R Januja, who scored 560 marks, secured a seat at Stanley Medical College and emerged as state topper among freshers.
The 28 students scored between 308 and 560 marks, with 10 scoring 500 or above and 26 scoring more than 450. Their average score was around 486 marks.
Officials attributed the performance to the centre’s integrated approach, under which teachers combine State Board syllabus teaching with preparation for competitive examinations. Teachers are trained to handle both aspects together, while regular tests are conducted to assess students and familiarise them with competitive examinations.
“The idea is to teach the syllabus and competitive examination concepts together, so that students understand subjects logically instead of merely memorising them,” an Education Department official overseeing the programme said.
The centre’s approach is also helping students keep their options open beyond medicine. T Deepika, one of this year’s successful students, secured an MBBS seat at Madurai Medical College as well as admission to IISER Thiruvananthapuram. Despite securing a medical seat, she is inclined to choose IISER and pursue research, reflecting the wider academic pathways available to students trained at the centre.
“I am interested in research, and I feel IISER will give me the opportunity to pursue that interest. So, IISER is my first choice,” Deepika said.
Her father, A Thirupathi, a tailor from Tiruppur, said the family had initially hoped she would become a doctor. “We were happy when she got MBBS seat, but she has always been interested in research. We will support whichever option she chooses,” he said.
The centre had also recorded strong results last year, when 17 of its 74 students secured MBBS seats. Five joined BDS, while one each secured admission to BUMS and ICAR programmes and two joined IISER.
The results this year, officials said, underline the centre’s focus not merely on securing professional-course seats but on giving government school students the academic foundation and exposure to choose among different competitive and higher-education pathways.