CHENNAI: The number of candidates who applied for MBBS and BDS admissions this year is more than the number of candidates who passed NEET-UG in Tamil Nadu, as the selection committee under the Directorate of Medical Education and Research received 70,485 applications for MBBS and BDS courses. According to National Testing Agency (NTA) data, only 61,306 students passed the exam in 2026, compared to 76,181 in 2025.
The selection committee officials said there are two reasons for the rise in the number of applicants: For management quota seats, candidates from other states also can apply; also there could be a mismatch in NTA data when it comes to deciding on the domicile (nativity) of the candidates.
With the last date for submitting applications online ended on Thursday, the panel has begun scrutinising the applications.
Meanwhile, the selection committee is awaiting NEET-UG 2026 data from NTA. For the academic year 2026-27, the state has 5,349 MBBS seats in 36 government medical colleges and government-run ESI Medical College in Coimbatore. In private medical colleges, there are 8,650 MBBS seats.