Tamil Nadu: Health dept planning online counselling for MBBS, BDS
CHENNAI: The Directorate of Medical Education is planning to conduct online counselling for MBBS and BDS admissions from this academic year, according to Selection Committee officials. The sale of applications for admission to MBBS and BDS is likely to begin from June 6, the day after UG-NEET results are announced.
Speaking to Express, Dr A Edwin Joe, Director of Medical Education, said,” We are planning to make MBBS and BDS counselling online from this academic year. Also, applications can be downloaded online. Facilitation centres will be set up at all the districts and staff will be posted to teach the students how to fill the application and other details, online.”
“The State Health Department will conduct online counselling with the help of the Directorate of Technical Education (DOTE). We are also planning to train vice-principals of the medical colleges on the online process so that they could help the people in facilitation centres,” said Dr Edwin Joe.
“The rural students would be affected by this proposal. Already, they were struggling with NEET procedures. Many had to drop out from appearing for the exam as they either could not afford the coaching centres or were not clear about the online process,” said a senior doctor.
While implementing such procedures, the government should consider the difficulty of the rural students too, the senior doctor added. However, another official from the Selection Committee said, “We are trying to make the counselling online but still haven’t finalised on how to go about it.”