1,143 seats are vacant in Tamil Nadu medical colleges
After the completion of the NEET examination, 2 rounds of counseling were held for the undergraduate medical courses. After that, the 3rd round of consultation has been held.
A recent report has highlighted that 1,143 seats are currently vacant in Tamil Nadu medical colleges, particularly in undergraduate courses like MBBS and BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery). These vacancies are mostly in private self-financing institutions. The primary reasons for this include high fees in private medical colleges, which deters students, and the difficulty some students face in securing admission despite meeting the qualifications.
First and Second Rounds Completed
The first and second rounds of counselling for UG medical courses have been completed. Following this, the third round of counselling is going on for the vacant seats. In this situation, some of those who participated in the counseling are dropping out of colleges without joining them.
Vacant Seats in Tamil Nadu
In Tamil Nadu, 1,143 seats for MBBS and BDS courses remain vacant after multiple rounds of counseling in the 2024-2025 academic year. These vacancies include 59 MBBS and 62 BDS seats in government colleges, with the majority—503 MBBS and 519 BDS seats—in self-financing private institutions. Factors contributing to the vacancies include high fees in private colleges and students securing seats elsewhere under the All India Quota.
Due to this, 59 MBBS seats and 62 BDS seats are vacant in government medical colleges. Similarly, 503 MBBS seats and 519 BDS seats in self financing medical colleges will be allotted for the next round of counselling.
Dr Sangumani, Director, Institute of Medical Education and Research, said “Those who got seats in government and private colleges have returned them as they got seats under the all-India medical quota. These seats will be filled in the next round of counselling.”
Medical Course Fees in Government and Self Financing Colleges
MBBS in self-financing medical colleges under management quota The fee for the course is Rs 13.50 lakh and the government quota fee is Rs 4.5 lakh. But, Rs 19 lakh for management quota ; Up to 11 lakh rupees is charged for government quota seats in self financing colleges. As a result, students who join self-financing colleges abandon Tamil Nadu colleges after getting seats in states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka under the All India Quota.
Why Seats are Vacant?
It has been revealed in this counselling that some of those who have opted for the seats in the previous counselling do not join the college. It is known that 59 MBBS seats and 62 BDS seats are vacant in government medical colleges. Similarly, a total of 1,143 seats, including 503 MBBS seats and 519 BDS seats, are vacant in self-financed medical colleges.
Additionally, government and management quotas play a role in admissions, with seats reserved for various categories of students. In many cases, students prefer government medical colleges due to affordable fees and better infrastructure. However, the surge in vacant seats indicates the need for reevaluation of the admission process, fee structures, and the overall approach to attracting more students to private institutions.
Expectation from the Government of Tamil Nadu
The Directorate of Medical Education (DME) plans to address this issue through additional rounds of counselling to ensure these seats are filled. Fee disparities between government and private institutions also play a role in students opting out. For instance, self-financing colleges charge significantly higher fees, especially under the management quota, compared to government institutions
The Tamil Nadu government and educational authorities might need to consider policy adjustments to address this issue and ensure that these seats are filled, so that educational resources do not go underutilized.
Further updates on the counseling process can be accessed through the official DME Tamil Nadu website .
