For 125 seats allocated for persons with disability, less than 30 applications were received

The first phase of counselling for medical and dental seats under state quota began on Sunday for candidates in special categories.

A total of 40 seats, including 38 in medical colleges and two in dental, were allotted.

Though 125 seats were allocated for persons with disability, less than 30 applications were received by the selection committee of the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University.

Candidates

A total of 103 candidates were invited for counselling on Sunday, including 60 in the ex-servicemen category and 15 in the eminent sportspersons category.

K. Priya, a basketball player from Coimbatore, who chose to be waitlisted, was upset that despite taking NEET this year and scoring 360 marks in the sports category, she was not able to get a seat.

“Puducherry has allocated 1% of seats and other States have set aside 0.5% of total seats for sports category, but in Tamil Nadu only 0.09% seats are for sportspersons.

“I could not attend a match this year as on the same day I had to appear for NEET. Had I played I would have scored higher marks,” she lamented.

For some like R. Dhanalakshmi of Manali, daughter of a timber shop owner, it was a wait-and-watch situation.

She had set her heart on becoming a doctor, but had not scored enough in NEET last year.

This year, with a score of 263 the candidate, who is certified 60% disabled, was disappointed that her name did not figure in the list.

However, after evaluation by a team of doctors, she was permitted to attend counselling.

She was allotted a seat in Kilpauk Medical College. A. Vinoth Kumar, who has lower limb disability, and a NEET score of 269, was permitted to attend counselling after being reassessed by doctors.

He was allotted a seat in Thanjavur Medical College.

Selection committee secretary G. Selvarajan said 90 seats were added to the general pool on Sunday after the Medical Council of India approved the intake of seats in Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/40-allotted-mbbsbds-seats-on-day-1/article24306867.ece