Chennai: Despite an increase in MBBS seats for differently abled persons from 3 per cent to 5 per cent this year, only five candidates got the seats at the medical counselling on Thursday.
This year 122 MBBS seats are reserved for the 5 per cent differently abled quota. The selection committee had received 58 applications.
Among the 58 applicants, only 20 candidates were Neet qualified and were called for the special counselling on Thursday.
“After the medical examination, we found only five candidates were eligible to join the MBBS courses. Other candidates who had disabilities in their upper limbs were rejected,” an official said.
As per the Medical Council of India (MCI) rules, candidates with speech, vision and hearing disabilities and those disabled in the upper limbs are not eligible to join under this quota.
G. Karthikeyan from Coimbatore has cleft foot and diagnosed with 40 per cent disability by the medical board got a seat in Madras Medical College. He scored 326 in Neet exam and topped among differently abled candidates. “I studied NCERT books to clear Neet. I want to become a cardiologist,” he said.
S. Yukesh who has bleeding disorder has chosen Coimbatore Medical College as the city has more medical facilities.
He said he wanted to be a genetics researcher. Another candidate V. Sathiya Priya, who has a leg problem, also got a seat in Madras Medical College. She said the Neet exam was tough for state board students.
S. Namburajan, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled & Caregivers (TARATDAC) said, “The Medical Council of India has framed rules in violation of disability act. The upper limb rule is preventing many differently abled persons from studying medicine. All MBBS graduates need not be doctors and some may opt to teach. So, the MCI rules should be changed.”
For sports quota, 447 applications were received. The certificates were verified by Anna University. As per the ranking provided by the Anna University, top 10 rankers were called on Thursday. After the verification, three students were allotted MBBS seats under the quota.
Under ex-servicemen quota, the selection committee has received 513 applications and 471 were found eligible. The selection committee has called only 60 candidates for the counselling. The top six candidates were allotted five MBBS and one BDS seats.
General counselling from today
Chennai: Amid protests against Neet all over the state, the general counselling for MBBS and BDS courses is to begin on Friday. “We have invited 1,209 candidates on the first day and 13,242 candidates were called for first phase counselling,” said Dr Selvaraj, secretary, selection committee.
For, state quota, 3,534 MBBS seats and 1,198 BDS seats are available. All MBBS seats are expected to be filled in next three days. After filling the BDS seats, the counselling for management quota will be held on August 31.
Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the special counselling here on Thursday, health secretary J. Radhakrishnan said, “Students who attend the counselling during the holidays can pay the fees in cash instead of demand draft.
Those students who have joined the colleges need to submit the bonafide certificates from the respective institutions. If they could not get it, they can give an undertaking to the selection committee.”
Candidates who got allotment orders will be given two days time to join the colleges.
