PMK alleges government quota erosion after private colleges attain deemed status

Chennai (IANS) – In a fresh statement, the Pattali Makkal Katchi claimed that the transformation of six private medical colleges into deemed‑to‑be universities is set to deprive Tamil Nadu of about 700 MBBS seats reserved for economically weaker sections. The party’s leader, Dr. Ambumani Ramdas, warned that the decision threatens the accessibility of low‑cost medical training.

The three colleges already classified as deemed universities – St. Peter’s, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan and Chennai’s Srinivasan Medical College – have reportedly eliminated 350 seats that were once part of the government quota. The party expects a similar outcome from three additional colleges, notably Karapaga Vinayaga Medical College, which could result in a further loss of 350 seats.

State‑wide, the MBBS seat count stands at roughly 13,000, spread across government, private, private‑university and deemed institutions. Government‑quota admissions in private colleges are conducted through the NEET‑based counseling system.

Current tuition for quota students in private colleges ranges between INR 4.35 lakh and INR 5.40 lakh per annum. After the deemed‑university conversion, fees could jump to as high as INR 30 lakh, making medical studies unaffordable for many families.

The PMK also raised procedural doubts, asking how the colleges received deemed status without an NOC from the Dr. MGR Medical University. It called for the rapid establishment of government medical colleges in six districts lacking such facilities and for an expansion of 50 seats in each of the 16 existing government colleges that admit only 100 students.