Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President Anbumani Ramadoss on Sunday, 4 May 2025, called for the immediate establishment of new government medical colleges in six Tamil Nadu districts, citing the National Medical Commission's (NMC) decision to withdraw a restrictive population-based cap that had effectively frozen medical education expansion in the state.

Six Districts in Focus

Ramadoss identified Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Mayiladuthurai, Perambalur, and Tenkasi as districts that should immediately receive new government medical colleges. He urged the Tamil Nadu state government to act without delay to improve access to both medical education and healthcare infrastructure across these underserved regions.

The NMC Rule That Blocked Expansion

The now-withdrawn regulation, notified by the NMC on 16 August 2023, had imposed a cap of 100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population. Under this formula, Tamil Nadu would have been eligible for only 7,731 MBBS seats. With 12,650 seats already in place across government and private colleges, the rule had effectively barred any further expansion — public or private. The NMC had subsequently deferred implementation for a year, limiting approvals only to institutions that had applied before 2025.

Welcoming the latest notification issued on 27 April 2026 that formally withdrew the controversial norms, Ramadoss said the move would revive stalled plans to expand medical education capacity in Tamil Nadu and other southern states. He noted that the PMK had opposed the regulation from the outset, and that he had personally written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking its withdrawal.

DMK vs AIADMK: The Political Scorecard

Ramadoss drew a pointed contrast between the two governments that have ruled Tamil Nadu in recent years. He highlighted that during the AIADMK regime under former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, as many as 13 new government medical colleges were established within 50 months — described as the highest in the state's history. In contrast, he alleged that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had not opened a single new government medical college during its tenure.

Ramadoss argued that the state had sufficient time over the past four years — even before the NMC restrictions came into force in 2025 — to establish new colleges, but failed to act. The allegation has not been independently verified, and the DMK government has not yet responded to the charge.

PMK's Long-Term Goal and What Comes Next

The PMK has long advocated for at least one government medical college in every district of Tamil Nadu. Ramadoss reiterated this goal on Sunday and assured that the party would push for swift action if a welfare-oriented government assumes office. With the NMC regulatory hurdle now removed, pressure is likely to mount on the state government to announce a concrete expansion plan — particularly ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections.