PMK: Tamil Nadu lost 700 MBBS seats to deemed university conversions
Synopsis
Tamil Nadu's government quota MBBS pool may shrink by 700 seats as six private medical colleges convert to deemed universities — a shift that could push annual fees from under ₹5.4 lakh to as high as ₹30 lakh. PMK's Anbumani Ramadoss is demanding new government colleges in six unserved districts and a seat expansion in 16 existing ones to plug the gap.
Key Takeaways
PMK alleged Tamil Nadu has lost approximately 700 government quota MBBS seats due to conversions of six private medical colleges into deemed universities.
Three colleges — St.
Peter's , Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan , and Srinivasan Medical College — have already received deemed status, eliminating around 350 seats .
Three more colleges, including Karpaga Vinayaga Medical College , are expected to follow, removing another 350 seats .
Annual tuition could rise from ₹4.35–5.40 lakh under government quota to ₹23–30 lakh under deemed university fee structures.
PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss demanded new government medical colleges in 6 districts and 50 additional seats in 16 colleges admitting only 100 students annually.
Tamil Nadu currently has approximately 13,000 MBBS seats across government, private, and deemed institutions.
The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) on Wednesday, 8 July alleged that Tamil Nadu has lost approximately 700 government quota MBBS seats following the conversion of six private medical colleges into deemed-to-be universities — a shift that, the party warned, will place affordable medical education beyond the reach of students from poor and middle-class families.
Key Allegations
PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss stated that three institutions — St. Peter's Medical College, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College, and Srinivasan Medical College in Chennai — have already been granted deemed university status, resulting in the loss of around 350 government quota MBBS seats that were previously accessible through state counselling.
He further alleged that three additional private medical colleges, including Karpaga Vinayaga Medical College at Maduranthakam, are expected to receive deemed university status shortly, which would eliminate another 350 government quota seats — bringing the total projected loss to nearly 700 seats.
The Fee Gap That Changes Everything
At the heart of the PMK's concern is a dramatic fee differential. Students admitted under the government quota in private medical colleges currently pay annual tuition fees between ₹4.35 lakh and ₹5.40 lakh. Once these institutions attain deemed university status, annual fees could rise to between ₹23 lakh and ₹30 lakh — an increase of up to seven times — effectively shutting out economically weaker students.
Tamil Nadu currently has approximately 13,000 MBBS seats across its medical education ecosystem: 5,050 seats in 36 government medical colleges, 3,900 seats in 22 private medical colleges, 850 seats in five private universities, 3,050 seats in deemed universities, and 150 seats in a central government institution. Government quota seats in private colleges are filled through NEET-based counselling conducted by the state, alongside seats under the All India Quota.
Legality Under Question
Dr Anbumani also raised procedural concerns, questioning whether deemed university status was granted to these colleges without obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, to which the colleges were previously affiliated. He argued this process may lack legal standing and called for urgent review.
PMK's Demands
The PMK president urged the Tamil Nadu government to establish new government medical colleges in the six districts currently without one: Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Mayiladuthurai, Tenkasi, and Perambalur. He also called for an increase of 50 MBBS seats each in the 16 government medical colleges that presently admit only 100 students annually, arguing the expansion is essential to compensate for the loss of state quota seats.
The Tamil Nadu government is yet to respond formally to the PMK's allegations. With medical seat access already a politically charged issue in the state, the deemed university conversions are likely to intensify debate ahead of future legislative sessions.
Point of View
It exits state fee regulation too — and the jump from ₹5.4 lakh to ₹30 lakh annually is not incremental, it is exclusionary. What is missing from the public discourse is scrutiny of the approval process: if NOCs from Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University were bypassed, the Centre's role in fast-tracking deemed status warrants examination. PMK's demands for new government colleges are reasonable in principle, but six new campuses take years to operationalise — the immediate policy lever is whether the state can negotiate a fee-cap agreement with newly converted deemed institutions, as some other states have attempted.
NationPress
8 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Tamil Nadu lost government quota MBBS seats?
Tamil Nadu has allegedly lost around 700 government quota MBBS seats because six private medical colleges converted into deemed-to-be universities. Once a college attains deemed university status, it exits the state government quota system, and seats previously filled through NEET-based state counselling are no longer available to students at regulated fees.
How much do MBBS fees increase after a college becomes a deemed university?
Under the government quota in private colleges, students currently pay annual tuition of ₹4.35 lakh to ₹5.40 lakh. After conversion to deemed university status, fees can rise to ₹23 lakh to ₹30 lakh per year — an increase of up to seven times, according to PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss.
Which colleges have already been converted to deemed universities in Tamil Nadu?
Three colleges have already received deemed university status: St. Peter's Medical College, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College, and Srinivasan Medical College, all in Chennai. Three more, including Karpaga Vinayaga Medical College at Maduranthakam, are reportedly expected to receive the same status soon.
What has PMK demanded from the Tamil Nadu government?
PMK has urged the Tamil Nadu government to establish new government medical colleges in six districts currently without one — Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Tirupattur, Mayiladuthurai, Tenkasi, and Perambalur. It has also sought an addition of 50 MBBS seats each in 16 government colleges that currently admit only 100 students annually.
What is the total MBBS seat capacity in Tamil Nadu?
Tamil Nadu currently has approximately 13,000 MBBS seats: 5,050 in 36 government medical colleges, 3,900 in 22 private medical colleges, 850 in five private universities, 3,050 in deemed universities, and 150 in a central government institution.
