Tamil Nadu to nearly double govt nursing seats, add 855 across 13 colleges
Synopsis
Tamil Nadu is set to nearly double government nursing seats — from 796 to 1,651 — adding 855 seats across 13 institutions, including six brand-new Model Colleges of Nursing. With annual demand running at 19,000 registrations and government fees less than half of private rates, the expansion directly targets the state's widening gap between nursing workforce supply and healthcare demand.
Key Takeaways
Tamil Nadu will expand government nursing seats from 796 to 1,651 , adding 855 new seats across 13 institutions.
660 new BSc Nursing seats, 120 Post Basic BSc Nursing seats, and 75 MSc Nursing seats will be created.
Six new Model Colleges of Nursing are nearing completion, each built at an estimated cost of ₹40 crore with support from Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University .
Government quota fees for BSc Nursing stand at ₹60,000 per year — half the management quota rate of ₹1.2 lakh .
The Tamil Nadu Nursing Council registers nearly 19,000 nursing students annually, highlighting strong demand.
Additional seats are subject to regulatory approvals before admission cycles begin.
The Tamil Nadu government is set to nearly double nursing education capacity in its public institutions, expanding total seats from 796 to 1,651 — an addition of 855 seats across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in 13 government institutions. The move, approved by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DME&R), is aimed at strengthening the state's healthcare workforce and making nursing education more affordable for students from economically weaker sections.
Breakdown of New Seats
Of the 855 new seats, 660 will be added to the BSc Nursing programme, taking its total intake from 510 to 1,170. An additional 120 Post Basic BSc Nursing seats and 75 MSc Nursing seats will also be created. The seats will be distributed across 13 government medical college campuses, with the bulk of undergraduate additions housed in six new Model Colleges of Nursing that are nearing completion.
According to the proposed seat matrix, KAP Viswanathan Government Medical College in Tiruchy and government medical colleges at Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Dharmapuri, Erode, and Tirunelveli will each receive 100 new BSc Nursing seats. The Government Medical College, ESI and Hospital in Coimbatore will receive 60 additional seats.
Postgraduate Expansion
The 120 new Post Basic BSc Nursing seats will be equally distributed among the Colleges of Nursing attached to Chengalpattu Medical College, Government Theni Medical College, and Rajah Muthiah Medical College in Cuddalore. The 75 new MSc Nursing seats will be shared equally among the Colleges of Nursing at Chengalpattu Medical College, Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College in Salem, and Government Theni Medical College.
Cost and Funding
Each of the six new Model Colleges of Nursing is being established at an estimated cost of ₹40 crore, with financial support from the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University. The additional seats are expected to be introduced after the required regulatory approvals are obtained.
Affordability and Workforce Impact
Government nursing institutions charge substantially lower fees than private colleges. Students admitted under the government quota pay ₹60,000 annually for BSc Nursing and Post Basic BSc Nursing courses, compared with ₹1.2 lakh under the management quota. For MSc Nursing, the annual fee is ₹75,000 under the government quota against ₹1.25 lakh under the management quota.
According to the Tamil Nadu Nursing Council, nearly 19,000 nursing students register with the Council every year, underscoring the scale of demand the expansion seeks to address. The move also aligns with the state's broader strategy to grow allied health education alongside MBBS and BDS programmes in government medical colleges.
With regulatory clearances pending, the timeline for the first batch of students to benefit from the expanded seats will become clearer in the coming months.
Point of View
But the real test lies in execution — regulatory approvals, faculty recruitment, and clinical training infrastructure must keep pace with the seat count. The state registers nearly 19,000 nursing students a year, yet the government system has been capped at under 800 seats, pushing the majority into costly private colleges. Doubling public capacity at less than half the private fee is meaningful redistribution — provided the new Model Colleges are staffed and equipped to deliver quality training, not just additional enrolment numbers on paper.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many new nursing seats is Tamil Nadu adding?
Tamil Nadu is adding 855 new nursing seats across 13 government institutions, taking total capacity from 796 to 1,651. The additions include 660 BSc Nursing seats, 120 Post Basic BSc Nursing seats, and 75 MSc Nursing seats.
Which colleges will get the new BSc Nursing seats?
Six new Model Colleges of Nursing on government medical college campuses will absorb the bulk of the 660 new BSc Nursing seats. KAP Viswanathan Government Medical College in Tiruchy and colleges in Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Dharmapuri, Erode, and Tirunelveli will each receive 100 seats, while the Government Medical College, ESI and Hospital in Coimbatore will receive 60.
What are the fees for nursing courses in Tamil Nadu government colleges?
Under the government quota, BSc Nursing and Post Basic BSc Nursing cost ₹60,000 per year, compared with ₹1.2 lakh under the management quota. MSc Nursing costs ₹75,000 annually under the government quota, against ₹1.25 lakh under the management quota.
When will the new nursing seats be available for admission?
The additional seats are expected to be introduced after the required regulatory approvals are obtained. A firm timeline has not yet been announced by the government.
Why is Tamil Nadu expanding nursing education capacity?
The expansion addresses a growing demand for trained nursing professionals — the Tamil Nadu Nursing Council registers nearly 19,000 nursing students annually. It also aims to make professional nursing education more accessible to students from economically weaker backgrounds who cannot afford private college fees.
