The second phase of counselling for MBBS and BDS courses got underway at the Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital at Omandurar Estate here today.

The counselling, for 611 medical seats, would conclude on September 24. Candidates of a general rank list upto 3,334 have been invited to attend the counselling, including individuals who have sought for reallotment of seats allotted during the first phase counselling and advancement in the rank list due to revised marks.

The second phase intended to fill up 18 MBBS seats in 21 government colleges and 593 in self-financing colleges and two seats in ESIC. Similarly, 16 BDS seats in government college and 1196 in 18 private colleges would be filled up now.
According to official sources, the Medical Council of India has approved eight private medical colleges in the State, adding 641 seats to the existing number. During the first phase of counselling, that was held between June 20 and 25, a total of 2,379 seats were filled up in government medical colleges and 85 seats in dental colleges were filled up.

Similarly, 470 seats were filled in private medical colleges. According to the Medical Council of India rules,all the medical seats should be filled up by September 30. The Central Government has mentioned that it was not mandatory to conduct medical admissions based on NEET marks this year.

The Madras High Court on Monday had declined to entertain a Public Interest Litigation seeking single window admission for MBBS courses in Tamil Nadu, and make the admission process transparent by following NEET marks and ranks. The first bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R. Mahadevan, dismissing the petition filed by N. Ramanan, said mere surmises and conjectures could not be the basis for court orders.