Days after the National Medical Commission (NMC) derecognised three state-run medical colleges, namely, the Government Stanley Medical College in Chennai, the Government Dharmapuri Medical College, and he KAP Viswanatham Government Medical College in Trichy, they have regained recognition. All the three medical colleges lost their recognition in May, costing the state as many as 500 medical seats, for failing to install CCTV cameras and sharing live videos with the Command and Control Centre of the NMC and for not implementing biometric attendance systems.

According to media reports, all the three medical colleges have since implemented biometric attendance systems and also installed CCTV cameras. With the NMC reversing its decision, the state has regained 500 medical seats — 250 in Chennai, 100 in Dharmapuri, and 150 in Trichy. 

Additionally, the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA) on May 28 revealed that around 40% of the state-run medical colleges were running the risk of losing recognition because of shortage in the number of professors and assistant professors. According to them, 450 posts of professors and 550 associate professor positions are vacant, owing to which they apprehend that around 10 medical colleges would lose their recognition, costing hundreds of medical seats in Tamil Nadu for NEET aspirants this year. 

Following TNGDA’s revelations, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) chief Anbumani Ramadoss highlighted on Twitter, “While the Madras High Court had imposed an interim stay on the promotion consultation three months ago, no action has been taken to lift it. If the ban is lifted and the consultation is held immediately, there are more than a thousand doctors eligible for promotion as medical professors and associate professors.” Members of the Doctors’ Association for Social Equality (DASE) agreed with him and said that conducting online counselling could solve the problem.