Chennai: The national medical commission has permitted TN to add 424 more postgraduate medical seats to state-run medical colleges, including 11 new govt medical colleges. The additions come ahead of the second round of state counselling, which is scheduled to begin on Nov 17.The state now has 2,782 govt postgraduate seats, up from 2,358 in 2025. Every year, the state gives away nearly 50% of seats to the central govt for admission through All India counselling conducted by the medical counselling committee under the directorate general of health services. This year, 1,325 seats will go to the centre. The state selection committee under the directorate of medical education will conduct single-window online counselling for the remaining 1,457 seats.The additional seats are in clinical specialities such as anaesthesia, orthopaedics, general medicine and surgery. The committee will add them to the seat matrix once the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University grants affiliation. The affiliation is expected before the start of the second round in the state, and the third round for the central counselling, selection committee Dr V Lokanayaki said.While expansion should give candidates more choices in the second round, it will help newer colleges build specialist teams and offer higher care. “With post graduate and super-speciality departments in the districts, the state will be able to ensure equitable distribution of services, including high-end treatment, across the state,” she said.
