Tamil Nadu: 55 students from the same coaching centre in Salem secure medical seats

Seems like the South has found its own 'Kota' for coaching. A small coaching centre in Salem with 565 candidates saw a total of 55 of them securing medical seats under the 7.5 per cent quota for government school students. The students bagged seats in MBBS and BDS categories, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express. 

It is said that in comparison to 2021-2022, this year, the number of MBBS and BDS seats for government school students under 7.5% quota has increased from 555 to 565. Also, all the successful candidates were NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test) repeaters. 

Rankers and what they have to say...
C Sivakumar of Salem was placed eighth in the rank list for government students followed by TR Dasaprakasam of Tiruvannamalai, who bagged the 10th rank. As a first graduate in his family, Sivakumar, son of a lorry driver, said, "My two elder sisters who were also students of a government school could not go to college as our family couldn't support their higher education."

Sivakumar, who completed his schooling in Model School at Konganapuram in Salem district, visit the counselling centre in Chennai along with his teacher who trained him for NEET. Sharing his journey of bagging the NEET seat, he said, "I finished my Class XII in 2021. I couldn't get a medical seat that year. So I joined a coaching centre in Salem. My parents had to borrow money to pay my Rs. 30,000 fee."

Similarly, another top scorer Dasaprakasam was beyond happy as his younger sister Theyva Priyaa, who pursued her schooling at a model school in Tiruvannamalai, cleared NEET in her first attempt this year and secured an MBBS seat. While the 10th ranker scored 439 marks and bagged a seat at Madras Medical College, his sister Priya scored 322 marks in NEET and secured a seat at Dharmapuri Medical College. 

Sharing her preparation process, Priya said, "The 45-day coaching offered to government school students helped me a lot. I attended only those classes and cleared NEET." 

Sharing his views, a faculty of Suriya Academy in Salem, S Prasanna Paul, told TNIE, "For private school students we charge Rs 50,000 and for government students, we charge Rs.30,000. We collect fees in two or three installments."

Moreover, he listed two reasons for the institute's success. Firstly, they provide separate coaching material for government school students based on NCERT books given by the centre that were later translated into Tamil. Secondly, the nominal fees charged encourage students to opt for the institute.