With three private medical colleges obtaining “deemed to be university” status, Tamil Nadu will lose 461 medical seats from the State quota. The State government is now making efforts to take legal action and plans to file a writ petition soon, Health Minister K.G. Arunraj said on Wednesday.

Two days ago, the State government came to know from the website of the National Medical Commission that three private medical colleges - Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Srinivasan Medical College and Hospital and St. Peter’s Medical College - were granted deemed university status, he said.

As a result of this, the State will lose 461 seats from its pool, Dr. Arunraj said, adding: “These institutions will no longer be required to follow the reservation policy, 7.5% horizontal reservation for government school students, or adhere to the fee structure prescribed by the State government. Instead, they can fill their MBBS and BDS seats independently,” he said. Additionally, 35 seats under the 7.5% quota would also be lost.

“Soon after this, discussions were held with the Advocate General. All measures to take immediate legal action are being taken. We will file a writ petition against this soon,” he said.

The State government will also take up the issue with the Union government and Union Education Ministry to make NOC from the State government mandatory for private medical colleges to obtain deemed university status, he said, adding: “NOCs are sought from the State government to start a medical college. How can the State government not have a role when they apply for deemed university status,” he asked. However, as a permanent solution, the Minister said that education has to be moved to the State List to protect social justice and rights of the State.

“Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College and Srinivasan Medical College are owned by DMK Member of Legislative Assembly Kathiravan. As they fall under Tamil Nadu Private University category, they did not apply for No Objection Certificate (NOC) with the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University and applied directly to the University Grants Commission (UGC),” he told reporters shortly after inaugurating facilities including an upgraded Intensive Care Unit at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH).

The deemed university status has been granted to St. Peter’s Medical College, Hosur but subject to appeal filed by Government of Tamil Nadu, he added. Apart from this, Karpaga Vinayaga Medical College has also applied for deemed university status.

Explaining the process, the Minister said that private institutions seeking deemed university status must first obtain a NOC from their affiliated university. The affiliated university is required to issue the NOC within 60 days, failing which it shall be deemed to have been granted as per University Grants Commission (UGC) rules.

In June 2023, Karpaga Vinayaga institution, which has an engineering college and medical college had applied to Anna University and Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University for NOC respectively. However, no action was taken for 60 days. A NOC was issued three months later in September 2023 during the previous regime, and the same was revoked two months later. The institution approached the High Court, and in April 2025, the court ruled that as NOC was not issued within 60 days, it is deemed to be issued as per UGC rules. No appeal was filed against the order by the previous government, he elaborated.

“NALAM AI”: The Minister also launched a WhatsApp chatbot service - NalamAI - on the occasion. The service available on number - 96192 22999 - has been introduced in 22 districts where the public can generate the outpatient slips without waiting in queues. All government hospitals in these districts have been mapped. Beyond this, the service can be used to book appointments for the Department of Respiratory Medicine, RGGGH.

Health Secretary Darez Ahamed and dean RGGGH K. Shantharam were present.