Tamil Nadu has released a “religious minority rank list” for MBBS admissions to three Christian minority medical colleges - the first time any state has done so. The state selection committee has told the minority institutions that admissions to 35%-50% of seats they surrender will be made based on NEET scores and 69% reservation. For the remaining seats, students from the respective minority rank list will be first admitted. Then, before accommodating students from the common merit pool,” selection committee secretary Dr P Vasanthamani said. The committee took this step after it found some colleges have never admitted students from the minority pool for several years, while some others predetermine the number of minority students they can take.
Over 60% voting in TN urban local body polls
Tamil Nadu registered a poll percentage of 60.70 per cent in the February 19 urban local bodies election that witnessed an interesting multi-cornered contest with the constituents of the opposition AIADMK alliance contesting on their own strength rather than remaining together, against the DMK combine. Among the 21 corporations, which went to polls, the Greater Chennai Corporation registered the lowest turnout of 43.59 per cent while Karur polled the maximum of 75.84 per cent on Saturday, according to the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC). The single-phase election was held to fill up 12,838 posts in 21 corporations, 138 municipalities, 490 town panchayats and 649 urban local bodies in the state. A total of 74,416 candidates including many independents entered the fray.
