PUDUKKOTTAI: Around 30 government school students from Pudukkottai have secured admissions to various medical colleges across the state under the 7.5% quota. Of these, 25 opted for MBBS while three have chosen BDS.
Though many students cleared in their second or third attempts, it a significant achievement as a majority of them hail from rural and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. “All the students come from rural backgrounds.
Their success is a result of hard work and the solid foundation laid by their teachers,” said District Chief Education Officer K Shanmugam. Among the success stories is R Abhinaya, the daughter of a domestic worker and a student of the government girls higher secondary school in Keeramangalam.
“With the help of a mobile phone my mother purchased, I prepared for NEET by watching educational channels on YouTube. My school teachers were always there to support me,” she said.
According to district-level officials of the education department, the number of government school students securing medical seats has seen a slight increase in Pudukkottai in recent years, particularly since the introduction of the 7.5% reservation in the 2020-21 academic year.
Keeramangalam school alone has seen 23 of its students secure medical seats over the past four years, including four this year. N Vallinayaki, headmistress of the Keeramangalam school, pointed out that Abhinaya couldn’t afford any private coaching classes for the last two years since she completed schooling.
“We consistently followed up, gave study materials and encouraged her to not give up,” she said. Similarly, five students of the government higher secondary school in Vayalogam of Illupur taluk have secured MBBS admission this year, compared to three last year. Y Jayaraj, headmaster of the school, said, “We identify students and give them special coaching with the help of high-tech labs. Every evening we conduct tests.
For Class 12 students, we make sure they attend taluk-level classes where they get more exposure.” “Many who secured seats this year are repeaters. The high cost of private coaching has created a barrier, leading many students to lose motivation despite having the potential to succeed,” he added.
