Chennai: As many as 48,954 candidates who had appeared for the NEET examination more than twice have qualified for medical counselling in Tamil Nadu for the 2025-26 academic year, state Health Minister Ma Subramanian said.

Releasing the medical rank list in Chennai, the Minister said a total of 72,473 applications were received for admission to 11,063 MBBS and BDS seats in government and self-financing medical colleges. Of these, 25 candidates were found to have submitted forged documents and were disqualified.

The final rank list comprises 72,194 eligible candidates under various quotas including the 7.5 per cent government school quota, special categories, government quota, and management quota.

Suryanarayanan from Tirunelveli secured the top rank under the government quota with 665 marks. He was followed by Abhineeth Nagaraj from Salem with 655 marks and Hrithik Vijayaraja from Tirupur with 653 marks. Nine students secured spots in the top 10 ranks.

Under the 7.5 per cent quota for government school students, Thirumoorthy from Kallakurichi topped with 572 marks, followed by Sathishkumar from Krishnagiri (563) and Madhumita, also from Kallakurichi (551).

The Minister said that among the applicants were older candidates, including individuals aged 60 and 67, but they did not make it to the rank list.

He added that while 50 MBBS seats were reduced in a private college, there has been no reduction in government medical college seats. Medical counselling is scheduled to begin on July 30, he said.