Trichy girl gives up medical seat for childhood friend

CHENNAI: A heartwarming tale of friendship took everyone by surprise at the state medical and dental counselling here on Monday.

Varshini S, a student from Samayapuram, Trichy, gave up a seat earmarked for her under the quota for children of ex-servicemen to her friend Janani N. The girls are from SRV Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Trichy.

"I secured a cut-off of 199 marks and I am from a backward community ," said Varshini, who voluntarily pulled out of counselling. "I'm sure to clinch a seat in the general counselling. But it isn't the same for my friend. As a toast to our friendship, I want her to have this."

Janani, visibly overwhelmed by Varshini's gesture, said it established the bond between the two girls and their families. "We've been friends since kindergarten," said Janani, who secured an MBBS seat in Madras Medical College ( MMC).

"It was magnanimous of Varshini to let go of her seat. Though the difference in marks between the two of us might just have been 0.25, it would have been tough for me to have secured a medical seat. I owe my dream of becoming a doctor entirely to Varshini."

With many students in the 190-199 range, it will be tough for V arshini to bag a seat in MMC, but that does not bother her. "As long as I get a seat in any medical college, it is all right," she said.

Tamil Nadu MBBS and BDS counselling 2016 began on Monday morning at Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital on Anna Salai. Candidates filled 71 seats in the differently abled category, three in sports, and six in the quota for children of ex-servicemen. General category counselling will begin on Tuesday and go on till June 25.

The state released random numbers on June 14 and the rank list on June 17. Three students secured a cut-off of 200 marks. Officials said they received 25,379 applications for 2,853 medical and 1,055 dental seats.