Chennai, July 31:
In a significant boost to government school education, 27 students from Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) schools have successfully qualified in NEET 2026, following a free coaching initiative introduced by the civic body.
Out of the 122 Corporation school students who appeared for the national-level medical entrance examination, 12 boys and 15 girls secured qualifying scores, reflecting the impact of structured academic support.
To enhance NEET performance among government school students, the Greater Chennai Corporation partnered with Allen Career Institute to provide free coaching during the 2025–26 academic year. Around 260 Class 12 students benefited from the programme, which was conducted across three centres in North, Central, and South Chennai.
The coaching programme began in April, with daily sessions held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Corporation invested approximately ₹65,000 per student (excluding GST) to facilitate the training.
During a recent Greater Chennai Corporation Council meeting, D. Viswanathan, Chairman of the Standing Committee (Education), congratulated the successful candidates and highlighted the importance of continued academic support for students from underprivileged backgrounds.
However, the meeting also brought attention to several civic concerns. Officials raised issues regarding the quality of drinking water in the city’s extended areas, attributing challenges to operational issues at the Nemmeli desalination plant.
In addition, G. Shanthakumari, Chairperson of the Standing Committee (Public Health), pointed out significant staffing shortages in the city’s healthcare system. Vacancies currently exist for seven zonal health officers, seven zonal medical officers, eight gynaecologists, 29 anaesthesiologists, and 108 medical officers across Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) and Urban Community Health Centres (UCHCs).
Concerns were also raised over the shortage of battery-operated vehicles in zones such as Tondiarpet, Ambattur, and Anna Nagar. Officials stressed the need for improved driver training following complaints of rash driving.
The success of the NEET coaching initiative marks a positive step in improving access to professional education for Corporation school students, while also underscoring the need to address broader civic and healthcare challenges in the city.