The Hindu : Front Page : TNPCEE springs a surprise

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 05, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

TNPCEE springs a surprise

Vani Doraisamy

Only 137 students score centum in biology and seven in physical sciences

IN FLYING COLOURS: Sandhya Suresh, topper of the medical stream of TNPCEE 2006, with her mother Meena Suresh. — Photo : M. Vedhan

CHENNAI: With a considerable dip in the performance of students in biology and physical sciences, the results of the Tamil Nadu Professional Courses Entrance Examination, released on Sunday, are expected to lower the cut-off marks for medical admission.

As against 20 students who scored centum in physical sciences last year, only seven have done so this year. While 1,051 scored full marks in biology last year, only 137 have scored centum this year, though the papers were not particularly difficult.

Medical entrance

Taken alongside the low performance in the board examinations in biology, medical entrance is likely to be a little less demanding this year in terms of marks.

Out of 1,50,147 candidates, including the vocational stream, who had appeared for the examination held on May 18 and 19, 66,790 had taken biology, 1,46,250 physical sciences and 1,33,048 mathematics.

The toppers

While Subash Nehru of Vellore topped the engineering entrance with centum. T.M.Vijay Varadharaj of Pazhavanthangal, Chennai, came second with 99.58 marks. P. Kirubakaran of Kalpakkam (98.17) stood third.

Sandhya Suresh of Chennai, and B. Sulekha and L. Harish Kumar of Tirunelveli shared the first spot in the medical entrance, followed by V. Bharathram of Chennai, G. Rajarajan of Neyveli, B. Muthuvel of Salem, J. Lydia of Tirunelveli, M. Ankitha of the Nilgiris and A.P. Janani of Tiruvannamalai, all of whom came second, with 99.58 marks.

Repeat success

It was repeat success for V. Bharathram who had also topped the Plus-Two examinations. Having cleared the IIT Joint Entrance Examinations with a top ranking, he is staking claim to either IIT-Madras or Madras Medical College, "giving equal preference for both."

Sandhya Suresh too would opt for Madras Medical College and "stay in India rather than go abroad for better career prospects."

The Hindu-Aspire candidates excel

Many of the toppers had performed exceedingly well in The Hindu Education Plus-Aspire State-Level Model Test in April. Of the top 10 rank-holders in engineering, seven, including topper Subash Nehru, had taken the test and six had undergone yearlong training. Twenty-eight of the 40 top engineering ranks have gone to those who took the test.

Similarly, seven of the top 10 medical ranks have also gone to The Hindu-Aspire candidates.

TNPCEE mark sheets will be available within three days. Those who wish to apply for verification of answer sheets will have to do so within 15 days. So far, 45, 000 applications have been sold for B.E. admission, Vice-Chancellor D. Viswanathan said, releasing the results.

The TNPCEE rank list will be released on July 1. Counselling will start on July 10.

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