Tamil Nadu to Add 660 B.Sc Nursing Seats Through 7 New Colleges

Tamil Nadu to open 7 new government nursing colleges with 660 nursing seats

Tamil Nadu: A fresh boost to government nursing education in Tamil Nadu is all set to happen. The state government is all set to open 7 new government nursing colleges, adding 660 B.Sc. nursing seats in Tamil Nadu per annum. The Tamil Nadu government order dated Sept 16, 2026, which has permitted the Tamil Nadu Dr M.G.R Medical University to start six new government nursing colleges in Tamil Nadu, has also permitted the opening of a seventh college in Coimbatore Government Medical College and ESI Hospital.

As part of a larger push to ramp up student admissions in government medical colleges, the Tamil Nadu government has taken a series of initiatives to add more seats for nursing, pharmacy, and allied health sciences courses in government medical colleges.

7 New Government Nursing Colleges, 660 Seats

The six government nursing colleges that will open in Tamil Nadu are likely to have 100 B.Sc Nursing seats each, contributing to 600 seats across the state. The six government medical colleges where new nursing colleges would open are:

• Government Medical College, Namakkal
• K.A.P. Viswanathan Government Medical College, Tiruchirappalli
• Government Medical College, Dharmapuri
• Vellore Government Medical College, Vellore
• Government Medical College, Tiruvannamalai
• Government Medical College, Tirunelveli

The seventh nursing college, which would open at Coimbatore Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, is likely to have 60 student seats, with an annual intake capacity of 60 students. With the opening of these seven government nursing colleges, Tamil Nadu is set to add 660 B.Sc Nursing seats in government nursing education. The Tamil Nadu government order has permitted the Tamil Nadu Dr M.G.R. Medical University to start six of the seven government nursing colleges, with an estimated expenditure of ₹270.26 crore to be met from the university’s funds.

For the current academic year, the Tamil Nadu government has directed the use of the ‘infrastructure of government medical colleges’ to admit the students for the time being. However, students should note that the commencement of courses would depend on the necessary approvals, permissions, and affiliations being obtained by the new government nursing colleges.

Tamil Nadu’s Larger Plan of Adding 6,098 Additional Seats

The new Tamil Nadu government’s proposal to add 660 new government nursing seats is part of a larger plan to add 6,098 additional student seats in government medical colleges. As per the Tamil Nadu government announcement in the assembly, the state government has chalked out a plan to add 6,098 student seats in government medical colleges with an estimated expenditure of ₹351 crore.

The distribution of additional seats across various courses would be as follows:

The Tamil Nadu government announcement on expanding nursing education, which was made on August 19, 2026, included the 7 government nursing colleges and the 660 B.Sc Nursing seats, as part of the larger plan of adding 6,098 student seats in various government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu.

What This Means for Students Who Want to Study Nursing

The proposed expansion of Tamil Nadu government nursing education can have a major impact on students who wish to enroll in government nursing colleges. Not only do government nursing colleges offer comparatively lower fees, but they also provide opportunities for government job recruitment through the National Health Mission (NHM) and other allied health sciences courses.

Earlier reports on Tamil Nadu’s nursing education expansion have shown that government nursing college fees are significantly lower than those of private colleges for management quota admissions. However, students should note that prior statutory approvals, permissions, and affiliations need to be obtained by the new nursing colleges before admissions can commence.

A Fresh Beginning for Government Nursing Education in Tamil Nadu

The Tamil Nadu government’s decision to open seven new government nursing colleges is a significant step toward bridging the nursing gap in the state. Notably, the Tamil Nadu government has announced that no government nursing colleges have been opened in Tamil Nadu since 2014. In addition, the Tamil Nadu government has announced filling up of 4,724 vacancies in the National Health Mission (NHM) on a contractual basis to address the shortage of personnel in government health institutions.

The students who wish to take admission in these new government nursing colleges should keep a close eye on:

• Statutory approvals for the new government nursing college
• The announcements regarding affiliations to Tamil Nadu Dr M.G.R. Medical University
• The Announcements Regarding Seat Matrices
• B.Sc Nursing admissions and eligibility criteria
• Counselling procedures and eligibility norms
• Fee structures and infrastructure of these government nursing colleges

The Tamil Nadu government and the Tamil Nadu Dr M.G.R. Medical University should be the primary sources of information for students on admission dates, eligibility, and other details.

Final Thoughts

Tamil Nadu government’s announcement to open 7 new government nursing colleges and add 660 B.Sc Nursing seats in Tamil Nadu has the potential to transform government nursing education in Tamil Nadu. With six larger government nursing colleges being opened in Government Medical Colleges in Namakkal, Tiruchirappalli, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Tirunelveli, in addition to a seventh government nursing college being opened in Coimbatore Government Medical College and ESI Hospital, Tamil Nadu government appears to have taken a major step toward addressing the nursing shortage in the state.

However, for the time being, the Tamil Nadu government needs to take steps to get the necessary statutory approvals, permissions, and affiliations for the new nursing colleges, so that admissions to these colleges can begin as soon as possible. Tamil Nadu Nursing Education New Colleges Seats

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