Nine students, who scored 200/200, secured the top ranks in the list released by the Directorate of Medical Education.

Sonu Rajan of Sri Sankara Vidyashramam Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Tiruvanmiyur, tops the list and is the only Chennai student among the top nine. She is a third year dentistry student who could not get admission for MBBS in 2005-06 due to low marks in the entrance examination. S.V. Manoj Kumar of SRV Boys Higher Secondary School, Rasipuram, has been placed second and V. Arun of St.Joseph's Higher Secondary School, Chengalpet, third.

The others are: T. Dinesh of Sri Vidya Mandir Matriculation School, Uttangarai; S. Venkatesh, and K. Kamalakumar of SRV Boys Higher Secondary School, Rasipuram; A.M. Vignesh of Rosemary Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Palayamkottai; E. Manoj Kumar of SRV Boys Higher Secondary School, Rasipuram; and I.V. Priyamvadha of Bharathi Vidhyalaya Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Gobichettipalayam.

Since all the students had scored the same marks, other criteria such as date of birth were used to rank them, according to Health Secretary V.K. Subburaj, who released the list. He handed over the first copy to director of Medical Education T.P. Kalaniti. The information is also available on the website www.tnhealth.org.