States » SouthPosted at: Oct 20 2020 1:30PM

Chennai, Oct 20 (UNI) Amid growing demand from various
political parties, including the Opposition DMK, a Group of
Ministers on Tuesday called on Tamil Nadu Governor
Banwarilal Purohit seeking his assent for the Bill providing
7.5 per cent horizontal reservation for government school
students in medical seats.
The delegation, comprising Ministers C Ve Shanmugam,
D Jayakumar, K P Anbalagan, K A Sengottaiyan and
Dr C Vijayabaskar met Mr Purohit at the Raj Bhavan
and sought his nod for Bill which was unanimously
passed in the State Assembly on September 15 as the
NEET results were announced and the counselling for
medical admissions were set to begin.
Raj Bhavan sources told UNI that meeting lasted more
than an hour.
The state government had on October 16 informed the
Madurai Bench of Madras High Court that “until a decision
is taken by the Governor on the assent to the Bill on 7.5
per cent quota for NEET qualified students from government
schools in the medical seats, the prospectus for admissions
will not be issued.”
During the hearing on a batch of PILs seeking a direction to
the State to implement horizontal reservation for government
school students as recommended by the Commission headed
by retired HC Judge P.Kalaiyarasan, Advocate General Vijay
Narayan informed the Division Bench comprising Justices
N.Kirubakaran and B.Pugalendhi that no decision was taken
by the Governor on giving his assent to the Bill.
In this backdrop, the Opposition parties in the State have urged
the Governor to give assent to the Bill.
DMK President and Opposition leader M K Stalin in a tweet said
it was betrayal of government school students as the Governor
has so far not approved the Bill.
He also urged Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to exert
pressure on Raj Bhavan in this regard.
The State Assembly had on September 15 unanimously passed
a Bill providing 7.5 per cent quota within the existing reservation
in medical UG courses for government school students and sent
it to the Governor for his assent.
The Bill, moved by the Chief Minister was passed unanimously by
voice vote and it is applicable for medical, dental, Indian Medicine
and Homeopathy courses.
The “quota within quota” covers government seats in private colleges
also.
It will be applicable for students clearing the NEET exam, but would
not apply to seats reserved for all India quota.
All students, who studied from Class VI to Higher Secondary Course
in government schools, including Corporation schools, Municipal schools,
Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare schools, Kallar Reclamation schools,
Forest Department schools and those managed by the government
departments and have qualified the NEET, would benefit from this
Legislation.
The Bill seeks to replace the Ordinance promulgated by the government.
It may be recalled that the State Cabinet had on June 15 approved an
Ordinance, envisaging 7.5 per cent horizontal reservation in the State
government's quota of MBBS/BDS seats, for students of government
schools.
The Cabinet decision was based on a recommendation made by a panel
headed by former Madras High court Judge P Kalaiyarasan.
The panel’s report was submitted to the Chief Minister based on which
the Cabinet took a decision.
The committee had observed that there was a “cognitive gap” among
students studying in government schools.
The committee suggested that students who had passed the higher
secondary exam after having studied for seven consecutive years in
government schools shall be provided the reservation.
UNI GV 1325