A team of cabinet ministers met the Governor last week with the same demand. However, on Thursday evening, the government issued an order to implement 7.5 per cent horizontal reservation within the existing reservation system.Followed by a month-long delay in the Governor giving assent to a Bill passed by the Assembly to provide 7.5 per cent reservation to government school students in MBBS admissions, the Tamil Nadu government Thursday chose to take an executive route to implement the legislation and issued an order.
After there was a delay in clearing the Bill, unanimously passed by the Assembly in September, the ruling AIADMK and the main opposition DMK had been urging Governor Banwarilal Purohit for an immediate decision.
A team of cabinet ministers met the Governor last week with the same demand. However, on Thursday evening, the government issued an order to implement 7.5 per cent horizontal reservation within the existing reservation system.
“Since NEET undergraduate results have now been declared and the admission process has started, there is an urgency to decide on this issue and since the power to issue executive directions under Article 162 of the Constitution of India is co-extensive with legislative powers, pending decision of the governor…” said the order, explaining the decision.
According to the order, 7.5 per cent reservation on preferential basis will be ensured for students who have studied from Class VI to Class XII in government-run schools in admission to MBBS, BDS, BSMS, BAMS, BUMS and BHMS courses if they have cleared NEET.
The order said the horizontal reservation shall be provided in each category of vertical reservation followed in Tamil Nadu from the 2020-21 academic year.
The classification of government school, according to the order, excludes government-aided schools and includes all government-run schools, including panchayat union schools and municipal schools.