A division bench comprising Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice B Pugalendhi, on citing the Government Order, which had prescribed continued study in government schools to be eligible for the quota, said: “It is an admitted case that the petitioner’s daughter, except in Class 6, has studied all other classes in government schools. The study undertaken by the child in an aided private school in Class 6 would definitely be a bar for the petitioner’s daughter to claim admission under the preferential quota for government school students, as she cannot be termed a government school student.”

“This court sympathises with the petitioner’s daughter. However, if any relaxation is given in this petition, it will open up a Pandora’s Box and there will not be any limit. Therefore, the argument put forth by the counsel appearing for the petitioner stands rejected,” the bench held. The petitioner, R Arivazhagan’s minor daughter, A Arivika, had got 270 marks out of 720 in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test, putting her on the 25th spot in the communal ranking.