Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday said the order of the Madras High Court upholding the 7.5% reservation for NEET-qualified State government school students in undergraduate medical degree courses in Tamil Nadu was “a major appreciation from the court for the reservation implemented in a preferential manner after a thorough consultation and adequate data”.
“This is the third victory for the legal struggle for social justice in the 10 months of the DMK government. Tamil Nadu will continue to do its historical duty of guiding the nation by upholding social justice in people’s forums and the court. The Dravidian model government will work tirelessly,” he said in the Legislative Assembly.
He said while the 7.5% reservation in medical college was introduced in 2020-21, the DMK government extended it to other professional courses such as engineering, veterinary, agriculture and fisheries since their (such students) presence in government and government-aided colleges was poor.
The government constituted a commission headed by Justice D. Murugesan, former Judge of the Delhi High Court, and an order was issued based on the commission’s recommendation.
“I announced that the government would meet the educational expenses, hostel fee and counselling fee of these students. Subsequently, the government sanctioned ₹74.28 crore last year,” he said.
Mr Stalin said a total of 7,876 students joined professional courses in the current academic year and the government had sanctioned ₹38.31 crore for 6,100 students so far.
