PIL in Madras HC seeks 30% Reservation in Medical Colleges for Government school students, notice issued

Chennai: The first bench of Madras High Court has recently issued notice in a plea that demanded 30% reservation for the government school students when they take admission in medical courses.

Filing the plea, a Chennai-based caste organisation called Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha demanded the benefit of reservation for all the medical aspirants who have cleared the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and have pursued their education in a government-managed school from class 6 to class 12.

Issuing notice to to the Union and State Government authorities, the HC bench of Acting Chief Justice T Raja and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy has listed the matter for further hearing in the next week.

The counsel for the Central Government Mr. V. Chandrasekaran and the State Government Pleader Mr.P.Muthukumar accepted the notice.

Also Read: 7.5 percent reservation for govt students Constitutionally Valid: Madras HC

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, association pointed out in its plea that even though 2,656 students belonging to the government schools cleared NEET 2022, only 600 of them could secure admission to a medical course since the reservation provided to them is limited to 7.5% only. The plea further pointed out that among the 1,799 government school students who had cleared NEET 2021, only 450 students had got admitted to medical courses.

Besides, the National Vice President of the Association, K. Venkatesan submitted before the court that the Government should consider the plights of the students belonging to the government schools and about their inability to pay huge cost of private coaching. Therefore, demanding an increase of reservation from 7.5% to 30%, the plea was quoted stating by Verdictum, "This year 2656 students belonging to poor and marginalized sections of society have successfully met NEET minimum eligibility as per ranking list published by TN Govt on 17th Oct 2022 but due to 7.5% limit, about 500 students will get benefit and rest of them will have no recourse, unless Honourable Court urgently steps in and direct the Government to increase the horizontal reservation quota to 30%, so all eligible 2656 students will get MBBS/PDS seats."

Further, the petitioner stated that despite several challenges and drawbacks, only 2674 students belonging to government schools cleared the NEET 2022 examination. Since most of these students belong to poor economical backgrounds and they would be the first generation graduates they deserve support, argued the petitioner.

In this regard, the petitioner referred to both Justice P Kalaiyarasan Committee and Justice A K Rajan Committee reports which had highlighted the disadvantages the government school students face while facing the NEET examination. 

While considering the matter last Thursday, the HC bench directed the advocate-general R Shunmugasundaram to obtain instruction from the State Government and listed the matter for further hearing after a week.

To read the order, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/madras-hc-pil-191046.pdf

Also Read: 7.5 percent Govt school quota for MBBS admissions challenged: Madras HC seeks response from Govt