7.5 percent quota for govt school students in MBBS admission: TN Cabinet decision

The "quota within quota" covers government seats in private colleges too, official sources informed PTI adding that it will be applicable for students clearing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

This decision to provide reservation for students who have studied in government schools in the state was taken based on the report submitted by P Kalaiyarasan, a retired judge, who had recommended reservation of 7.5%-10% of MBBS seats for government school students.

This quota is expected to be applicable horizontally across various existing reservations for candidates from the Other Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

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Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K Palaniswami had recently said that the state government will work to provide for reservation within the existing quota system for students who clear NEET and who did their entire schooling (from Classes 1 to 12) in a government school. He had said that the number of government school students getting admitted into the state's medical colleges had decreased after the introduction of NEET and therefore formed a commission under former Justice P Kalaiyarasan, reports TNM

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the cabinet had approved the promulgation of an ordinance to provide 10 per cent horizontal quota for students of state government schools.

Read Also: TN cabinet gives nod to 10% quota for school students in medical colleges

Tamil Nadu had earlier sought exemption from NEET, which has faced stiff opposition from political parties, including the DMK, citing the welfare of students, especially those from rural areas, reports PTI.

The NEET exam is conducted every year by the National Testing Agency (NTA), an organisation under the Ministry of Human Resource Development Ministry.

In view of the current situation arising from COVID-19 pandemic, The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) (UG)-2020 has been rescheduled from 26.07.2020 (Sunday) to 13.09.2020 (Sunday) from 2.00 PM to 5.00 PM.

The dates of downloading of Admit Cards indicating Roll Number and Centre of Examination will be displayed 15 days before the conduct of examination on the official websites of NTA (www.nta.ac.in) and NEET (UG) -2020 (ntaneet.nic.in).

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