NEET results out but MBBS admissions in Tamil Nadu still on hold

The state government has meanwhile decided that until the decision comes, it is not going to issue the prospectus for medical admissions for this academic year 2020-21.

The said submission of the state was recently made before the bench of Madras High Court comprising of honourable Justices N Kirubakaran and B Pugalendhi during the course of hearing of two PILs filed by S Ramakrishnan and V Muthukumar seeking direction to implement the horizontal quota this year.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Tamil Nadu Assembly had unanimously passed the bill providing 7.5 per cent quota within the existing reservation in MBBS, BDS, AYUSH courses for government school students. It will be applicable for students clearing the NEET exam.

The Bill, moved by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, was passed unanimously by vote. The reservation would be available for undergraduate programmes in medicine, dentistry, Indian medicine and homeopathy but it would not apply to seats reserved for all India quota. The move will benefit over 300 poor students annually and will be implemented from this year onwards. The "quota within quota" covers government seats in private colleges also.

The Bill seeks to replace the Ordinance promulgated by the government. It may be recalled that the State Cabinet had on June 15 approved an ordinance, envisaging 7.5 per cent horizontal reservation in the State government's quota of MBBS/BDS seats, for students of government schools

Read Also: Govt Students To Have 7.5 Percent Quota In MBBS, BDS, AYUSH Courses: TN Clears Bill

However, with no implementation of the bill, the petitioners had moved the court before the announcement of NEET 2020 results and the bench took the matter in urgency asking the state's response on the matter.

As per the report by The Hindu, the court, seeking state's response, had said the Bill was passed by the Legislative Assembly unanimously on September 15 and sent to the Governor for his assent on the very same day. However, it had been pending for one month without any decision being taken on it. A decision had to be taken at the earliest, the judges said.

As per the data only three, five and six students from government schools got admission in the medical colleges during the past three years - 2017-2018, 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 respectively. Therefore, if no decision is taken with regard to the reservation for the government school students, definitely only less number of students would get admission, observed the judges.

Upset by the prospect that the interests of so many government school students, who hail from humble backgrounds and aspire to pursue medicine, will be put in jeopardy if the decision is not taken on time, Justice Kirubakaran broke down in tears during the course of the hearing.

"The Bill is a helping hand to government school students who come from poor and marginalised background. It provides them a level playing field. We appreciate all political parties for standing united and passing the Bill," he said. "But if the decision is not taken before the announcement of NEET results, will it not affect the students?" Justice Kirubakaran questioned, quotes TNIE

Justice Pugalendhi pointed out, "The same Constitution that grants power to Constitutional authorities to take decisions also states that the decisions should be taken 'as soon as possible'."

The division bench orally observed that though government school students constitute 41% of those taking the test, their admission in medical courses has been in single digit in the state in the past three years. Due to this, the students have not been applying for Neet.

While observing that a decision should come at the earliest, the judges sought response as to when the government would publish the prospectus for medical admissions. Advocate-general Vijay Narayan informed the court that the government would not issue it till a decision is taken on the bill by the Governor, reports TOI.

Recording the submission, the judges adjourned the case to October 29 for further hearing.