Stalin urges Tamil Nadu Governor to give assent to school students' reservation Bill for medical studies

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) President MK Stalin on Wednesday urged Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit to give his assent to the bill passed in State Assembly to provide 7.5 per cent horizontal reservation for government school students in medical studies "who are affected by National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Examination".

The leader of opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly reminds the governor that "Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Courses in Medicine, Dentistry, Indian Medicine and Homeopathy on preferential basis to the students of the Government Schools Bill, 2020', to provide horizontal reservation of 7.5 per cent in NEET examination for government school students was passed on September "15, 2020, unmously in the Assembly and sent to the governor for his assent.

In light of the NEET results announced on October 16, the government school student could benefit from the reservation in this academic year itself, only if the assent for 7.5 per cent horizontal reservation bill passed by the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly is given immediately, without further delay, Stalin asserted.

"Therefore, on behalf of the DMK, the primary opposition party which supported the bill, I urge you to immediately give assent to the bill and help the fulfilment of the dream of government school students to an extent to pursue medicine as their profession," he added.

In March last year, a panel headed by retired Judge Kalaiyarasan was set up to make recommendations to the government regarding internal allocation in NEET exams to students studying in government schools.

The Governor is yet to take a decision on the Bill.

( With inputs from ANI )