Current affairs

TN Govt's NEET 7.5% quota bill: Governor goes at a slow pace amid demands for swift consent!

By alagu, 23 October, 2020
India, Tamilnadu, Chennai, NEET

Amid being centered with strong demands from the ruling, opposition parties, and various stakeholders to provide a swift consent for the 7.5% NEET reservation bill, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit has said that he needs three to four weeks time to take a final decision on whether to give his nod to the bill, which has been expected by the government school students. 

The Tamil Nadu government has unanimously adopted the bill in the assembly on September 15 with the support of all the parties and sent it to the consent of the Governor. However, the bill is lying before Purohit for over a month amid the push from the state government to give swift consent. The 7.5% quota bill guarantees reservation to the government students, who cleared the NEET, in securing admission in the government medical institutions. 

With the view of pressing the Governor to approve the bill, the delegation of five senior ministers from the state government had recently met the Governor at Raj Bhavan and requested him to give his consent to the bill and one of the senior ministers in the delegation Jayakumar said that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami has passed the bill in the assembly for the benefit of the government school students. When the 7.5% quota is implemented, many government school students will get admission under NEET. 

Along with the ruling party, the opposition party DMK has been staunchly demanding the Governor to give his approval for the bill. On Wednesday, DMK President MK Stalin had said that the party is ready to support and protest along with the ruling ADMK government in getting the bill signed by the Governor. The opposition leader had urged the Chief Minister to come forward and organize the protest in demanding the Governor to consent to the bill. 

On the same day, Stalin had written to the Governor in which he said, "On behalf of DMK, the primary opposition party which supported the bill, I urge you to immediately give assent to the bill and help the fulfillment of the dream of government school students to an extent to pursue medicine as their profession". As the demand has been going high from the state as the NEET results were announced, the Governor has tabled his response in which he revealed that he needs more time to arrive at a final decision. 

The Governor has, on Thursday, addressed to Stalin as his response to the latter's letter. The Governor said, "I have received your letter dated 21.10.2020 regarding a bill providing 7.5% reservation to the students studied in Government schools from 6th to 12th standard and passed in NEET exam for under-graduate medical admissions". 

Banwarilal Purohit had penned, "I would like to inform you that I am seized of the matter and getting it examined from all angles. I need at least 3 to 4 weeks time to arrive at a decision. The same has also been informed to the delegation of Ministers who called on me recently". According to reports close to the developments, the Governor has been awaiting a legal opinion from Delhi lawyers over the bill and he may take a final call within the said time. 

 

The bill, if enacted as the law would benefit around 300 government school students in securing admissions in the top medical institutions in the state. The Governor has been centered at the current state and on Thursday, a petition has also been moved to the Madras High Court to seek a directive to ask the Governor to give his swift approval. As the bill has become imperative for the government students, all eyes are on the Governor as the ball is in his court and whether he plays well for the students or make foul by acting against the bill. 

Must-read: NEET and TN students: Why the 7.5% quota bill is imperative and how it supports them?

 

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