NEET Admissions: Madras HC Upholds TN Govt's 7.5% Horizontal Reservation For State-Run School Students

The Court also told the state government to review the reservation in five years. 

Madras High Court | Credit: ABP Nadu

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Thursday upheld the Tamil Nadu government's order providing 7.5% horizontal reservation for government school students who cleared the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) in UG medical admissions. The court also said that the state government can review the reservation in five years. 

On Thursday, a petition challenging 7.5% horizontal reservation in NEET came up for hearing before the bench of Madras HC Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice Bharatha Chakravarthy.

The government counsel arguing for the reservation said private school students could receive coaching in coaching centres, but the reservation was brought since government school students cannot afford to go to coaching centres. 

Making a note of the argument, the bench held the GO valid.

However, last month, when the case came up for a hearing, the bench had said the Constitution does not provide such quota. The bench also said the Constitution should be rewritten to provide such reservations based on the institution of studies. 

The AIADMK government had in 2020 passed an order to implement 7.5% reservation for government school students who cleared NEET for MBBS admissions.

The Tamil Nadu government passed a GO even as the state was awaiting the assent of then Governor Banwarilal Purohit for the 7.5% NEET reservation bill. The TN government unanimously passed a bill on September 15, 2020 in the state assembly to provide horizontal reservation in undergraduate courses in medicine, dentistry and AYUSH medicines.