Puducherry Cabinet Mulls 10% Quota For Govt School Students In Undergraduate Medical Courses

Rangasamy told reporters that formal approval of the Lt Governor has been sought in the matter.

Out of 370 MBBS seats, 37 seats will likely be reserved for government school students in Puducherry.

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Puducherry government on Monday decided to provide 10 per cent horizontal reservation to students of government schools in undergraduate medical courses in the union territory. The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N Rangasamy on Monday. Based on the decision, the recommendation was sent to Lt Governor Tamilisai for approval.

The internal reservation is likely to apply to MBBS, BDS and veterinary science courses. 

According to PTI, Rangasamy told reporters that formal approval of the Lieutenant Governor has been sought in the matter.

The move comes after various groups demanded the government to introduce a 10 per cent horizontal reservation in medical education for the benefit of the students passing out of the government schools.

Recently, the AIADMK gave a memo to the chief minister requesting a horizontal reservation for the benefit of students from rural areas and lower socioeconomic groups.

On the basis of the recommendation, of the 370 MBBS seats, 37 seats will be reserved for government school students in Puducherry. The seats will be further divided into 34 seats for the Puducherry region, two seats for Karaikal and one seat for Mahe. 

Around 13 seats will be reserved for the students at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute. 

Among private colleges, 24 seats will be reserved for government school students. Of the 24 seats, nine seats will be reserved for Sri Manakula Vinayagan Medical College and Sri Venkateswara Medical College and six seats for Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences. 

The government has also decided to get a nod for 11 seats for BDS in Sri Manakula Vinayagan Medical College and four seats in  Sri Venkateswara Medical College and six seats in Pondicherry Institute of Medical Science, said a report on The New Indian Express.