DMK hits out at TN Governor for ‘sitting’ on NEET quota Ordinance

The DMK has expressed its displeasure over the delay by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit in giving his consent to the ordinance of granting a 7.5% horizontal quota in medical course admissions for the state’s government school students who clear NEET. Though the state government has sent the ordinance for the Governor’s approval in June, the Governor has not given his consent for the ordinance. 

On Monday, the DMK president criticised the Governor and Chief Minister over the delay in the ordinance matter and stated that it is a betrayal by the Tamil Nadu Governor for not giving his consent for the ordinance and questioned why the Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami is quiet on this issue.

 Replying to the remarks made by the opposition leaders, Minister Jayakumar said that the government is expecting the Governor to give his consent for the ordinance at the earliest and it is “Constitutionally mandatory” for the Governor to give consent to the ordinance passed by the Cabinet. Other political parties in Tamil Nadu have questioned the delay by the Governor in giving consent, Kongunadu Makkal Desia Katchi has said that there will be state-wide protests if the consent for the ordinance is not given at the earliest.

   The ordinance makes way for a 7.5% internal reservation exclusively for the government school students who clear NEET exams. The TN govt took the decision after enrolment of students from the govt-run schools into the government-run colleges saw a sharp decline after the introduction of the NEET exams. Even after 4 months, the Governor has not decided on the ordinance and last week after MHC raised questions over the delay, the TN Government informed the Madurai bench of the Madras HC that any prospectus regarding the Medical course admission will be announced only after the Governor decides about the ordinance.