NEET 2020 Exam: Tamil Nadu reserves 7.5% Quota seats for Govt School Students in Medical Colleges

NEET 2020 Exam Update: As per the latest update, the Tamil Nadu State Assembly today passed a bill allowing setting aside or reserving 7.5% of the total seats available in Medical Colleges of the state for students coming from Government Schools. These seats would be allotted to students from Govt schools who appear for NEET 2020 and qualify the exam as per their category cut-offs. The bill passed by Tamil Nadu Assembly provides 7.5% reservation of seats for undergraduate level medical programmes for students who clear the Plus Two / Class 12 Exam from state government higher secondary schools. The new quota covers allocation of medical seats even in private medical colleges in the state.

7.5% Quota from Existing Reservation Seats

As per the information available right now, the State Cabinet had approved the bill earlier in July 2020 which set aside 7.5% of seats from the existing reservation matrix for students from govt schools. The passing of bill comes after fierce battle between, including a court case in Supreme Court, state governments and the centre regarding holding of NEET 2020 entrance exam amid the pandemic.

DMK demands scrapping of NEET medical exam

Earlier, on the 1st Day of Monsoon Session of the Parliament, DMK MP TR Baalu took to the floor to highlight the plight of students from Tamil Nadu who have to appear for the NEET 2020 examinaiton. In a statement issued in the Lok Sabha, the MP noted that students from Tamil Nadu who part of TN Board face a lot of issues in appearing for NEET 2020 as the syllabus for medical entrance exam is based on CBSE syllabus. DMK leader said that "Within a month after plus 2 results, they have to enter into NEET exam and they are clueless. Without knowing any subject matter of CBSE syllabus, they are helpless and commit suicide. Future doctors of India have committed suicide.”

"I'd like to draw the attention of this House and the government to the plight of 12 students who had committed suicide - all from the rural background - because of NEET exam. They had passed plus 2 through the State Board and NEET is conducted on CBSE syllabus," he added.