In an order passed by Justice K Ravichandra Baabu, the Madras High Court quashed the government order of allowing 85% medical seats in the state to be filled by state board students. The government order was challenged in the Madras High Court by a CBSE student named Darnish Kumar, through his parents and advocate L Muralikrishnan.
Speaking to PaGaLGuY, the petitioner’s advocate L Muralikrinan said that the single bench judge today in Madras High Court had rejected the reservation suggested by the government of TN. “The CBSE has to provide the document to the Tamil Nadu government which will be a state merit list without any classification related to the state board or CBSE candidates,” said Muralikrishnan.
The state merit list was expected today on July 14, and counselling was supposed to begin from July 17. It is up to the state government whether it will accept the High Court order and go ahead with the state merit list. They can re-appeal to the division bench with multiple judges and challenge the single judge order that was passed today. According to reports, Tamil Nadu government would challenge the verdict to a division bench soon.
On June 22, the Tamil Nadu state government had notified that it would provide 85% seat reservation in medical seats in the state, while only 15% seats will be open for CBSE and other board students.
The respondents presented their side stating that even with two medical bills passed by the state assembly, there was no assent by the President for passing it. They argued about the plight of the state board students who had to take up NEET, which was helpful for students from CBSE board.
Although, the selection of candidates in the state private and government college medical seats were to be done according to the NEET rank of the candidates, the government order was pushed as a measure to provide level playing field for the state board students.