KARAIKAL: Politicians, parents and NGOs in Karaikal district have reiterated that the regional reservation for Karaikal students with regard to BE and MBBS admission in the UT should not be removed.
The Puducherry government introduced regional reservation for Karaikal students nearly 15 years ago, following repeated appeals from the DMK MLAÂ AMH Nazeem and other leaders of the district.
Initially, 21 seats in Pondicherry Engineering College were reserved for Karaikal. In 2006, when the intake of the institution went up, the allocation was increased to 69.
Later, the regional reservation was fixed based on the population of Karaikal district. Accordingly, at present, 18 per cent of the seats in BE and MBBS courses are being allotted to Karaikal students.
Last year, when the regional reservation for Karaikal was challenged in the High Court of Madras by some petitioners in Puducherry, the High Court upheld the 18 per cent reservation for Karaikal.
In this situation, voices of dissent are now being heard in Puducherry against the regional reservation for Karaikal. Shocked by this, politicians, NGOs and parents in Karaikal district have urged the government not to disturb the regional reservation.
Karaikal south MLA AMH Nazeem has already written to the Chief Minister seeking extension of the regional reservation for MBBS seats in private medical colleges too.
The president of Karaikal District Dalit People Federation Pakirisamy, president of Ambedkar Education Development Centre Thangachalam and president of Karaikal District Farmers Welfare Association Rajendran have sent appeals to the Chief Minister to initiate steps to safeguard regional reservation.
Non-political organisations such as Karaikal Struggle Group (KSG) and Karaikal Union Territory Struggle Group (KUTSG) have also been demanding the continuance of the regional reservation.
