Won't proceed with MBBS admissions till Governor decides on NEET quota bill, TN govt assures HC
MADURAI: The state government assured the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court that the government will not issue the prospectus for 2020-2021 medical admissions till governor Banwarilal Purohit takes a decision on the Bill passed to provide horizontal reservation for government school students.
Advocate General Vijay Narayan stated this before a bench comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and B Pugalendhi which was hearing two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) that sought implementation of the sub-quota reservation of 7.5 percent medical seats in Tamil Nadu for government school students in the state from the current academic year itself.
The litigants -- President of a Parent Teachers Association in Madurai S Ramakrishnan, and a medical aspirant from Madurai V Muthukumar -- were concerned that though the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate courses in Medicine, Dentistry, Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy on preferential basis to students of Government Schools Bill, 2020, passed by the cabinet recently, was placed before the governor a month ago, he is yet to take a decision on this.
Pointing out that the NEET results are to be published soon and the admission process would start thereafter, they prayed to the court to intervene in the matter.
Hearing the case on Wednesday, the judges sought a response from the state by Friday.
However, when the case was heard on Friday, Narayan, appearing on behalf of the state, pointed out Article 200 of the Constitution, which spells the powers available for the governor in taking decisions on bills passed by cabinet, and stated that the courts cannot issue a mandamus (order) interfering with the same.
Upset by the prospect that the interests of so many government school students, who hail from humble backgrounds and aspire to pursue medicine, will be put in jeopardy if the decision is not taken on time, Justice Kirubakaran broke down in tears during the course of the hearing.
“The Bill is a helping hand to government school students who come from poor and marginalised background. It provides them a level playing field. We appreciate all political parties for standing united and passing the Bill,” he said. “But if the decision is not taken before announcement of NEET results, will it not affect the students?” Justice Kirubakaran questioned.
Justice Pugalendhi pointed out, “The same Constitution that grants power to Constitutional authorities to take decisions also states that the decisions should be taken ‘as soon as possible’.”
Narayan informed the judges that the government will not issue the admission prospectus till a decision is taken on the Bill.
Recording his statement, the judges adjourned the case to October 29.