CHENNAI: A day after the Tamil Nadu government issued an order to provide 7.5 percent reservation to government school students who have cleared NEET since assent for the legislation has been pending for more than 40 days, the Raj Bhavan on Friday announced that the Governor had given his nod for it after receiving legal clearance from the Solicitor General of India.
A Raj Bhavan release said the Governor had sought the legal opinion of the Solicitor General on September 26 and it was received on Thursday. "As soon as the opinion was received, the Governor has given assent to the Bill," the communication said.
Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, quoting many legal aspects, conveyed to the Governor that the Tamil Nadu Bill is in accordance of Constitution of India.
The state government is likely to issue an extraordinary gazettee notification for the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Courses in Medicine, Dentistry, Indian Medicine and Homeopathy on preferential basis to the students of Government Schools Bill 2020 on Friday so that the Act will come into force with immediate effect. With this, around 300 government school students who have cleared NEET will get medical admissions.
An senior official said the government order will not be withdrawn. DMK MP and senior lawyer, P Wilson said the order would become infrutuous once the legislation is notified in the government gazettee. "The Act will prevail over the order," he said.
Timeline of the reservation for government school students:
April 15, 2017 - The then Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda categorically said that Tamil Nadu would not be exempted from NEET since it is being implemented across the country. However, he suggested that the state government could provide special reservation to students studying under the State Board or those hailing from rural areas in Tamil Nadu.
March 21, 2020 - CM EPS announces that TN is considering a sub-quota for government school students who clear the NEET and the government constitutes a Commission headed by retired Judge P Kalaiyarasan to study the issue and recommend measures.
June 8 - The Commission headed by retired Judge P Kalaiyarasan submits a report stating that 10 percent reservation could be given to government school students who clear NEET.
June 15 - State Cabinet okays reservation for government school students.
September 15 - Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously passes the Bill providing 7.5 percent reservation to government students.
September 18 - State government sends the Bill to the Governor seeking his assent.
October 5 - CM EPS meets the Governor and seeks early assent for the Bill.
After October 15 - Political parties start condemning the Governor for delaying assent for the Bill since counselling for medical courses is getting delayed.
October 20 - A team of senior ministers calls on the Governor and seeks early assent for the Bill.
October 21 - DMK chief MK Stalin writes to Governor seeking immediate assent to the Bill.
October 22 - Governor tells Stalin that he may require 3 to 4 weeks to decide on the Bill. There is widespread criticism of the Governor.
October 24 - DMK chief MK Stalin leads an agitation condemning the Governor for delaying assent to the Bill.
October 27 - DMK Parliamentary party leader TR Baalu urges Union Home Minister Amit Shah to direct the Governor to give assent to the Bill.
October 28 - As the assent from the Governor is delayed for more than 40 days, the TN government issues an order to provide 7.5 percent quota to government school students.
October 29 - Governor gives assent to the Bill after getting an opinion from the Solicitor General of India that the legislation is indeed in consonance with the Constitution.