CHENNAI: The Union government on Thursday informed the Madras High Court that it has rejected a resolution passed by the Puducherry cabinet to give 10% horizontal reservation to students from government schools in admission to medical courses.
A section of students had filed a petition in the high court seeking implementation of the reservation for government school students in MBBS and BDS admissions as decided by the Union territory's cabinet.
The Congress government in Puducherry took the decision in the wake of Tamil Nadu creating a 7.5 per cent reservation for government school students. The reason cited was the newly introduced National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test and the challenges rural and poor students faced in preparing for it.
The Puducherry cabinet approved the exclusive reservation and forwarded it to the former Lieutenant Governor. However, she in turn referred the matter to the central government on the ground that she differed with the view of the Puducherry government.
During the hearing before the single-member bench of Justice B Pugalendhi, the central government informed that it has rejected a resolution passed by the Puducherry cabinet to give 10 per cent horizontal reservation to students from government schools in admission to medical courses.
The proposal was examined by the Centre in consultation with the Union Ministries for Health and Education and it rejected the same. The Puducherry government was also informed accordingly by a letter dated March 24, the central government informed.
Senior advocate P Wilson, appearing for the petitioners, argued that the stand of the central government would sound the death knell to the similar scheme introduced by the Tamil Nadu government.
The judge recorded the submissions and adjourned the plea to April first week.