CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has amended the law governing the 20% preferential quota in direct recruitment to state government services for candidates who studied in Tamil medium, with a key provision to validate appointments made under the quota since 2010.
Governor Rajendra Arlekar gave his assent to Tamil Nadu Appointment on Preferential Basis in the Services under the State of Persons Studied in Tamil Medium (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2026, on August 6 and the amendment was published in TN government gazette on August 11.
Under the amended law, a person who has already secured a government post using the Tamil-medium preferential quota cannot claim the benefit again for another post under the same category.
However, the restriction will not apply if the person is applying for a post carrying a higher level of pay. The restriction will also not apply to preferential vacancies that had already been notified before the 2026 amendment was published in gazette.
A provision in the amended law validates recruitments made under the Tamil-medium quota between September 7, 2010 and August 11, 2026. Accordingly, recruitment notifications, appointments and other actions taken during this period will be deemed valid, notwithstanding any judgment, decree or order passed by a court or other authority.
The 20% preferential quota was introduced through a law enacted by the then DMK government in 2010, providing preference in direct recruitment to government services for candidates who had studied in Tamil medium.
The government had earlier sought to tighten the eligibility criteria through a Bill introduced in March 2020. It proposed that candidates should have studied in Tamil medium up to the educational qualification prescribed for the post, instead of merely obtaining the minimum qualification in Tamil medium.
For instance, if SSLC was the prescribed qualification, the candidate would have to study up to SSLC in Tamil medium. If higher secondary, diploma, degree or postgraduate qualification was prescribed, the corresponding course would also have to be completed in Tamil medium.
The latest amendment, introduced in January and passed by the Assembly, primarily focuses on defining direct recruitment, preventing repeated use of the preferential quota and protecting recruitments made over past 16 years from legal uncertainty.
