Tamil Nadu Governor clears 7.5% NEET quota bill, govt school students to get preference

The Governor gave his assent to the Bill a day after the Tamil Nadu govt took the executive route to implement the quota regime from the current 2020-21 academic year.

Applicants wait outside an examination centre to appear for NEET | Representational Image | PTI

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit has given his assent to a Bill envisaging 7.5 per cent reservation to government school students who have cleared the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test in admission to medical courses.

A day after the state government took the executive route to implement the quota regime from the current 2020-21 academic year itself and issued a government order to facilitate it, the Raj Bhavan said the Governor has given his assent to the Bill.

The Governor sought legal opinion of the Solicitor General of India through a letter dated September 26 and the opinion was received on October 29, an official release from the Raj Bhavan said.

“As soon as the opinion was received, honourable Governor has given assent to the Bill,” the statement said.

Amid accusations by opposition parties including the DMK that Purohit delayed clearing the Bill, the Raj Bhavan making it clear that Bill was approved soon after the receipt of legal opinion assumes significance.