Vanniyars enjoy more than 10.5% in admission, govt jobs: RTI data

CHENNAI: Is the Vanniyar community underrepresented in State government jobs and professional education as claimed by the PMK to repeatedly demand 10.5 per cent exclusive reservation withing the 20 per cent quota for MBC? Data says otherwise.

The data obtained under Right To Information from the public information officer of the BC, MBC and Minorities Welfare Department on July 31 by P Ponpandian of Kondayan Kotai Maravan Sangam in Chennai revealed that the Vanniyar community's representation in professional courses like medicine (MBBS and PG courses), and recruitments by government agencies like Tamil Nadu Public Services Commission, Teachers Recruitment Board, Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board, and Medical Services Recruitment Board were higher than the 10.5 per cent reservation demanded by the PMK.

As per the reply under RTI, of the 24,330 students admitted to MBBS between 2018 and 2022 in Tamil Nadu, 4,873 were selected under the 20 per cent quota reserved for Most Backward Classes (MBC)/Denotified Communities (DNC). Of them, Vanniyars accounted for more than half the seats (2,781 or 11.4%), while 1,414 students (5.8%) were from all other MBC communities, and the remaining 678 seats went to DNC students.

The 2018-22 MBBS admission data, which was cited as an illustration by the PMK to justify its demand for separate for quota, showed that the community enjoyed lion's share of the MBC/DNCs quota, nearly a percentage point more than 10.5% currently demanded by party founder Dr S Ramadoss and his son and present PMK president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss.

In fact, Vanniyars accounted for 13.8% (3,354) of the total 24,330 MBBS students admitted during this period, vindicating the claim of Transport Minister SS Sivasankar that the community was benefitting more and implementation of 10.5% would only reduce its opportunities.

Similarly, of the 1,363 MBC/DNC students who secured PG medical admission (total 6,966) under the 20 per cent quota during the period, Vanniyars accounted for 694 (10.2%), while other MBCs and DNCs accounted for 636 (9.1%) and 279 (4%) seats, respectively.

The data on Vanniyars representation in government jobs in the last decade is even more telling. Of the 1,919 sub-inspectors TNUSRB recruited between 2013 and 2022, 327 (17%) were from the community, while DNCs and other MBCS only had 152 (7.9%) and 126 (6.6%), respectively.

Similarly, of the 8,379 assistant surgeons recruited by TNMSRB between 2013 and 2022, Vanniyars accounted for 1,185 (10.8%) under the MBC quota, and 1,433 (17.1%) of the total recruitment.

In the case of teachers, the community pocketed 383 of the 634 PG teachers recruited under MBC/DNC quota by the TRB in 2021 alone. Vanniyars share was 17.5% of the total 3,044 PG teachers recruited.

Replying to a specific query on the Vanniyars recruited for TNPSC Group-II posts between 2012 and 2023, the department said they numbered 481 (11.2% from the quota) and 366 (13.6%) of the total 2,682 posts filled between 2013 and 2018 alone.

Among the 26,784 Group-IV jobs filled from 2013 to 2022, Vanniyars numbered 5,215 (19.5%) and DNCs accounted for 2,882 (10.8%), as per the RTI data.

On judicial appointments, the PIO said in the civil Judges recruitment test conducted by TNPSC from 2013 and 2022, 79 persons were recruited under 20 per cent quota for MBC/DNC. Of them, 39 (9.9%) and 16 (4.1%) were Vanniyars and DNC, respectively, against the 24 posts (6.1%) shared by the rest of the OBCs.