15k govt school students likely to benefit from 7.5 per cent reservation

As was done in the case of medical admission by the previous regime, the DMK government cleared the recommendation by the expert committee to provide horizontal reservation for students from government schools who want to pursue professional courses like engineering, veterinary, law, agriculture and fisheries. 

In the case of engineering education, there are approximately 1.9 lakh to 2 lakh seats available this year. “If we calculate horizontal reservation in the existing engineering seats, around 14,000 to 15,000 seats would be available for the government students,” D Purusothaman, deputy director and in-charge of Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA 2021) told DT Next. 

The admission application form has the option to mention if the candidate is from government school system. “From that, we have the option to get separate list and calculate the quota,” he said, but added that the government has not issued any orders with regard to the horizontal reservation. 

Around 580 seats are there under the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Science University and its constituent colleges. According to M Balaji of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary Graduate Federation, about 40 seats would be available for government school students if the reservation is implemented this year. 

Similarly, 120 of the sanctioned 1,652 seats in the 14 government colleges and one private institute would be available for these students, added a senior professor from the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University. 

According to the notification issued by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, the total UG intake would be around 4,000. Therefore, about 300 seats would be available for government school students. In the case of Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Fisheries University, about 10 of the 140 UG seats would be available for such students.