Include aided school students under 7.5% reservation: HC to state

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court expressed its suggestion to the state government that it will be apt to include the students of government-aided schools under the 7.5 percent special reservation for medical admissions.

Justice R Suresh Kumar passed the order while disposing of the petition filed by S Varsha. The petitioner sought direction to the Directorate of Medical Education to allot her a medical seat under the 7.5 percent special reservation for government school students.

She submitted that she secured 472 out of 500 marks in the academic year 2018-19 in SSLC and secured 490 out of 600 marks in the higher secondary examination (plus two). She secured 259 marks in the NEET but was unable to secure the medical seat under the 7.5 percent special reservation for government school students.

Varsha submitted through her counsel that though she was from a poor family, she could not utilize the medical seat as she studied in a government-aided school.

Recording the submissions, the judge held that the Government Schools may form a category of their own, however, the same criteria can be invoked for the schools which are being aided fully by the State Government because several crores of rupees are being spent from the State Exchequer as 'aid' to these institutions.

“…the benefit of 7.5 percent reservation can be extended to these kinds of students also, who study in the aided schools. However, it is purely a policy decision to be taken by the state. Therefore, this court's observation can only be taken as a further aid to revisit the issue,” the judge held.