Important victory for DMK: Stalin welcomes SC order upholding validity of OBC quota in NEET counselling

Lauding the order, Stalin said due to the continuous struggle of his party over the past several years in both the political and judicial fronts, reservation for OBCs would be implemented for the first time and from this year in admissions to All India Quota seats.

"This is a very important victory for the DMK, wedded to social justice and for the Tamil Nadu people. This is a key milestone in the history of social justice," Stalin said in a statement.

Considering the welfare of people belonging to the backward classes across the nation, the DMK impleaded in the matter in Supreme Court and argued and won, Stalin said and expressed joy over his party's initiatives in this respect.

The party fought and won legal battles in the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court as well, he said.

The contributions of both Tamil Nadu, a pioneering state committed to social justice and that of the DMK would find a place in history for sure, the Dravidian party chief said.

Through legal initiatives, the DMK would also emerge victorious in its fight against the 10 per cent quota for Economically Weaker Sections. The EWS quota is against the Constitution, he said. "Social justice is a long journey. A continuous run."

The Supreme Court on Friday, in an interim order, allowed resumption of medical counselling for NEET-PG admissions for the year 2021-22 and upheld the validity of 27 per cent OBC quota.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna said: "Counselling on the basis of NEET-PG 2021 and NEET-UG 2021 shall be conducted by giving effect to the reservation as provided in the notice dated July 29, 2021 including the 27 per cent reservation for the OBC category and 10 per cent reservation for EWS category in the All India Quota seats".