With the Tamil Nadu government implementing the 7.5% internal quota for undergraduate medical admissions, 405 students who had cleared the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and passed class 12 examinations from government/government aided schools have secured admissions in government and self-financed medical colleges in Tamil Nadu.
313 students have got admission in government and self-financed medical colleges and 92 have taken admission in government and self-financed dental colleges.
The first 18 students allotted seats under the quota for government schools were NEET repeaters. There were also many first time NEET attempters lucky of not having to repeat the exam, thanks to the internal quota brought from this year.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami handed over the admission orders, doctor’s coat and stethoscopes to the students at an event organized to felicitate those who have got admissions.
It turned out to be an emotional moment for everyone present with several students coming from the humblest of backgrounds realizing their dream of studying to become a doctor.
Archana, daughter of Sakthivel, who works as a daily wage labourer at Nagaiah Kottai in Dindigul broke down in tears on the stage and said “I am at a loss for words.. I was very worried about making my daughter a doctor as she was in government school. Thanks to the 7.5% quota she is now a doctor.. There is no doctor from my society.. I am thankful to the Chief Minister who like a God has made by daughter a doctor..” falling at the feet of the Chief Minister.
தங்கள் வாழ்வில் சிரமங்களை அனுபவித்துள்ள ஏழை அரசுப்பள்ளி மாணவர்கள் மருத்துவர் ஆவதன் மூலம் அவர்கள் ஏழைகளுக்கு மருத்துவ சேவை செய்ய முன்வருவார்கள்.
கிராமம் முதல் நகரம் வரை ஏழைகள் நிறைந்த பகுதிகளில் தரமான மருத்துவ வசதி கிடைக்க இப்படிப்பட்ட மாணவச் செல்வங்களை தொடர்ந்து ஊக்குவிப்போம். pic.twitter.com/QuCVrgxyvJ
— Edappadi K Palaniswami (@CMOTamilNadu) November 18, 2020
Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Friday (October 30) gave his assent to the Bill passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly that provides for 7.5% reservation for students passing class 12 from state government schools.
The Bill titled “Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Courses in Medicine, Dentistry, Indian Medicine and Homeopathy on preferential basis to the students of Government Schools Bill 2020” was passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly on September 15.
The quota has come into force from the present academic year.
The move was taken following the submission of a report by the one man Commission under Justice P. Kalaiyarasan earlier in June 2020 that pointed out the socio-economic disparities between government and private school students.