Tamil Nadu to provide 7.5% reservation for government school students in all professional courses

The move follows recommendations by a commission, as admission rates from government school students in professional courses was found to be low, a press release said

Framing policies: Chief Minister M.K. Stalin chairing a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Photo: Special Arrangement

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to introduce 7.5% horizontal reservation for students of government schools in admissions to engineering, agriculture, veterinary and fisheries courses from the coming academic year. A similar reservation policy is already being implemented in medical admissions since the 2020-21 academic year.

At a meeting of the State Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at the Secretariat on Wednesday, it was decided that a Bill seeking to provide reservation for government school students would be introduced in the Assembly session this month.

“The admission rate of students from government schools in these courses was found to be low, and the government asked a Commission, headed by Justice Murugesan, to study the reason behind this and suggest remedies. The government accepted his recommendations and decided to introduce 7.5% reservation for government school students in professional courses,” an official press release said.

A senior official said that while government school students accounted for around 3% of the tally of students in such professional courses, the figure was not even 0.5% at premier institutions in the State. This factor also contributed to the government’s move.

The Cabinet also decided to present a separate Budget for agriculture in the coming Assembly session, as promised by the DMK in its poll manifesto. The Budget will be presented on August 13.