Cabinet recommends 10% reservation for NEET-qualified government school students in medical admission

Puducherry Cabinet recommends 10% reservation for NEET-qualified govt school students in medical admission. 370 seats in 4 medical colleges, 112 in 3 dental colleges, 44 in Ayurveda college. 11 NEET-qualified govt school students to get admission under 10% quota system.

The Puducherry Cabinet has recommended 10% reservation for NEET-qualified government school students in medical admission from this academic year in the Union Territory.

The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister N. Rangasamy on Monday has decided to provide 10% reservation for government school students in MBBS, BDS and BAMS courses. Shortly after holding the meeting, the Chief Minister said the government was hopeful of getting the necessary approval from the Lieutenant Governor and Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

He noted that a similar recommendation by the previous government did not get the necessary approval because of the power struggle between the elected government and the then Lt. Governor. “The previous government’s Cabinet decision was returned by the MHA due to the power struggle. We are hopeful of getting the approval as there exists a smooth relationship now. Since the earlier decision was rejected, the present recommendation by our Cabinet will also have to be forwarded to the MHA for its approval. We are confident of getting the approval,” the Chief Minister said.

As many as 370 seats are available under government quota in four medical colleges, including 131 in the Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Research Institute. If the decision gets the concurrence of the MHA, around 37 students from the government schools will get admission in the four colleges under the 10% reservation policy.

In the dental stream, the government has under its quota 112 seats in three colleges, including 42 in Mahatma Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Dental Sciences and 35 in Mahe Institute of Dental Sciences. The implementation of quota system will help 11 NEET-qualified government school students get admission in these colleges.

Similarly, four government school students would be taken under the reservation policy in Rajiv Gandhi Ayurvedic Medical College, Mahe. There are 44 seats under government quota in the Ayurveda College, data available with the government revealed.