PMK demands OBC reservation in national MBBS quota amid demands to scrap NEET

Chennai: After Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, asking him to cancel the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2021 this year due to COVID, PMK founder-leader Dr S. Ramadoss has called upon the Central government to enact legislation for OBC reservation in admissions for MBBS seats under the all-India medical quota.

In a statement on Friday, the PMK leader said that it was not justifiable to deny reservations for OBCs under the all-India medical quota 35 years since it was implemented. He also demanded BJP-led Central government not to delay in providing reservations for Other Backward Classes

Claiming that the conditions laid out by the BJP government to provide reservation for the OBCs seems to be a delaying tactic even though they say that they were keen to implement it, he said he was sceptical due to the response of the Central government in a case pending in the Madras High Court.

"In a case that is pending in the Madras High Court regarding OBC reservation in the all India quota for MBBS admission, the Central government said that it was ready to provide reservation but the decision will be taken after the Supreme Court verdict in the Saloni Kumar case," he said, claiming that the Central government has no reason to wait for the Supreme Court judgment in the case or to provide a formal reply.

"The Madras High Court has provided clear guidelines stating that the all India quota OBC reservations can be provided based on Central reservations or reservation policies followed by the state. This observation of the Madras High Court had come on July 27, 2020."

He said that a five-member committee was formed and recommendations were filed on October 21 last year before the Union Health Secretary. The committee had said that it was possible to provide OBC reservations under All India Quota.

Ramadoss also said "The Madras High Court had said that there was no reason to not implement OBC reservation in the all India medical quota in a case filed by Anbumani Ramadoss and others. It said that there was no rule that the Supreme Court can pass a verdict on reservations. The Centre can decide by forming a committee and it can be implemented based on its recommendations."

In a related news, on June 22, Filmmaker and founder of Neelam Panpattu Maiyyam, Pa Ranjith had demanded the Tamil Nadu government not to consider National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for admission to MBBS and other allied medical courses in the state.

Noting that students in Tamil medium and State Board schools want to express their intellect in their own medium and it is their right, the noted film maker added that introducing new policies and entrance tests will cause confusion in the minds of these students.

This may lead to develop identity crisis and inferiority complex about their own intellect in the mind of students, he further added.

"In an unequal society like ours, attention must be given to the needs of the students and national tests cannot be allowed in a country that is pluralistic." he further said

Earlier, MDMK founder leader and Member of Parliament, Vaiko had come out against the continuance of NEET in Tamil Nadu and had urged the state government to scrap the national admission test in the state.

The Naam Tamilakar Katchi (NMK) leader and filmmaker and actor, Seeman has also urged the government of Tamil Nadu to scrap the NEET exam as the students of rural areas with less exposure would lag behind, thus losing an opportunity to learn Medicine.