CHENNAI, Oct 31: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit has given his assent to the Bill (Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Courses in Medicine, Dentistry, Indian Medicine and Homeopathy on Preferential Basis to the Students of Government Schools Bill 2020) providing 7.5 per cent reservation to Government school students who have cleared NEET (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test) in admission to medical courses.

The Governor's assent came a day after the AIADMK Government issued an executive order bypassing the Governor to implement the quota regime from the current 2020-21 academic year itself. The State Government had issued the order on Thursday.

The Governor had sought legal opinion of the Solicitor General of India through a letter dated September 26 and the opinion was received on October 29, an official release from the Raj Bhavan said.

“As soon as the opinion was received, the honourable Governor has given assent to the Bill,” the statement said.

"This is to inform the people of Tamil Nadu that Hon'ble Governor has given his assent to 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," the Raj Bhavan said in the press release.

The executive order was issued as Opposition parties including the DMK accused the Government of not doing the needful in getting the assent to the Bill.

On the delay in clearance to the Bill, the Raj Bhavan clarified that the Bill was approved as soon as the legal opinion was received.

With the 7.5 per cent horizontal reservation, at least 300 students from Government schools will get into medical colleges every year. The horizontal reservation shall be provided in each category of vertical reservation followed in the State of Tami Nadu within the 69% reservation from the academic year 2020-2021.