TN CM Stalin claims 15,000+ medical seats secured for OBCs; BJP's Annamalai challenges claim

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 29 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin recently claimed that over 15,000 medical and dental seats have been secured for OBC students over the last three academic years.
In response, Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) Tamil Nadu unit president K. Annamalai pointed out that the all-India quota for medical admission was introduced in 1986, not in the last decade as implied by Stalin.
In a post on X, CM Stalin wrote, "My heart is brimming with pride to share that over the last three academic years, 15,066 medical and dental seats have been secured for OBC students due to the uncompromising legal fight carried out by the DMK."
"Additionally, @aifsoj has played a pivotal role in highlighting the importance of this achievement and fostering productive discussions on #OBCreservations across India," Stalin added.
Stalin's post continued, "Our immediate task is to ensure a #CasteCensus is conducted by the Union Government to identify the proportion of backward communities and secure our rightful share to establish #SocialJustice. Let us work together to achieve this!"

Taking credit for others' efforts isn't new for the DMK. Here are some facts for Thiru @mkstalin.

- All India Quota for medical admission was introduced in 1986, not in the last decade. It did not have a reservation earmarked for OBC while it was introduced.

- In 2008-09, the… https://t.co/bEvjUddE43 pic.twitter.com/npmR9FgXF3

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) July 29, 2024

Responding to this, Annamalai posted on X, "Taking credit for others' efforts isn't new for the DMK. Here are some facts for Thiru @mkstalin."
Annamalai noted that the all-India quota for medical admission was introduced in 1986 without a reservation for OBCs. "In 2008-09, the UPA government allowed OBC reservations in Central educational institutions but denied them for the all-India quota in medical admissions. The DMK, in alliance with Congress, introduced the NEET examination together the following year," Annamalai added.
"Responding to Writ Petition number 596 of 2015 seeking OBC reservation in AIQ medical admissions, the Central Government suggested applying state-specific reservations for OBCs in the all-India quota. This was clarified in Parliament on 23.09.2020. The Central Government consistently supported reservations in medical admissions under the AIQ," Annamalai added.
"The DMK filed a writ in the Madras High Court in 2020, knowing that a pending case on this matter was being heard in the Supreme Court," Annamalai added.
"The Ministry of Health notification dated 11.02.2021 considered the directives of the committee constituted by the Madras High Court. However, the OBC reservation in AIQ was subject to the outcome of the verdict pending on writ petition 596/2015," Annamalai noted.
"On 29.07.2021, our Hon PM Thiru @narendramodiavl announced the government's decision to issue a 27% reservation for OBCs under AIQ in medical admissions," Annamalai said.
"A group of petitioners led by Neil Aurelio Nunes moved the top court challenging the Centre's July 29, 2021 notification to implement OBC and EWS reservations in NEET-All India Quota. In Jan 2022, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Government's decision, thus allowing reservation for OBCs under AIQ medical admission," Annamalai said.
"We hope this chronology helps Thiru @mkstalin better understand the history of OBC reservation in AIQ medical admissions," Annamalai added. (ANI)