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Pondicherry Government to Cover Tuition Fees for Govt School Students Pursuing Medical Studies
Pondicherry – In a significant move to promote higher education among students from government schools, the Pondicherry Chief Minister, N Rangasamy, announced on Thursday that the territorial administration would fully cover the tuition fees for students hailing from government-run schools who secure admission into undergraduate medical programs in the Union Territory for the ongoing academic year.
The Chief Minister made this announcement during a press briefing held in Pondicherry, emphasizing that the scheme is exclusively available to students who have successfully completed their school education in government institutions and have cleared the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
Under this initiative, students from government schools will be granted admission under a 10 percent horizontal reservation quota in undergraduate medical courses within the Union Territory. The government is actively coordinating with colleges to ensure that students admitted under this scheme are not burdened with tuition fees, as these costs will be borne entirely by the administration.
The process of selecting students for professional courses in Pondicherry is conducted by the Centralised Admission Committee (CENTAC). Notably, earlier this month, the Central Government approved the proposal put forth by the Pondicherry administration to implement this reservation quota.
In response to the development, A Anbalagan, the convenor of the AIADMK in Pondicherry, expressed his party’s appreciation for the introduction of this 10 percent reservation for students from government schools pursuing medical education. He mentioned that the AIADMK had been advocating for this initiative, and he thanked Chief Minister N Rangasamy for making it a reality.
This move is expected to not only encourage students from government schools to pursue medical studies but also reduce the financial burden on their families, making quality education more accessible to all.