End salary norm, all-India quota in NEET: DMK

In his letter to the PM, Stalin reiterated on non-inclusion of economic backwardness behind reservation in the Constitution and said, “Including salary to be part of the income test to categorize the creamy layer with OBC ignores the social barriers that continue to exist for marginalized communities in India.” Citing the objection raised by National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) for salary inclusion, the DMK president advised the PM to reject BP Sharma Committee report on the concept of creamy layers and said the expert committee, in the name of simplifying the concept of creamy layer, has recommended restrictions of OBC’s with regard to availing of the reservation benefits.

Arguing that the 1984 Supreme Court order based All India Quota (AIQ) without statutory backing was no longer relevant owing to the increased number of medical colleges in every state, Stalin said that medical education being a matter of governance should be administered by the Parliament and the state Legislature, taking into account the changing needs.

Drawing the PM’s attention to a 17 per cent drop in students applying for NEET 2020 in TN, the DMK chief asked Modi to abolish the exam for all medical and dental courses by promulgating an ordinance and leave it to the discretion of states to have their own selection process.