Guv gives nod to Bill giving priority for Tamil-medium students in govt jobs

CHENNAI: A DMK-era amendment Bill, which sought to offer clarity in the existing law to provide priority for Tamil-medium students in one-fifth of government jobs, finally received the assent from Governor RV Arlekar.

Under the provision, 20 per cent of the vacancies filled through direct recruitment in all State government departments will be earmarked on a preferential basis for those who have studied in Tamil medium.

A law to this effect was enacted in 2010. Under that, the government had been giving preference to Tamil-medium students without considering whether the applicant already holds a government job. However, the Madras High Court had ruled that those already in government service were not eligible for the preference under the Tamil-medium category.

To clarify the issue and validate appointments made since September 7, 2010, on the basis of Tamil-medium preference, while restricting the benefit to future appointments, the then State government had introduced a fresh amendment Bill in the Assembly in January. After nearly eight months, that legislation has received assent from the governor.

The amended law provides 20 per cent preferential reservation for Tamil medium candidates, and also specifies that the amended provisions will apply only to new recruitments made hereafter.

According to the amendment, only candidates who have studied entirely in Tamil medium, from Class 1 up to the educational qualification prescribed for the government post, will be eligible for the preference. It clarified that those who studied in another language as their medium of instruction but merely wrote their examinations in Tamil will not be eligible.

Candidates who did not enter school in Class 1 but joined directly in Classes 2 to 8 under the Right to Education Act, studied in Tamil medium and passed their classes will also be eligible. Similarly, those who studied in Tamil medium in other states and subsequently continued their education in Tamil medium in Tamil Nadu from the class in which they joined will also qualify.

All candidates must obtain certificates from all the educational institutions they attended, confirming that they studied in Tamil medium up to the educational qualification prescribed for the post, mandates the amendment.