Tamil Nadu Agriculture University Restores 5% Quota in Private TNAU-Affiliated Colleges 

Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, TNAU, has stated that it will reinstate the 5% quota for vocational stream students enrolling at the university. This restoration will also be applicable to TNAU's private affiliated colleges. 

The decision to restore the 5% quota in private colleges comes after an order issued by the Madras High Court. The order came when S Moorthy, the Coordinator of the Forum of Education Development in Tamil Nadu, went to court in 2019 after a PIL was filed on his son's behalf. 

TNAU provided a 5% quota for vocational students with agriculture as a core subject in government and private colleges till 2019. However, the quotation in private colleges was eventually removed. 

As a result of this withdrawal, only a few candidates were able to enroll in BSc courses with Agriculture and Horticulture as their main streams. According to sources, 98 seats were available at 18 government colleges under the 5% quota.

However, as a result of the restoration, more than 100 seats in the vocational stream will be accessible to students. 

"There are now 198 seats available for vocational stream students. On Thursday, February 24, 2022, 150 students received online counseling. Already, 110 students have been shortlisted, “the officials stated. 

In 2019, the Madras High Court ruled that the 5% quota must be applied to both constituent colleges and the affiliated private colleges throughout Tamil Nadu. The court also proposed that students in the vocational stream to be permitted in both the general and reservation categories, rather than being restricted to the 5% quota. 

History of TNAU 

The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) begun in 1868 with the establishment of an Agricultural School in Saidapet, Madras, Tamil Nadu, and was later relocated to Coimbatore. It was connected with Madras University in 1920. TNAU assumed full responsibilities of Agricultural Education and Research and supported the State Agricultural Department by delivering research products.