CHENNAI: A legal battle over 84 serving govt employees claiming the 20% Tamil medium preference in recruitment has prompted the Tamil Nadu govt to amend the law and retrospectively protect persons studied in Tamil medium (PSTM) appointments made over the past 15 years. Governor R V Arlekar gave his assent to the Bill on Aug 6, and the amendment was subsequently notified in the Tamil Nadu govt gazette.
The 2010 Act provides for setting apart 20% of vacancies filled through direct recruitment as preferential vacancies for persons who studied in Tamil medium.
The govt said it had consistently extended the preference irrespective of whether the candidate was already employed in govt service.
The Bill was introduced by then human resources management minister N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj on Jan 23 and passed by the assembly.
“The govt have decided that hereafter, the persons who have already availed the said preference and appointed in government service shall be allowed to compete for such preferential vacancies only in posts carrying a higher level of pay,” the statement of objects and reasons said. With the governor’s assent, the amendment gives statutory backing to past PSTM selections and appointments that could otherwise have faced challenges following the court’s interpretation.