T.N. Budget 2024 | Boys who have studied in government schools to get ₹1,000 a month to pursue higher education

Tamil Nadu government introduces 'Tamizh Pudhalvan' scheme, providing ₹1,000 monthly to boys from government schools for higher education.

Following the success of the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Pudhumai Penn Scheme, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced the ‘Tamizh Pudhalvan’ scheme to benefit boys, who have studied in government schools from classes 6 to 12, by providing them with financial assistance of ₹1,000 a month in their bank accounts for their higher education.

Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, presenting the State Budget on Monday, February 19, 2024, said that this new scheme will be introduced in the coming year to provide financial assistance to government school students to pursue post-graduation programmes and research studies in renowned universities abroad.

This ambitious scheme will benefit around 3 lakh students and will be implemented at a cost of ₹360 crore. Mr. Thennarasu said that the scheme would help boys from poor and marginalised backgrounds, studying in government schools, realise their dreams of higher education and transform them into achievers. This assistance would help them purchase textbooks, general knowledge books and magazines to improve their academic performance.

The Minister said that the government would take proactive steps to ensure that education loans to the tune of ₹2,500 crore would be sanctioned and disbursed by various banks to 1 lakh college students in the coming year. “This will fulfill the educational aspirations of students and reduce the financial burden on their parents,” he said.

The Minister said new Skill Labs would be established in 100 government and government-aided engineering and arts and science colleges in the coming year at a cost of ₹200 crore. He also said a sum of ₹6 crore will be allocated in the coming year for the scheme that provides assistance to 1,000 candidates of ₹7,500 a month during their preparation for civil services exams, and an incentive of ₹25,000 on clearing the exams.

The Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Puthumai Penn Thittam was introduced to promote higher education among girl students from economically disadvantaged sections by providing a monthly assistance of ₹1,000 to 2.73 lakh beneficiaries. Mr. Thennarasu said that the enrolment of girl students in the first year of higher education has increased by 34% this year, with an additional 34,460 girl students enrolling after the implementation of this scheme.