Tamil Nadu launches scheme to encourage women to pursue higher education

Under an innovative scheme by Tamil Nadu government, where the objective is to encourage girls to pursue higher education, around 1 lakh girl students, who studied in government schools and are now pursuing undergraduate degree or diploma, or ITI courses, will each receive Rs 1,000 every month.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the scheme on Monday in the presence of his Tamil Nadu counterpart M K Stalin. Named Pudumai Pennthittam, this governmental initiative is an ambitious scheme aimed at increasing the ratio of girl students from government schools in higher education.

The scheme, which is likely to benefit six lakh students a year, will provide a monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 to girl students who studied from Classes 6 to 12 in government schools till the “uninterrupted completion” of their courses. Along with the financial assistance scheme, Kejriwal also inaugurated 26 schools of excellence and 15 model schools on the lines of Delhi – he also lauded the TN CM for taking inspiration from the Aam Aadmi Party government.

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Immediately after the scheme was launched, the Tamil Nadu government announced that 1 lakh students got Rs 1,000 each in their bank accounts with a message from Stalin wishing them luck. At the event, Stalin said the assistance was “not a free scheme” but a duty of an elected government to increase the number of women joining higher education after completing their plus-two (senior secondary or equivalent to Class 12).

“The scheme will encourage more women students to pursue higher education. The DMK government has already allowed women to travel free in town buses. We will continue to help women students pursue education. This scheme will also encourage many girl students to move to government schools,” the chief minister said.

Apart from the inauguration programme, Kejriwal also visited the Anna Centenary Library, constructed during the 2006-2011 M Karunanidhi regime, and termed it as a “pride of India.”

Stalin, during his visit to New Delhi in April, had visited one of the model schools there and declared that his government will invite Kejriwal for inaugurating the first set of schools, inspired by the Delhi model school.