VELLORE: The Universal Higher Education Trust (UHET), founded by VIT Chancellor, G Viswanathan, which facilitates higher education for students belonging to economically weaker sections of society, has extended its reach to all the constituencies in the district this year.
The trust was established with the objective of enabling economically weaker students who secure a pass percentage in Plus Two exams, to take up higher education by paying their fees. It was started in seven assembly constituencies out of the 13 in the district two years back. The facility has now been extended to all the remaining constituencies in the district.
The scheme, which was introduced in phases in Gudiyatham, K V Kuppam, Ranipet, Vellore, Katpadi, Anaicut and Ambur assembly constituencies, has now been extended to the remaining six constituencies of Arcot, Vaniyambadi, Tirupattur, Jolarpet, Arakkonam and Sholinghur, and to tribal students in Jamunamarudur panchayat union in Tiruvannamalai district from 2015-16.
Initially, in the first phase, the trust had financed 851 students to the tune of `85 lakh. Meetings have been held by the trust to seek help from philanthropists, industrialists and non-governmental organisations.
Presiding over a meeting of government employees and government teachers’ associations held at the VIT campus recently to discuss the implementation of the scheme, Viswanathan appealed to the members of the associations to contribute to the trust in order to provide financial assistance to economically weaker students who get admission in colleges but could not join them due to poverty conditions. By extending financial support to some extent, it was possible to ensure that all those who get admission in colleges, have the option of joining them.
Representatives of the various organizations have assured the trust that they would hold meetings of their respective associations and take a decision on contributing their one day’s wages.
M Siluppan, Vellore district president of the Tamil Nadu Government Employees Union and P Thandavarayan, district coordinator of the Joint Action Council of Teachers’ Organisations, treasurer of the trust K Jawarilal, among others participated in the meeting.