CHENNAI: The Pudhumai Penn scheme, under which a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000 is provided to girl students of government schools to pursue higher education, has resulted in substantial increase in enrolment of girls in higher education institutions in the state.
According to higher education department officials, in comparison to last academic year, enrolment of girls in 2022-23 has increased by almost 29%. The number of girls who had enrolled during 2021-2022 in higher education institutions in the state was 71,008. After implementation of the scheme in 2022-23, the number increased to 91,485.
“During 2022-23, at least 4,806 girls of government polytechnic colleges and 12,711 students of government engineering colleges benefitted by the scheme. The remaining beneficiaries are students of government arts and science colleges,” an official of higher education department said.
“There has been substantial rise in enrolment of girls belonging to Scheduled Caste with 71%, Scheduled Tribes with 41%, Backward Community (Muslim) with 51%, de-notified communities with 32% and Most Backward Castes (MBC) with 35%,” an official said. The figure provides strong evidence to the success of the scheme, he added.
Chief Minister MK Stalin had launched the scheme on September 6, 2022 to provide Rs 1,000 a month to girl students who had studied from Class 6 to Class 12 in government schools to pursue higher education in colleges recognised by the government for approved courses of UG, including medicine, engineering, polytechnic, arts and science.
An official said, “We are taking steps to spread more awareness of the scheme at school level. This scheme will help in reducing dropout rate of girls who are forced to quit studies after school due to poverty.”