CHENNAI: The state government has resumed the free laptop distribution scheme for students in the budget this year, albeit in a different manner than it was implemented by the previous AIADMK government.
While the earlier scheme provided laptops for Class 12 students and those in State-run colleges, the announcement made by Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu on Thursday said the new scheme will cover only college students and they will have the option to choose either a tablet or a laptop based on their preference.
The minister announced Rs 2,000 crore for 2025-26 for providing laptops and tablets to 20 lakh students over the next two years.
In his speech presenting Tamil Nadu’s budget for 2025-26, Thennarsu said in the Assembly, "At a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping this world, there is a historic need to continuously equip our students with advanced technical knowledge and skills training."
"Carefully considering this need, and to fulfill the promise made before the people four years ago, our Government has planned to provide high-tech devices to students studying in various colleges of Tamil Nadu, including arts, science, engineering, agriculture and medicine," he added.
Notably, the free laptop scheme launched in 2011 was pet project of late Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa. The free laptops could be availed by the government school students studying in Class 12 and candidates in the State-run colleges. However, the scheme showed signs of losing momentum towards the end of the previous AIADMK regime and came to a halt during the COVID-19 period.
It was not resumed by the DMK government when it came to power in 2021. AIADMK and few other parties had criticised the DMK for discontinuing the scheme multiple times and demanded its resumption.
Between 2011 and 2019 academic years, 51.67 lakh laptops worth Rs 7,257.61 crore were distributed free of cost of the students.