CHENNAI: The government on Friday announced significant expansion of the Kalloori Kanavu scheme to increase awareness about scholarships for undergraduate courses in over 350 premier institutions in India and foreign universities across 20 fields of study. The initiative aims to ensure that at least 2,000 government school students secure admission to top-tier institutions.
In the first phase, awareness programmes and specialised training on higher education opportunities will be introduced in 500 government schools, covering all 388 panchayat unions. The initiative will also extend to students from nearby government schools. Initially, one lakh students from classes 9 to 12 are expected to benefit, with a goal of sending 2,000 students to premier institutions. The government has allocated Rs 50 crore for the initiative.
A total of 780 students from government schools have already gained admission to prestigious institutions, including IITs and National Law Universities (NLUs), in the past two years. Additionally, 12 students are pursuing higher education at foreign universities with full scholarships.
To encourage more participation, the school education department has covered application fees for entrance exams like CLAT and provided coaching, particularly in model schools across the state. Further, the government will provide financial support for SC/ST students pursuing postgraduate or research courses.