CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu will establish an Institute of Excellence in Basic Sciences on the lines of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) through dedicated legislation that will grant it degree-awarding powers and administrative autonomy to function as a university.
The announcement, made as part of the higher education department’s demand for grants, is aimed at reviving interest in basic sciences among students. “The proposed institute would attract more students to basic science disciplines while creating a world-class ecosystem for education and research,” higher education secretary Dheeraj Kumar told the TNIE.
The government will introduce a new Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Policy to transform the state into a knowledge economy. It has also announced the Basic Science incentive scheme and allocated Rs 40 lakhs for it. Under the scheme, scholarships covering tuition fees, hostel, and living expenses will be provided to bright government college students who choose basic science majors and gain entry into premier research institutes.
In what might bring some relief to students, a new Education Guarantee Scheme will provide collateral-free educational loans of up to Rs 20 lakh from the 2026-27 academic year through a dedicated corpus fund. The government will recruit 6,000 assistant professors in three phases for government arts and science, engineering and polytechnic colleges.
To strengthen government colleges, 10 NAAC-accredited colleges will be granted autonomous status. To encourage students to work in the space sector, the government will provide engineering students Rs 5 lakh each for 10 satellite-design projects annually, with a total allocation of Rs 50 lakh.
AID for students
Rs 2 lakh each will be given to 50 transgender students admitted to government colleges to cover education, living, and medical costs
Complete tuition fee waiver for first-generation students from Adi Dravidar, tribal, and economically backward families who attended government/government-aided schools and joined government colleges
Full tuition fee waiver in government colleges and universities for students from agricultural families owning less than two acres of land