CHENNAI: Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena on Wednesday said the Tamil Pudhalvan scheme, under which `1,000 per month will be provided to male students of government schools joining higher education, will be implemented from this academic year beginning July. Meena said this while inaugurating the ‘Kalloori Kanavu’ scheme under ‘Nan Mudhalvan’ programme at the Anna Centenary Library on Wednesday.
Under the ‘Kalloori Kanavu’ scheme, career guidance programmes will be conducted across various districts till May 13 to help students make informed decision regarding higher education courses. Last year 30,000 more students joined higher education courses after Class 12 and the number may increase this year, the officer said.
“While TN has the highest gross enrolment ratio, initiatives like ‘Kalloori Kanavu’ are essential to ensure that all students get higher education including polytechnic, engineering, law, arts and medicine. Students across the state will be informed about the various opportunities available to them through the scheme,” he said.
He also added that inter-department teams including education, revenue and local body officials have been formed in the districts to track students who are not pursuing higher education. “These students will be encouraged to enrol for higher education. This will help improve the gross enrolment ratio gradually,” he added. Last year, out of the 3,3,628 students who cleared Class 12 examinations in government schools, 2,43,70 joined higher education.
The career guidance event was held in Chennai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Nagapattinam, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Salem on Wednesday. It will take place in Tiruvallur, The Nilgiris, Perambalur, Myladuthurai, Dindigul, Dharmapuri on Thursday, Chengalpattu, Tiruppur, Ariyalur, Cuddalore, Theni, Kanniyakumari, Krishnagiri on May 10, Kancheepuram, Erode, Thanjavur, Villupuram, Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi, Tirupattur on May 11, and Ranipet, Thenkasi, Namakkal, Karur, Tiruvarur, Pudukkottai, Kallakurichi, Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore on May 13.
Experts will interact with students in these programmes. This apart, universities will set up stalls at each location to clarify doubts of students on educational opportunities available to them. These stalls will showcase the various programmes offered. The 2022 edition of Kalloori Kanavu benefited over 75,000 students across state.