CHENNAI: In just three years, the number of government school students pursuing higher education in Tamil Nadu has increased by nearly 30%, according to data from the school education department, with at least 74% of students who took the Class 12 boards enrolling in colleges in the 2023-24 academic year.
In 2021-22, this figure was just 45%. It rose to 69% in 2022-23 after the state government introduced the Pudhumai Penn scheme. The initiative provides female government school students enrolled in higher education institutions with a monthly incentive of Rs 1,000. The state rolled out a similar scheme, Tamil Pudhalvan, for male students in 2024.
“The increase in numbers is a result of schemes like Pudhumai Penn, and Naan Mudhalvan, which are aimed at pushing students towards higher education. The Naan Mudhalvan scheme (launched in 2022) also creates awareness among students regarding higher education and motivates them,” said a senior official from the department.
In 2022-23, 2,72,744 of 3,97,809 students who wrote the Class 12 exams from government schools secured college admission. In 2023-24, 2,47,744 students out of 3,34,723 students joined colleges. This includes students who enrolled in ITIs and polytechnic institutions.
The department is yet to release a breakdown of how many students joined each stream. The data were collated through University Management Information System, a digital platform launched by TN to collect details of students in higher education.
“Compared to last year, data collection on UMIS has significantly improved. It’s more accurate, comprehensive and timely now,” the official added.
TN aims to get all government school students enrolled in higher edu
While TN already boasts a high Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of 47%, the highest among larger Indian states according to the All India Survey on Higher Education data for 2021-22, officials expect this figure to rise significantly in coming years.
Although GER is calculated as the percentage of students enrolled at a particular level of education relative to the eligible age group population, the sharp rise in college enrolment among government school students, from around 45% to 74%, is set to give a major boost to the state’s overall numbers.
“Our goal is to ensure that every student graduating from a government school enters higher education and we are confident of achieving this within the next two to three years,” said a senior official.
In total, 7.6 lakh students from across TN appeared for the Class 12 exams in 2023-24 and nearly 45% of them were from government schools. The pass percentage of government school students was 91.02%. The department also organised special classes for students who had failed and took steps to ensure that they wrote supplementary examinations.
As part of the Naan Mudhalvan scheme, career guidance cells have been functioning in government schools since May 2023. Each cell comprises the headmaster, designated career guidance teachers, alumni and members of the school management committee.
To enhance the effectiveness of these cells, the School education department will conduct a training programme for all members starting from the second week of April.
Following the training, schools are expected to hold career guidance cell meetings by April to review and discuss initiatives aimed at ensuring all students transition to higher education. Additionally, headmasters have been instructed to present these efforts at the Gram Sabha meetings scheduled for May 1. The department has also planned a series of programmes and interventions till May to provide students with the necessary support and direction to pursue higher education.