Hon'ble Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management, Government of Tamil Nadu during the Budget Speech in the Legislative Assembly on 19th February 2024 has announced this scheme.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thiru . MK Stalin launched the ‘Tamil Pudhalvan’ scheme in Coimbatore at 09.08.2024.
The state has allocated 360 crores in the current financial year for the programme. under the Tamil Pudhalvan Scheme, 3.28 lakh boy students are receiving Rs.1,000 monthly assistance for pursuing higher studies.
“Recognizing that the enrolment ratio of boy students from Government schools and Government aided schools in higher education is very low and to promote higher education among boys belonging to the economically weaker families, the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Marriage Assistance scheme shall be transformed as the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme. All boy students who studied from Classes 6 to 12 in Government schools and Government aided schools in tamil medium will be paid Rs.1,000/- per month directly into their bank account till the uninterrupted completion of their undergraduate degree, diploma and ITI courses. The students shall be eligible for this in addition to other scholarships”.
Under this scheme:
- Cash incentive of Rs.1000/month per beneficiary as DBT will be sanctioned till the competition of their first higher education. This will be paid on a monthly basis to all eligible boy students who have studied from 6th 12th Std. in Government schools and Government aided schools in tamil medium.
- The boy students availing other scholarships are also eligible to enroll in this scheme.
- This cash incentive extended to any number of boy students in a family pursuing higher education at a recognized Institutions / Colleges / Universities.
- This scheme activity is implemented through online portal 'UMIS' wherein the boy students themselves can apply for the scheme directly.
- Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency is maintaining the online portal and assists the department in implementation of end-to end e-governance mechanism of the scheme.
- The higher education department facilitate to open 'zero balance' bank account and to certify every six months in a year viz., 30th June and 31st December on the bonafide status of the boy students who had applied.
- A Separate Programme Management Unit (SPMU) for the scheme is to be established for monitoring the effective implementation of the scheme.
- To open Aadhar seeded bank account from any banks to the students wherever necessary furnish the debit card.
- The boy students should pursue their education in recognized course and college / universities (only first course of higher education will be considered as an eligible factor)
Salient Features of this scheme
By providing financial benefits to the boy students, under this programme negotiates a behavioural change in the area of reduction in low ratio of enrolment in higher education, and retention of boy students in higher education. Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme therefore envisages empowerment of boys specifically who have passed out from Government schools/Government aided schools.
- Promotes boy students educational status and in still motivation to pursue higher education giving them better foundation in both economic and social spheres including improving gender parity at higher levels.
- Enables the creation and participation of skilled men workforce.
- Incentive benefits of Rs.1,000/- per month per beneficiary, enables boy children to pursue education without incurring additional expenses and hindrances.
- Enable Boy Students to get involved in public spaces and enhance career opportunities.
- Ensures Socio-Economic Empowerment of men.
- Prevents drop outs beyond higher secondary and increase the retention ratio in higher education.