Pudhumai Penn: Enrolment of girls from backward communites increases

CHENNAI: The 'Pudhumai Penn' scheme, which fetch monthly financial assistance, has brought substantial increase in the enrolment of girl students belonging to various backward communities.

About 71% of the girls belonging to SC community have enrolled in the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) by availing the scheme.

The financial aid scheme was launched in September 2022 to provide Rs 1,000 per month to girl students, who had studied from Class 6 to Class 12 in government schools to pursue their higher education in colleges recognised by the government in the State for approved courses of under graduation, including medicine, engineering, polytechnic, Arts and Science.

Accordingly, the amount will be deposited directly in the bank account of the students through direct beneit transfer.

Stating that the number of girl student, who had enrolled during the academic year 2021-2022 in HEIs was 71,008, a senior official from the Higher Education Department said whereas due to the implementation of 'Pudhumai Penn' scheme in the current academic year, the number of girl students, who had enrolled was 91, 485. "The admission percentage of these girl students has substantially increased by 29% compared to last academic year,” he added.

Pointing out that large number of beneficiaries by the scheme belongs to several backward communities, the official said the enrolment of girl students belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) with 71%, Scheduled Tribes girl students with 41%, Backward community (Muslim) with 51%, Denotified Communities with 32% and Most Backward Castes with 35%.

"This reveals that those who couldn't afford or even dropouts come back to higher education and derive the benefit,” he said.

The official said that the beneficiaries list in the 'Pudhumai Penn' scheme, is expected to increase further during the next academic year since the process of enrollment would be further simplified so that the scheme reaches each and every deserved girl student in the State.