40,000 Students Benefited from 7.5% Quota in 5 Years: Tamil Nadu CM Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday announced that over 40,000 students have benefited from the 7.5% internal reservation for government school students in higher education over the past five years. Speaking at a felicitation event organised by the All India Association for Christian Higher Education (AIACHE) and Women’s Christian College, Stalin said the quota, initially limited to medical courses, has now been extended to engineering, agriculture, law, and veterinary programs.

Stalin highlighted that the state has borne tuition fees, hostel charges, and other educational expenses for beneficiaries, with total expenditure reaching Rs 911 crore. He credited sustained efforts by the DMK for ensuring the effective implementation of the reservation and said the initiative has provided significant support to economically weaker students.

The Chief Minister also drew attention to other educational programs, including the Pudhumai Penn scheme, which provides Rs 1,000 monthly to girls from government schools pursuing higher education. According to Stalin, women’s enrolment in colleges has increased by 34%, benefiting nearly eight lakh students, especially in rural areas.

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He further praised the Naan Mudhalvan initiative, designed to bridge the gap between education and employment through skill development programs. Additionally, he referenced the government’s decision to provide free cervical cancer vaccination for 14-year-old girls, urging students to prioritize both education and health.

AIACHE representatives and principals of minority colleges also commended the government’s amendment to a Government Order, which restored minority institutions’ rights in faculty and principal appointments. The move directly benefited over 350 faculty members and resolved long-standing administrative issues.

However, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami criticised Stalin’s claims, accusing him of misleading the public regarding the introduction of the 7.5% reservation. Palaniswami insisted that the quota was first implemented by the previous AIADMK government to support students from lower- and middle-income backgrounds, noting Tamil Nadu was the first state to enforce it through a government order.

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