For 21-year-old S. Pandiyammal, a native of Theni district, higher education would have remained an unattainable dream but for timely support. She was married at the age of 19 and moved to Coimbatore, her husband’s hometown, and soon had a child. “When I expressed my desire to continue my education, my in-laws agreed because of the ₹1,000 monthly financial support from the Pudhumai Penn scheme. Without it, I would not have pursued my degree and would have remained financially dependent on my husband. This scheme now covers all my college expenses and even allows me to have some money in hand for personal needs,” said Ms. Pandiyammal, now a third-year B.A. Tamil Literature student at the Government Arts and Science College for Women in Coimbatore.
For 20-year-old M. Devadarshini, becoming a Chartered Accountant had been a long-standing aspiration. However, as she entered Class 12, it became clear that pursuing her dream would be unfeasible due to the high examination cost. When she sought support from her parents, they informed her that they could only afford to fund one basic degree. Her father, a painter with a modest income, and her mother, a homemaker, were unable to provide further financial assistance. Additionally, her brother, who recently completed his degree, had assumed responsibility for the family’s loans and was unable to support her education. “I had nearly given up on my dream, but then I learned about the Pudhumai Penn scheme through my college,” said Ms. Devadarshini, who is currently in the third year of her B.Com course at a government-aided college in Tiruvallur district. “For the past two years, I have been saving money to cover the costs of my CA exam. While I won’t be able to afford coaching, I plan to self-study and at least pay the exam fees while working part-time to support my family,” she said.
Pudhumai Penn scheme
The Tamil Nadu government launched the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme, also known as the Pudhumai Penn scheme, to enhance the enrolment of girls from government schools in higher education institutions. Former Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, who is now the Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, announced this scheme during his Budget speech in the Assembly on March 18, 2022.
Under this scheme, all girl students who studied from Classes 6 to 12 in government schools would receive ₹1,000 per month, which would be deposited directly into their bank accounts until the completion of their undergraduate, diploma, ITI, or any other recognised course. By offering financial support, the State government aims to bring about a behavioural change by reducing the incidence of early marriage, increasing enrolment in higher education, and more importantly, retaining girl students in higher education.
According to data from a recent study carried out across Tamil Nadu by the State Planning Commission, around 2,30,820 girl students benefited from this scheme as on May 2023.
According to the study, among 38 districts, Salem had the highest number of students who benefited from the Pudhumai Penn scheme, accounting for 17,032 (7.38%) beneficiaries. Salem was followed by Namakkal with 13,312 (5.77%), Dharmapuri with 11,915 (5.16%), Chennai with 11,468 (4.97%), Tiruvannamalai with 11,146 (4.83%), and Coimbatore with 10,777 (4.67%) beneficiaries.
Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhiaan said the scheme had helped girl students in rural pockets. He pointed out that even students from the remotest villages benefited, and many children from single-parent households also received support through the scheme. He further highlighted that efforts were under way to raise awareness and educate more students about Pudhumai Penn. Minister for School Education Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi emphasised the critical importance of educating children, with a particular focus on empowering girls. He added that since the launch of this scheme by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, enrolments in schools had increased, and dropout rates had decreased.
He also said the School Education Department, in collaboration with headmasters, was providing career guidance to students regarding higher education opportunities. “We organise field visits to colleges for school students, where we showcase the available facilities, including laboratories and sports grounds. During these visits, we engage with students to understand their preferred courses of study after school, which motivates them to aspire for higher education,” Mr. Anbil Mahesh said. Since its launch, the scheme has led to a 34% increase in the enrolment of girl students in higher education, he added.
“With the rising cost of commodities and essentials, managing educational expenses was a struggle. However, now that my daughter’s education is taken care of, I can focus on supporting my family,” said S. Mani, an autorickshaw driver from Chennai, whose family had benefited from the scheme. Ani Vishalini, a second-year B.A. Tamil student in Tiruchi, said the Pudhumai Penn aid had come as a blessing and also helped her with household expenses. She further hoped to pursue a postgraduate degree. F. Sindhuja, a third-year B.A. Tamil student of Nagapattinam Government Arts and Science College in Sellur, said: “I get the money by the 10th of every month and give it to my mother, who uses it for gold savings.”
S. Malar, a second-year chemistry student at the Government Arts College, Salem, said she used the money to purchase books. In Madurai, M. Divya Bharathi, a first-year B.B.A. student and K. Anushya, a second-year B.Sc. student, shared that the money deposited into their bank accounts had taught them how to manage their finances and budget their spending efficiently.
Access to banking
The Pudhumai Penn scheme has been instrumental in empowering girl students by also helping them open bank accounts and gain knowledge about the banking ecosystem. Banks have also benefited with many students opening new accounts. Indian Bank said 74,700 beneficiaries of the Pudhumai Penn scheme hold accounts with them. Additionally, a total of 50,000 RuPay cards were issued to the beneficiaries, further enhancing their access to financial services. When asked about the challenges, the bank said: “Aadhaar seeding in the beneficiary accounts is a herculean task, which is a hurdle in direct transfer through the Aadhaar Payment Bridge system.” In cases where the Aadhaar would be seeded to one account and the beneficiary had given the same Aadhaar for other accounts held by them, the amount is credited to the old account, defeating the objective of targeted money transfers, it added. “Also, some beneficiaries were minors, and the accounts were opened by their guardians years ago. Banks had to help the beneficiaries realign the accounts in order for them to receive the benefits,” it said.
Naseem John, principal of the Government Arts and Science College in Kangayam, said the scheme had motivated dropouts to rejoin the college as it eased the financial burden on them. “An increasing number of students are enrolling in certificate courses that interest them. The availability of additional funds is allowing them to explore various options,” said G. Kalvikkarasi, principal of the Dharmamurthi Rao Bahadur Calavala Cunnan Chetty’s Hindu College.
Social activists, however, have flagged that ₹1,000 is not enough for the students. “It will be better if the government offered to cover the entire fee instead of just providing ₹1,000. For many, it’s like pocket money unless the student is from a very poor background,” said Sheelu Francis, president of the Tamil Nadu Women’s Collective. However, experts agree that the scheme has made a significant contribution to the overall empowerment of women in Tamil Nadu. This scheme has been instrumental in overcoming educational barriers and promoting gender equality, thereby making a significant contribution to the overall empowerment and development of women in Tamil Nadu.
(With inputs from Sabari M. from Salem, Sibi Sreevathson T.C. from Coimbatore, B. Tilak Chandar from Madurai, Nahla Nainar and M. Nacchinarkkiniyan from Tiruchi)
Published – December 15, 2024 06:01 am IST
