The Tamil Nadu government has announced a series of education, welfare and financial support measures for minority communities, including full undergraduate tuition fee support for eligible Muslim women admitted under the government quota.
Minorities Welfare Minister A.M. Shahjahan made the announcements while replying to the debate on demands for grants for his department in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on August 28.
Full Tuition Fee Support for Muslim Women
Under the new scheme, the government will cover the full undergraduate tuition fees of eligible Muslim women admitted through the government quota.
The support will be available for students studying in government, government-aided and self-financing institutions. It will cover courses in arts and science, engineering, medicine, agriculture and law.
The government has made an initial allocation of ₹20 crore for the scheme, aimed at improving access to higher education among Muslim women.
Scholarship Extended to Classes 9 and 10
The existing Tamil Nadu Wakf Board scholarship for Muslim girls studying in Classes 1 to 8 will now be extended to Classes 9 and 10.
Under the expanded scheme, eligible students will receive an annual grant of ₹2,000. The government estimates that 41,384 schoolgirls will benefit from the scheme at a cost of around ₹8.28 crore.
New Women’s College in Chennai
The Tamil Nadu Wakf Board will also establish a dedicated Minorities Women’s Arts and Science College in Chennai.
Shahjahan said, “To further promote higher education access in the capital, the Tamil Nadu Wakf Board will establish a new dedicated Minorities Women’s Arts and Science College in Chennai with a starting grant of Rs 2.45 crore.”
The college is intended to provide greater access to higher education for women from minority communities.
₹100 Crore Interest-Free Fund for Community Properties
The state will also create a ₹100 crore revolving fund to provide interest-free loans for developing income-generating assets on Muslim Wakf and Christian religious institution properties.
According to Shahjahan, the funds can be used to develop assets such as commercial complexes and marriage halls, with the aim of generating income for the respective communities.
Skill Training for 10,000 Minority Youth
The government will provide skill development training to 10,000 people from minority communities over the next four years through the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation.
“Training modules will cover Information Technology, Automobile, Apparel Designing, Beauty and Wellness, Embroidery, and Agriculture across all districts to promote self-employment and elevate family living standards,” Shahjahan said.
