In a significant announcement, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin declared that starting from August 2024, students from government schools who proceed to pursue higher education will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000 under the newly introduced Tamil Pudhalvan scheme.

The scheme will be applicable to students from panchayat union primary and middle schools, Adi Dravidar welfare schools, municipal schools, corporation schools, tribal welfare schools, Kallar reclamation schools, backward and more backward classes welfare schools, forest schools, and social security department schools.

The stipend will be provided to students enrolling in diploma, degree, undergraduate, vocational, and paramedical courses. However, it will not be extended to students pursuing distance education or those enrolled in open universities.

The government has yet to clarify whether the stipend under the Tamil Pudhalvan scheme will also be provided to students from government-aided schools, similar to the Pudhumai Pen scheme which extends to aided schools too.