The Tamil Nadu government announced an increase in the quota for women in government jobs to 40% from the earlier 30% on Monday, September 13. Making the announcement in the state Assembly, Finance and Human Resource Management Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said that it is imperative to increase the quota for women in government jobs to bring in gender equality. The Finance Minister also announced that owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Tamil Nadu government will extend the age limit  for state recruitment exams by two additional years.

Some of the other announcements made in the Assembly on Monday include training and guidance for government school teachers from primary to higher secondary schools at Anna Institute of Management. The government also announced that it would prioritise giving jobs to those who lost parents to COVID-19, those who studied in state government schools and first generation students. The ruling DMK also announced making Tamil paper mandatory in recruitment exams held by either the state government or its undertakings.

The DMK had promised welfare and security schemes for women in its 2021 election manifesto. Besides promising 75% reservation in state government jobs for Tamil Nadu residents, DMK had also mentioned that laws and schemes will be implemented benefitting women.

Earlier in August, the Tamil Nadu government had announced an increase in the period of maternity leave for women government employees to 12 months from nine months. PTR had in his Budget speech on August 13 said 12 months of paid leave is applicable to women employees with less than two surviving children and will come into effect from July 1, 2021.

Soon after the DMK came to power in May, it announced free travel for women in buses. This was later extended to transgender women and persons with disabilities.