‘Revive scheme to bring more adi dravidar, tribal students to IITs, NITs'
Madurai: A Madurai-based activist has called for reviving a skill development scheme announced under the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation (TAHDCO) in 2013-2014 but was not implemented due to 'administrative reasons'.
Based on a reply to a Right to Information (RTI) Act query, activist S Karthik told TOI that had the scheme been properly implemented, hundreds of adi dravidar and tribal students in Tamil Nadu would have got opportunities to study in
IITs
or NITs. "The scheme became defunct almost the same year citing administrative reasons. As per the scheme, 50 students would be selected by an exam each year and given special training for JEE and AIEEE exams by selected institutions at 1 lakh per student for two years in their Class XI and Class XII," he said.
The RTI reply showed that a GO dated Oct 15, 2013, was issued by the adi dravidar and tribal welfare department, regarding implementation of the scheme under TAHDCO. However, the scheme was abandoned without a single beneficiary. He said it is baffling that the state government did not give a second thought to the scheme and urged it to immediately revive the scheme by allotting necessary funds and select at least 100 students for the following year.
Notably, at present, the Naan Mudhalvan scheme of the Tamil Nadu govt provides support for students from underprivileged backgrounds for higher education.
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