There are many reasons for Tamil Nadu’s tremendous economic and social progress over the last century, but if I had to choose just one, it would be education. If social justice is our ideology, then education is its most effective instrument to carry it forward. Education for all, not just those who can afford it or have the “merit” for it, is an equaliser and an enabler. It is the foundation upon which we continue to build an equitable Tamil society.
The seeds of this vision were sown more than a century ago. In the year 1920, a school in Thousand Lights area under the then Municipal Corporation of Madras became the first in India to serve mid-day meals to its students. The initiative, approved by the then Madras Corporation Council and inspired by Justice Party leader P. Theagaraya Chetty, was a pioneering act of both compassion and foresight.
Today, that idea has evolved into one of the largest and most effective school meal programmes in the world, topped up with the Breakfast Scheme which was launched in 2022 by this government. It is one of many reforms that illustrate how Tamil Nadu has used its education policy not just to improve learning outcomes, but to bring about equality in society.
Recently, we witnessed another powerful expression of that vision in action. A total of 135 students from Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Schools have secured admission to some of India’s most prestigious higher educational institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology, the National Institutes of Technology, the National Institutes of Fashion Technology, the National Law Universities, Miranda House and other leading colleges of the University of Delhi, and more. Further, all the six seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes students at the Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University were bagged by students from Tamil Nadu through the national counselling process.
This is the outcome of consistent, targeted and well-implemented policy. These students, most of whom studied in government schools from Class 6 to 12, were felicitated by the Government of Tamil Nadu with laptops and certificates of appreciation. Each of these students has achieved something remarkable not just in the context of their personal journey, but in the context of Tamil Nadu’s long-standing goals of equity and access.
These successes are the result of carefully designed support systems. The students received focused training in exams for admissions into various reputed institutions. We have built a strong support system to ensure that Adi Dravidar and tribal students are not left behind in their pursuit of education.
At every stage, from primary school to research, students receive scholarships that ease the financial pressures and help them stay in school. Free education, textbooks and uniforms further reduce the cost of learning, making it easier for families to keep their children in classrooms rather than at work.
For students from remote areas, the government provides safe hostels with food and accommodation, removing the daily struggle of travel or lack of basic facilities. Alongside academic support, skill training programmes are conducted to prepare students for real-world employment. To ensure these students do not face entry barriers, the government also offers fee waivers and concessions for entrance exams to top institutions.
Together, these measures create a support ecosystem that extends beyond classrooms. These are efforts rooted in evidence and guided by principles of equality, beginning early and continuing throughout the student’s educational journey. The impact of these efforts is visible in the increasing number of students from marginalised backgrounds securing seats in top institutions. In recent years, Tamil Nadu has consistently produced one of the most inclusive higher education landscapes in India.
Legacy of providing education for all
Tamil Nadu’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education stands at 47%, while the national average is 28.4%. Among women, Tamil Nadu’s GER is 47.3%, against the national figure of 28.5%. These figures are the result of a political movement that placed social equity at the heart of governance, and an administrative system that has pursued that goal with seriousness and clarity.
The roots of this achievement lie in the social justice movement and the educational reforms initiated by the Justice Party and later institutionalised by the Dravidian movement.
In the year 1921, the Justice Party passed the historic Government Order, which came to be known as the Communal GO, that ensured access to education for children from all communities, particularly the marginalised.
Such early interventions laid the foundation for today’s system. The governments formed by the DMK since 1967, built upon this legacy with transformative policies and schemes. These moves were not without resistance, but the party held firm to the belief that educational opportunity is a fundamental right for all, not only for a privileged few.
Our government continues to innovate. Schemes such as the Pudhumai Penn Thittam, which offers ₹1,000 per month as stipend to girl students from government or aided schools pursuing college education, are making a measurable impact in promoting higher education among women. The Illam Thedi Kalvi initiative, launched in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, has helped ensure educational continuity, bridging learning gaps among vulnerable communities. The free breakfast scheme for primary school students has improved attendance and nutrition, especially in rural and disadvantaged areas. Taken together, these schemes have contributed to the growing pipeline of students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are excelling in competitive environments. Importantly, these are not isolated success stories. They reflect a systemic change.
The education revolution will continue
When students from disadvantaged sections of society make it to institutions of eminence, it reaffirms our core belief that excellence in education is not the preserve of the privileged, but the natural outcome of providing equal opportunity and support.
The 135 students we felicitated on July 31, 2025, represent more than individual achievement. They remind us that the governance model of Tamil Nadu, built on social justice, inclusivity and rational planning, works, and works well.
Their success is a collective one. It belongs to the families who supported them, to the teachers who guided them and to this government which designed and implemented the schemes that enabled them.
As we send them off to embark on the next stage of their academic journeys, we do so with pride and hope. We are confident that they will succeed in their chosen fields of study and become bright professionals in their future careers. Inspired by them, many more will follow in their footsteps, turning these few success stories into a wave of prosperity and upliftment.
We are aware that there are still inequalities to correct and challenges to be met, but we are clear-eyed about the path forward and the steps we need to take. The government will keep investing in schemes that unlock the potential of those who need them the most. We will ensure equal opportunities for all, guided by our cherished principles of social justice. We will empower our people through education, so we can keep building a Tamil Nadu that is just, prosperous and humane.
M.K. Stalin is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
Published – August 02, 2025 12:36 am IST