Tamil Nadu to provide Muslim girls free degree education

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has announced a wide-ranging package of education, financial and employment initiatives aimed at improving the welfare and economic prospects of minority communities in the state.

Minority Welfare Minister A.M. Shahjahan outlined the measures during the department’s budget demand discussion in the state Assembly. A key decision is to fully cover tuition fees for Muslim girls admitted through the government quota for undergraduate courses. The benefit will extend to arts, science, engineering, medicine, agriculture and law programmes in government, aided and self-financing institutions, with ₹20 crore allocated initially.

The government will also expand the Waqf Board’s scholarship programme for Muslim girls from Classes 1-8 to include Classes 9 and 10. The annual ₹2,000 scholarship is expected to benefit 41,384 students, with ₹8.28 crore earmarked for the expansion.

In another major move, a new arts and science college for minority women will be established in Chennai with a ₹2.45-crore grant from the Waqf Board.

The government has also turned its attention to strengthening the economic base of minority institutions. A ₹100-crore fund will provide interest-free loans to develop commercial complexes and marriage halls on land belonging to Muslim Waqf and Christian institutions, enabling them to generate sustainable income.

Employment opportunities are also part of the package. Through the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation, 10,000 minority youths will receive free job-oriented training over four years. Training will cover sectors including IT, automobiles, garment designing, beauty and wellness, embroidery and agriculture.

The measures represent a significant expansion of state-backed support for minority education, institutional development and employment.