Governments must spend more on poor students’ education, says VIT chancellor

CHENNAI: Governments must allocate more funds to ensure every underprivileged student has access to quality education, urged G Viswanathan, chancellor, VIT, at a scholarship distribution event at Vellore on Friday. 

The Universal Higher Education Trust distributed the second instalment of scholarships for 2025-26, awarding Rs 1.18 crore to 856 meritorious students from Vellore, Tirupattur, and Ranipet districts.

“Education is the only lasting wealth that our people and the government must recognise,” Viswanathan said, expressing disappointment over the lack of focus on education during election campaigns. Since 2012, the Trust has provided Rs 14.25 crore in scholarships to 11,171 students.

The Chancellor stressed the need for India to compete with developed nations, noting that India’s per capita income stands at just $3,000 compared to Japan’s $30,000. India’s Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education is only 28%, while China has crossed 70%.

“The primary reason for this gap is higher government investment in education abroad. In India, spending on education is low, forcing parents to bear the major share,” he said.

Citing OECD data, he noted that India spends only $260 per student on higher education, versus $15,000–$20,000 in developed countries. “Without quality education, economic growth cannot be achieved.”

The chief guest, Manikandan G Menon, MD, Koastal India, advised students to “limit social media use, focus on continuous learning, and give back to society”.