Higher edu in TN gets a boost with Naan Mudhalvan, CMRF

CHENNAI: To get students job-ready and also enable them with necessary skills, the Tamil Nadu government launched the Naan Mudhalvan (I Am The Best) scheme in 2022, targeting over 10 lakh students every year. The scheme was implemented to bridge the gap between education and emerging industry needs.

The scheme integrates emerging technology skills, industry-specific core skills and essential soft skills like personality development and English proficiency to create a holistic and inclusive skilling ecosystem, which would make students job-ready.

In 2022-23, the government trained over 13.52 lakh students, surpassing the target of 10 lakh. In 2023-24, it expanded to polytechnic colleges and ITIs, reaching 14.68 lakh students across 2,085 institutions, and in 2024-25, it continues to train 13.17 lakh students across 2,020 institutions. The initiative, accessible to students across engineering, Arts and Science, polytechnic institutes, and ITIs without financial burden, fosters collaboration among students, academicians, industry professionals and mentors.

In 2024-25, as many as 40,218 faculty members from Arts and Science, engineering and polytechnic institutes were upskilled on courses in which students were getting trained. This ensures better facilitation and seamless skilling for students.

The government also upgraded the infrastructure of its educational institutions. The State has focused on constructing new academic buildings, upgrading laboratories and enhancing digital resources to support the evolving needs of both students and faculty through the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar College Development Scheme (PKCDS). Under this scheme, the State government, from 2022-26, has sanctioned Rs 980 crore.

Meanwhile, to encourage research and innovation among students, the government introduced several initiatives to support research activities across higher education institutions by implementing programmes like the CM’s Research Fellowship (CMRF) and CM Research Grant (CMRG). These have been instrumental in providing funding to scholars and researchers, helping them pursue projects in many fields.

In 2024-25, a sum of Rs 9.61 crore was sanctioned for the CMRF to benefit 180 research students, and Rs 50 crore was sanctioned for CMRG towards the allocation of funds to all government higher educational institutions and universities in TN.

Higher education institutions in TN are focusing on fostering entrepreneurship and innovation. Universities have established incubation centres to support start-ups, offering guidance and resources to turn innovative ideas into viable businesses. This mirrors the practices of leading global institutions which help students and faculty

translate research into real-world applications.

For 2025-26, TN has allocated Rs 8,494 crore for the Department of Higher Education.