CHENNAI: Chief Minister Stalin inaugurated the ‘Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar’ auditorium at the Presidency college campus in Chennai on Wednesday. He also distributed laptops to students and girl students under the ‘World in Your Hands’ scheme.
The Higher Education Department said that during the convocation at the Presidency College in July 2022, a grand auditorium named after Kalaingnar was promised to be built on campus.
Constructed at a cost of Rs 63 crore, the auditorium spans 60,672 square feet with full AC facilities. It includes an administrative office, VIP room, and artists room. The ground floor seats 1,272 persons, the first floor 800, totalling capacity for 2,042 people.
An official from the department recalled the number of higher education institutions launched by the government to foster research, innovation, and technological progress among students, ensuring employment opportunities. “Through the ‘Naan Mudhalvan’ scheme, it’s creating skilled youth. ‘Puthumai Pen’ supports girls from classes 6-12 in government schools pursuing higher education. ‘Tamil Pudhalvan’ provides monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 to boys pursuing higher studies. This is how TN leads the nation with 47% enrolment in higher education,” said the official.
In the past five years since assuming office, the government has established 38 new government arts and science colleges, four agriculture colleges, one polytechnic college, one law college, and 41 industrial training institutes, (85 new colleges totally) benefiting 28,351 more students in the rural areas, he pointed out. “In arts and science colleges alone, 252 new courses have been introduced, providing education to additional 13,346 more,” added the official.