TN Budget: Higher Education gets Rs 6,967 crore for 2023-2024

CHENNAI: Allocating a total Rs 6,967 crore for the Higher Education this year, the Tamil Nadu government announced that it would create a workforce suited for the rapidly changing industrial ecosystems, a scheme will be soon to transform 71 government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to Centres of Excellence at a cost of Rs 2,877 crore.

Presenting the Tamil Nadu budget 2023-2024, state finance minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan told the House that under the scheme, the students will be enrolled in new courses in the coming academic year itself.

He said in the next phase, the state government will launch another programme in the coming year to transform and modernize the government polytechnic colleges into "Centres of Excellence‟ in accordance with the Industry 4.0 standards in collaboration with industry partners at a total cost of Rs.2,783 crore.

"The programme will focus on infrastructure modernisation, industry relevant course content creation, capacity building of faculty members and employment opportunities for the students," he said.

Stating that the state government also proposed to establish a world class skill centre named “Tamil Nadu World Innovation and Skill Training Hub” (TN-WISH) at Ambattur at a cost of Rs 120 crore with the objective of providing skill training to trainers in ITIs and polytechnics and to create a highly skilled workforce.

"The hub will provide training in advanced technologies such as Mechatronics, Internet of Things, Advanced Automobile Technology, Precision Engineering and Advanced Welding," he said.

Similarly, the Minister said in the current year, works such as construction of new classrooms and additional laboratories have been taken up 55 government arts and science colleges. These works will be carried out in the coming financial year also at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore.

Pointing out that every year 1,000 civil services aspirants will be short listed through a screening test, he said each aspirant will be provided Rs.7,500 per month for 10 months to prepare for the preliminary examination and those students who clear the preliminary examination will be provided a lump sum amount of Rs 25,000.