Adi Dravidar and other BC students can hone their English skills as extra tuitions will be imparted through all Adi Dravidar schools across the state and the government will bear the entire cost for the training.
There are about 6,550 students from the Backward Class, Most Backward Class and de-notified communities studying in 160 Adi Dravidar schools and ITIs and they will all benefit from the English speaking skills that would be imparted at a cost of Rs 2,800 per student. chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, who announced this scheme, has allocated Rs 1.83 crore for the purpose.
The chief minister has also doubled the cash awards for the top three district rankers in Xth and Plus Two exams for students studying in minority institutions along the lines of those given to students from BC, MBC and de-notified communities. Cash prizes of Rs 1,500, Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 that were being given to the top three rankers have been doubled now.
For the first three toppers in Plus Two, the cash award has been doubled from Rs 3,000, Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 to Rs 6,000, Rs 4,000 and Rs 1 2,000 respectively.
Ms Jayalalithaa also announced a hike in government subsidy from 1:1 to 1:2 for destitute Muslim women who are provided with sewing machines, grinding machines; and other assistance with effect from April 1 this year and allocated an additional Rs 3.20 crore for this purpose.
The CM also ordered the purchase of single and double cots for students residing in hostels in 103 BC, MBC and de-notified communities and those run by minority institutions benefitting 8,365 students besides wooden cots for 100 students staying in the two hostels in hilly areas for Rs 3.71 crore.