New Delhi, 21 March 2022 – As per the Tamil Nadu state education budget 2022, the state government has announced that it will offer a monthly scholarship worth INR 1000 to girl students who are studying in government schools of Tamil Nadu. The state government has announced this under the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance scheme and has added that the scholarship will be continued uninterrupted until the students receiving it complete their undergraduate study, diploma, or ITI (Industrial Training Institute) education.
Tami Nadu government has done this by reshaping the ‘Thalikku Thangam’ scheme – that provides gold and financial assistance for women’s marriages – into a higher education assurance scheme that will provide a monthly scholarship of INR 1000 to girl students. Nearly 6 lakh students are expected to benefit from the new scholarship scheme each year and experts see this as an ideological shift from “compulsory” marriage towards education & employment of women.
Professor S Anandhi, Madras Institute of Development Studies, welcomed the scholarship and noted that the scheme moves in line with Periyar’s vision of women’s emancipation. She noted, “Indeed [it] is a great departure. The government is moving away from the patriarchal idea of compulsory marriage for women to education and employment.”
Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme 2022 – Details
- Under the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance scheme 2022, all girl students who are studying in classes 6 to 12 in government and government-aided schools of Tamil Nadu will receive a scholarship of INR 1000 per month.
- The scholarship will be deposited in the students’ bank accounts every month till the completion of their undergraduate degree, diploma or ITI courses.
Moovalur Ramamirtham Higher Education Assurance Scheme 2022 – Documents Required
- Recent passport size photographs
- Aadhar card
- ID proof showing gender
- Caste certificate
- Domicile certificate
- Admission enrolled receipt
- Previous year marksheet
- Income certificate
Thalikku Thangam Marriage Assistance Scheme – Details
- The Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Memorial Thalikku Thangam Marriage Assistance scheme was introduced in 1989 and was named after social activist Moovalur Ramamirtham.
- Under the scheme, women over the age of 18 – who completed Class 10 – received a marriage assistance of INR 25000.
- In 2011, as per the scheme, the state government provided beneficiaries 4 gm of gold and increased the assistance amount to INR 50000 if the bride had completed a degree or diploma.
- In 2016, the amount of gold provided was increased to 8 gm.
- In 2022, the scheme was revamped into the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance scheme to focus on female empowerment and to aid girl students in completing their higher/college-level education.
Thalikku Thangam Marriage Assistance Scheme – Documents Required
- Bride’s Aadhar Card
- Bride’s Birth Certificate
- Community certificate
- Copy of School transfer certificate.
- Copy of Class 10 Mark sheet
- Copy of Degree / Diploma certificate
- Income certificate
- Marriage invitation
- Passport size photo of bride
- Passport size photo father or mother
