Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme
Category: Education & Learning, Women and Child
Level: State | State: Tamil Nadu

Details:
The scheme “Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme” was launched by the Department of Social Welfare &amp; Women Empowerment, Government of Tamil Nadu. This scheme is also called the “Pudhumai Penn Scheme” and has been launched to enhance the enrolment ratio of girls from Government schools to Higher Education Institutions. The enrolment ratio of girl students from Government schools in higher education is very low and to promote higher education among girls belonging to economically weaker families, the “Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Marriage Assistance scheme” shall be transformed as the “Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme”.
**Salient Features of this scheme:**
By providing financial benefits to the girl students, this programme negotiates a behavioral change in the area of reduction in higher incidences of early marriage and a low ratio of enrolment in higher education, and retention of girl students in higher education. Therefore, this scheme envisages the empowerment of girls specifically those who have passed out from Government schools.

  - Promotes girl students&#39; educational status and instills motivation to pursue higher education giving them a better foundation in both economic and social spheres including improving gender parity at higher levels.
  - Enables the creation and participation of skilled women workforce.
  - Financial benefits enable girl children to pursue education without incurring additional expenses and hindrances.
  - Enable Girl Students to get involved in public spaces and enhance career opportunities.
  - Ensures Socio-Economic Empowerment of Women.
  - Prevents dropouts beyond higher secondary and increases the retention ratio in higher education.
  - The cash incentive is extended to any number of girl students in a family pursuing higher education at recognized Institutions / Colleges / Universities.
  - A Separate Programme Management Unit (SPMU) for the scheme is to be established for monitoring the effective implementation of the scheme.

**Steering/Monitoring/Committee:**

  - A State level Steering Committee will be constituted to review and monitor and coordinate all matters relating to the implementation of the scheme. The State level Steering Committee headed by Chief Secretary will meet twice in a year (at ACS / Principal Secretary Level).
  - State Level Monitoring Committees (Department HODs) will be constituted under the Chairmanship of the Director of Social Welfare which will meet once in 3 months and coordinate with all line departments and report periodically to State Level Steering Committee
  - District Level Monitoring Committee will be constituted under the Chairmanship of District Collectors which will meet every month and review the progress on a monthly basis.

Benefits:
All girl students who studied from Classes 6th to 12th in Government schools will be paid ₹1,000/- per month till the completion of their undergraduate degree, diploma, ITI, and any other recognized course.
The assistance amount under this scheme will be disbursed directly into the student’s Bank Account.
The students shall be eligible for this in addition to other scholarships.

Eligibility Criteria:
1. The applicant should be residing in the state of Tamil Nadu.
   1. The applicant should be a student.
   1. The applicant should be a female to avail of benefits from this scheme.
   1. All girl students who studied from Classes 6th to 12th in Government schools of Tamil Nadu are eligible to apply under the scheme.
   1. The assistance can be extended to any number of girl students in a family pursuing higher education at recognized Institutions/Colleges/Universities.
   1. The girl students should pursue their education in recognized courses and colleges/universities.
   1. Only the first course of higher education will be considered as an eligible factor.

**Note 01:** The girl students availing of other scholarships are also eligible to enroll in this scheme.
**Note 02:** The higher education department facilitates opening a &quot;zero balance&quot; bank account and certifying every six months in a year viz., 30th June and 31st December on the bonafide status of the girl students who had applied.
**Note 03:** Four core banks viz., Indian Bank, Canara Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, and SBI have been identified to open bank accounts to the students wherever necessary to furnish the debit card.