Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme

The scheme “Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme” was launched by the Department of Social Welfare & 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' 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.