Indian state to cover university tuition for Muslim women
State of Tamil Nadu will pay full undergraduate tuition for eligible Muslim women and expand scholarships for girls to improve minority access to education
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu will pay the full tuition fees of eligible Muslim women pursuing undergraduate degrees, launching a major education initiative aimed at removing financial barriers that can prevent women from minority communities from completing higher education.
The program will cover Muslim women admitted through the government quota to government, government-aided and private self-financing institutions, with students pursuing arts, science, engineering, medicine, agriculture and law among those eligible.
Minorities Welfare Minister A.M. Shahjahan announced the initiative in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Aug. 28 as part of a wider package of measures targeting educational and economic opportunities for religious minorities.
The government has allocated 200 million Indian rupees ($2.1 million) to cover tuition under the program.
Tamil Nadu is governed by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, the Indian cinema superstar who made the transition from acting to politics and led his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam party to power earlier this year.
Vijay took office in May, ending nearly six decades in which the state government had been led by either of Tamil Nadu’s two established Dravidian parties.
Vijay’s government is also expanding financial assistance for Muslim schoolgirls through the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board. A scholarship previously available to girls in grades one through eight will now include those in grades nine and 10.
Around 41,384 girls are expected to receive 2,000 Indian rupees annually under the expanded program, which has been allocated about 82.8 million Indian rupees ($870,000).
The state also plans to establish a new arts and science college for minority women in Chennai, with an initial allocation of 24.5 million Indian rupees. The government said the institution would further expand access to higher education for women from minority communities.
Beyond education, Tamil Nadu announced a 1 billion Indian rupee revolving fund to help Muslim Waqfs and Christian religious institutions develop properties capable of generating income.
Interest-free loans will finance projects such as commercial buildings and marriage halls, allowing religious institutions to generate revenue that can subsequently be used to support their communities.
Another initiative will provide vocational training to 10,000 minority youths over four years through the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation.
Training will cover areas including information technology, automobiles, apparel design, health care, beauty services and embroidery.
The package marks one of the most substantial minority-focused initiatives announced by Vijay’s relatively new government, with education for Muslim women and girls forming a central part of the measures.
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