The Rs 1,000-a-month support for college students who studied in Tamil Nadu government schools is continuing in the 2026-27 academic year. That covers Pudhumai Penn for young women and Tamil Pudhalvan for young men. A September 2026 review of state schemes by the IMPRI policy institute lists both as ongoing under the new government, with no change to the amount or rules announced so far.
Both schemes were started by the previous DMK government. Pudhumai Penn began in 2022, and Tamil Pudhalvan was launched in February 2024 and paid out from August 2024. The money goes straight to the student’s bank account each month until the course is complete.
What the schemes pay
The official name of Pudhumai Penn is the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme. Its official page says it pays Rs 1,000 a month to girls from government schools who go on to higher education. Payment continues until they complete an undergraduate degree, diploma, ITI or other recognised course. Tamil Pudhalvan pays the same amount to boys on the same basis.
The figures give a sense of reach. DT Next reported in July 2023 that admissions under Pudhumai Penn were set to cross one lakh girls. IMPRI cites the 2026 interim budget as saying more than 5.4 lakh students had benefited from Tamil Pudhalvan.
Who is eligible
The broad conditions, as set out in the scheme rules and repeated in college notices, are:
- The student studied in a Tamil Nadu government school from Class 6 to Class 12.
- The student is now enrolled in a first-time undergraduate, diploma, ITI or other recognised higher-education course at a college or institution in Tamil Nadu.
- The student has a bank account in their own name, linked for direct transfer.
There has been no family income ceiling for either scheme. Students who moved between government and private schools, or who studied in government-aided schools, should check with their college. Some categories of aided-school students have been added in the past, and the rules on mixed schooling are specific. Postgraduate courses are not covered.
Getting this support does not stop a student from also applying for caste-based or central scholarships. Many students receive both. See the National Scholarship Portal for central schemes, most of which close on 31 October 2026 for the current year.
How to apply
Students do not apply to a government office. Enrolment runs through the college, which has a nodal officer for the schemes and uploads student details to the state’s portal. When Tamil Pudhalvan was launched in 2024, the government held special camps in colleges to sign students up, and colleges have used the same approach since.
- After joining your first-year course, ask the college office or your class adviser for the Pudhumai Penn or Tamil Pudhalvan nodal officer.
- Keep ready your Aadhaar, your Class 6 to 12 school details (transfer certificate and EMIS number help), mark sheets and your bank passbook.
- Make sure your bank account is active and linked to Aadhaar. Most failed payments come from unlinked or dormant accounts.
- Once the college submits your details, payments usually start after verification. Arrears for the months since joining may be paid together.
Payments are made by direct benefit transfer, so the name on the bank account must match the student’s school and college records. A spelling difference between the Aadhaar card and the transfer certificate is a common reason for a held payment, and it is easier to fix before the college uploads the details than after.
The same budget review notes a separate state incentive of Rs 13.41 crore to keep girls from BC, MBC and DNC families in school, which is aimed at the years before college.
If you are in a Chennai college and payments have stopped, check first that your account is still active and that the college has marked you as continuing. Discontinuing the course or failing to progress can end the payment.
What has changed in 2026
So far, nothing in the rules. The TVK-led government took office on 10 May 2026, and IMPRI’s analysis says it intends to continue most ongoing welfare schemes while adding some of its own. It has renamed some programmes, such as the Naan Mudhalvan skilling scheme. Neither Pudhumai Penn nor Tamil Pudhalvan had been renamed or revised as of mid-October. A full budget for 2026-27 may bring updates, so treat this as the position today.
Quick answers
Is Pudhumai Penn still being paid in 2026?
Yes. It is listed as continuing, with Rs 1,000 a month paid to eligible students’ bank accounts.
Can boys get Rs 1,000 a month?
Yes, under Tamil Pudhalvan, if they studied in government schools and are in eligible higher education.
Where do I apply?
Through your college’s nodal officer, who enters your details on the state portal.
Is there an income limit?
No income ceiling has applied to either scheme. Eligibility depends on government schooling.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme (Pudhumai Penn), Government of Tamil Nadu
- National Scholarship Portal (Government of India)
- Decoding Tamil Nadu’s 2026 scheme landscape (IMPRI)
- Tamil Pudhalvan: Spl camps in colleges to help students (DT Next)
- Girls’ admission under Pudhumai Penn to cross 1L (DT Next)
