Chennai: In a significant achievement for the state’s education system, 28 students from government schools across Tamil Nadu have secured admission to the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) this year. The students gained entry through the ‘IITM For All’ programme, an initiative designed to provide access to premier technical education for talented students from rural and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The initiative offers undergraduate courses in high-demand fields like B.S. in Data Science and Electronics Systems.
The selection process is highly competitive. This year, over 11,000 students from government schools were initially screened for the programme. From this large pool, 168 shortlisted students were invited to take the entrance examination, with the 28 finally selected students representing districts across the state. Since its launch in 2022, the ‘IITM For All’ initiative has now benefited a total of 381 government school students, providing them with a transformative pathway to higher education.
A State-Wide Achievement Celebrated at the Highest Levels
The accomplishment has been met with widespread acclaim, particularly from state government officials who view it as a validation of their educational policies. School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi officially announced the news, highlighting the role of government schemes in enabling these achievements.
On his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the Minister posted, “With the support of the schemes implemented by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, government school students are reaching heights in education and creating achievements. In this way, under the ‘IIT for All’ scheme, we are happy to inform you that 28 of our government school students have joined IIT Chennai. Warm wishes to those students.”
Geographic and Academic Distribution of Success
The success stories are not confined to urban centers but are spread throughout Tamil Nadu, demonstrating the widespread impact of the initiative. The cohort includes five students from Greater Chennai Corporation schools and one from a other government school in Chennai. Beyond the capital, eight students are from Coimbatore district, three each from Kallakurichi, Sivaganga, and Vellore districts, one from Mayiladuthurai, and two each from Salem and Villupuram districts.
Academically, an overwhelming majority of the students, 25 in total, have been admitted to the B.S. Data Science program, reflecting the growing importance of this field. The remaining three students have joined the B.S. Electronics Systems course. Officials have stated that the selected students will receive continuous support to ensure they can successfully navigate their rigorous academic journey at IIT Madras.