Free education for backward class students

The Tamil Nadu government today has made education completely free for students from backward classes studying in government Arts and Science Colleges. "The criteria for availing the benefit including an income ceiling has been done away with, benefitting a further 39,000 students to the existing number of more than 59,000," said minister for backward classes, most backward classes and minorities welfare, KKSSR Ramachandran,in his announcements for the year 2009-10 in the Assembly.
 
"Of the total 98,265 students from the backward community studying in Government and aided colleges in the state, only 59,190 have been utilising free education while the others could not due to the conditions such as an income ceiling of less than Rs1 lakh per annum, besides the student being the first graduate from the family," he said. These conditions have been done away with to enable the rest of the students enjoy free education, he said adding, "this would result in an expenditure of Rs3.70 crore per year to the state exchequer."