New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday said it has expanded educational, economic and social welfare initiatives for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs), senior citizens and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in Tamil Nadu, with a sharp increase in scholarship coverage and other social welfare benefits.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said the number of beneficiaries under the Post-Matric Scholarship for Scheduled Castes in Tamil Nadu rose from 6.44 lakh in 2023-24 to 9.35 lakh in 2024-25, and further to 9.67 lakh in 2025-26. The Pre-Matric Scholarship for SCs and Others benefited 5.83 lakh students in 2025-26, up from 3.36 lakh in 2023-24.
The minister said welfare schemes for OBCs also witnessed significant coverage. The Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme benefited 8.75 lakh OBC students in 2024-25, while the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme covered 3.67 lakh students in 2025-26. Under the Top Class Education Scheme, the number of beneficiaries increased from 725 in 2023-24 to 10,735 in 2025-26.
The government also highlighted progress under schemes such as PM-AJAY, SRESHTA, the National Fellowship for OBC Students, and the National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Students, aimed at improving access to education and livelihood opportunities for disadvantaged communities.
For senior citizens, the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) covered 24,390 beneficiaries in 2025-26. The National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) and the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) continued to provide financial assistance and income-generation support, while the VISVAS scheme benefited 7,475 persons during the year.
The minister said 6,042 victims received relief under the Protection of Civil Rights Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in 2025-26. In addition, financial incentives were provided to 2,202 inter-caste couples, while scholarship and rehabilitation schemes continued to support thousands of students and persons with disabilities across the state.
Citing an assessment by NITI Aayog’s Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), the Centre said its targeted interventions have improved access to education and social protection for marginalised communities, reaffirming its commitment to inclusive and equitable development.