Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Tamil Nadu had been allotted inadequate number of contact class centres to be set up under the Centre’s scheme of Udaan for mentoring girl students to compete for admission to IITs and NITs.
Of the 151 contact class centres to be set up under the scheme, only two centres had been provided for Tamil Nadu.
Terming this as “surprising,” Mr. Panneerselvam, in his letter to Mr. Modi, stated that Tamil Nadu, as a leading State in education, would have a number of students who would be eligible under the scheme.
Pointing out that many other States had been allotted a much larger number of centres, the Chief Minister said the inadequate number of centres in a large State [Tamil Nadu] with substantial girl student population in the science stream would act as a dampener for participation by girl students. The apprehension about having to travel long distances to go to contact classes would undoubtedly reduce response from eligible candidates. “Even more surprising is the fact that Chennai, which is the largest city in Tamil Nadu and a leading metropolis, does not have a contact centre unlike other large metropolitan cities. This will also deprive a large number of eligible girl students of an opportunity to participate.”
He requested the Prime Minister to have the design flaws in the Udaan scheme examined and increase the number of contact centres in the State, including one in Chennai. He also wanted the extension of the last date for submission of applications to November 30.
