Allocation for Higher Education drops in Tamil Nadu Budget 2026-27; educationists react sharply

The allocation for Tamil Nadu's Higher Education Department in the 2026-27 Revised Budget has been reduced by ₹101 crore compared to the previous fiscal year, sparking strong reactions from educationists and activists. The total budget for the department stands at ₹8,393 crore. During the Budget speech, Finance Minister N. Marie Wilson announced a ₹2,000 crore allocation for the "Vetri Laptop Scheme" for college students and plans to establish a specialized law college in Madurai with a capacity of 300 students.

She also announced the formation of the Tamil Nadu Student Housing and Infrastructure Corporation, which will construct 200 integrated hostels for students with a total capital investment of ₹3,200 crore, including a ₹640 crore state grant.

The budget documents reveal that the government has allocated ₹1,807 crore as grants to universities, which is an increase from ₹1,678 crore the previous year. There has been a slight rise in funding for fee waivers for students admitted to colleges under the 7.5% horizontal reservation scheme. However, former University of Madras vice-chancellor G. Thiruvasagam expressed concern that the allocation is insufficient to address the significant faculty vacancies at the state's 20-odd universities, which currently have over 50% positions vacant.

He warned that the government's current funding would not be enough to fill these gaps, as the shortfall is currently being managed through part-time faculty, which has negatively impacted research, publication, pedagogy, and instruction.

Thiruvasagam also pointed out that despite Tamil Nadu universities and colleges performing better than others in the country's NIRF rankings, dwindling government funding is beginning to affect their operations. He stated, "All universities are low on resources. The allocation would not even meet a fraction of their requirement."

He emphasized that public universities in the state are losing students to private institutions due to superior infrastructure, laboratory facilities, and technology-oriented teaching materials, and called for a substantial increase in government funding to attract more students.

General secretary of the State Platform for Common School System-Tamil Nadu, P.B. Prince Gajendra Babu, raised concerns about the cost of accommodation and food at the newly established hostels under the PPP model. He warned that these expenses could impose a significant financial burden on students and their families, particularly first-generation learners and women students.

Babu criticized the decrease in allocation to Higher Education at a time when universities were already facing a financial crisis, stating that it contradicts the government's declared policy of strengthening higher education.