Pudhumai Penn Scheme – Eligibility, Benefits & Online Application Process

Pudhumai Penn Scheme – Eligibility, Benefits & Online Application Process

What is the Pudhumai Penn Scheme?

• Pudhumai Penn (also known as the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme) is a Tamil Nadu government scheme aimed at increasing enrolment and retention of girls from government schools into higher education.
• Under the scheme, eligible girl students receive a monthly financial incentive of ₹1,000 (Indian Rupees) by direct benefit transfer (DBT) to help them continue their studies.
• The scheme covers girls who studied from Class 6 through Class 12 in government or certain aided schools and are now pursuing their first higher education (undergraduate, diploma, ITI, recognized course). (
• The scheme is implemented via the Penkalvi portal for online registration and verification.
• From 15 July 2024, the scheme’s coverage was extended to include girl students from government-aided schools (subject to certain conditions) as part of expansion.
• In Tamil medium government-aided schools in Chennai district, the scheme from 6th to 12th standard is also extended (for Tamil medium) under Pudhumai Penn.

Eligibility Criteria

To avail benefits under Pudhumai Penn, the applicant must satisfy a set of eligibility conditions, and there are also disqualifications. Below is a breakdown:

✅ Eligibility Conditions

1. Gender & Citizenship / Residency
   • Must be a female student.
   • Must be a resident of Tamil Nadu.
2. Schooling Background (Class 6–12)
   • The girl should have studied from Class 6 to Class 12 in government schools of Tamil Nadu.
   • Also, girls who studied in a private school under Right to Education (RTE) from Class 6–8 and then from Class 9–12 in government schools are also eligible.
   • From 2024, coverage was extended to government-aided schools (especially for Tamil-medium) in some cases.
3. Pursuing First Higher Education
   • The applicant should currently be enrolled in a recognized higher education course (such as an undergraduate degree, diploma, ITI, professional or vocational courses) — i.e. the first higher education course.
   • Only regular mode courses are eligible (i.e. not distance education or open university).
   • Postgraduate courses are not eligible.
4. Other Conditions
   • Beneficiaries of other government scholarships or schemes can also apply; it is not disallowed to have other benefits.
   • There is no upper limit on the number of girl students in a family who can benefit — i.e. more than one daughter can avail, provided each satisfies eligibility.

❌ Ineligibility / Exclusion Criteria

Some cases where the scheme benefit cannot be availed:

• Girls who studied Classes 6–12 entirely in private schools (not via RTE) are generally ineligible.
• Girls enrolled in postgraduate, distance mode, or open universities (non-regular mode) are excluded.
• The scheme applies only to the first higher education course. If someone is already in or completed a higher degree, that may disqualify them.

Benefits / What the Scheme Offers

• Monthly financial assistance of ₹1,000 (INR 1,000) per beneficiary, disbursed directly into their bank account (DBT).
• The incentive is provided every month until the beneficiary completes her first higher education (degree, diploma, ITI or equivalent).
• The scheme’s benefit is in addition to any other scholarships the student is receiving.
• The Government facilitates opening zero-balance bank accounts for students (if not already).
• Periodic certifying of the ‘bonafide’ student status is required — every six months (on 30 June, 31 December) to confirm the student is still actively enrolled.
• The scheme is expected to help discourage early marriage, reduce dropout rates, and promote women’s education and empowerment.

Documents Required

To apply for the scheme, various documents and details are needed. The exact list may vary slightly by the portal or institution, but generally:

• Aadhaar card (or other identity proof)
• Proof of residence in Tamil Nadu
• Class 10 (SSLC) mark sheet / certificate
• Class 12 (HSC) mark sheet / certificate
• Transfer Certificate (from previous school)
• Bank account details (account number, IFSC, branch)
• Other certificates (caste certificate, if applicable)
• EMIS number and school history (i.e. details of schools attended from class 6 to 12)

How to Apply / Online Application Process

Here is a generalized step-by-step process to apply under the Pudhumai Penn / Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar scheme. Note that the application is typically done via the institution (school/college) rather than directly by the student in many cases.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Visit the official portal / Penkalvi portal
   The scheme is implemented via the Penkalvi portal (or integrated within the government’s social welfare portal).
2. Registration / Login by Institution / College
   • Students don’t always register themselves directly; the institution/college often has a login to enroll eligible students.
   • The institution uses its credentials (username / password) to log in to the portal under “Institutes / College” section.
3. Student Enrollment / Application Entry
   • The institution enters the details of eligible girl students (personal details, educational background, previous school history, etc.) into the portal.
   • Applicant’s mobile number is verified via OTP.
   • Students must provide their Aadhaar, EMIS number, and other required data.
   • The schooling history (which schools, what years, roll numbers) from class 6 to 12 is to be entered.
4. Bank Details & Verification
   • Fill in bank account details (account number, IFSC, branch, account holder etc.).
   • If the student doesn’t have a bank account, the scheme helps open a zero-balance account in one of the identified core banks.
   • Aadhaar and bank account linkage / verification is done for DBT.
5. Preview and Submit Application
   • Students / institution preview the filled application to check for any errors.
   • Submit the application for verification by the relevant department.
6. Verification & Approval
   • The education / social welfare department reviews and verifies the submitted applications.
   • Students are notified via SMS or portal about the status.
7. Disbursement of Funds
   • Once approved, ₹1,000 per month is disbursed via direct transfer into the student’s bank account.
   • Periodic “bonafide certification” of the student status is done (every six months) to continue receiving the benefit.

Notes & Additional Considerations

• If a student missed the initial registration camp or window, they can approach their college or school and request the principal’s assistance to enroll them in the scheme via the portal.
• There are video tutorials / guides available (for example on YouTube) showing how to apply in Tamil.
• The contact / help desk for the scheme is managed under the Tamil Nadu Commissionerate of Social Welfare.
• The phone number is 044-24354885 for the help desk.

If you like, I can send you a step-wise visual guide (in Tamil or English) with screenshots for filling out the form, or the latest application link / portal, which may help you apply smoothly. Do you want me to share that next?