TVK govt rebrands free laptop scheme; Rs 8,393 crore allotted for higher education department in TN budget

CHENNAI: The TVK government on Wednesday revived and rebranded the free laptop programme for college students as the ‘Vetri Laptop Scheme’, while simultaneously reiterating its opposition to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and unveiling a major student hostel initiative in its maiden budget.

The laptop scheme, which got an allocation of Rs 2,000 crore, is a continuation of the ‘Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil’ (The World in Your Hands) programme launched by the previous DMK government earlier this year to distribute laptops to 10 lakh college students in phases.