The Tamil Nadu Higher Education Department is likely to increase the intake capacity in government Arts and Science colleges by 20% this year, following an overwhelming response from students last year.A senior official from the department stated that the recently concluded Class 12 Board exams had relatively easy commerce and science papers, leading to an expected rise in applications. “There is no official notification yet, but a final decision will be taken after the Class 12 results, based on the pass percentage and students’ marks,” the official said.
Authorities have assured that necessary infrastructure will be in place to accommodate the increased intake. This year, at least 3 lakh students are expected to apply for Arts and Science courses.
In 2024, 164 government Arts and Science colleges in Tamil Nadu offered over 1.07 lakh UG seats. However, with 2.59 lakh students applying and around 2.11 lakh participating in the counseling process, many deserving candidates struggled to secure admissions.
To address this, the government has proposed a 20% seat increase in all government colleges, 15% in government-aided colleges, and 10% in self-financing Arts and Science institutions. The move aims to ensure more opportunities for students pursuing higher education in Tamil Nadu.