Chennai, Nov 7:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has issued administrative sanction to implement the ‘Vetri Laptop Scheme’ at an outlay of Rs 2,000 crore for the 2026–27 academic year, benefiting students across government and government-aided higher education institutions in the state.
Under the scheme, first- and second-year undergraduate (UG) and diploma students enrolled in arts and science, engineering, polytechnic, ITI, medical, veterinary, fisheries, agriculture, and law courses will receive free laptops.
The initiative also covers third- and fourth-year professional course students who did not receive laptops during the 2025–26 academic cycle.
Engineering students will be provided higher-specification machines powered by Intel Core i5 or equivalent processors to support their technical curriculum.
A high-level steering committee headed by Chief Minister Vijay will monitor the state-wide rollout. Procurement of quality-certified laptops will be handled by the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT).
Officials said the initiative aims to bridge digital inequality and enhance technical proficiency, career readiness, and global competitiveness among students from underprivileged backgrounds.