Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Sunday said Tamil Nadu has staged a strong resurgence in national competitive examinations, especially the UPSC civil services, following focused support under the State government’s ‘Naan Mudhalvan Competitive Examinations’ (NMCE) initiative.He said the scheme was launched after Tamil Nadu’s UPSC success rate dropped drastically to just 27 candidates in 2021, exposing gaps in access to quality coaching and financial assistance. “The Dravidian governance model ensured corrective measures to provide equal opportunity and level the playing field,” he said in a statement.
According to him, the results reflect a steady upward trend. In 2023–24, 453 candidates from Tamil Nadu cleared the UPSC preliminary examination, which increased to 559 in 2024–25, with 134 clearing the Mains and 50 finding a place in the final selection list. In the ongoing 2025–26 cycle, 659 aspirants have cleared the prelims, while 155 have qualified for the interview round.
Among them, 87 students received training at the State-run All India Civil Services Coaching Centre.
The NMCE wing, launched on March 7, 2023, under the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation, selects 1,000 aspirants annually through a transparent process. They are supported with a monthly stipend of ₹7,500 for ten months, a one-time ₹25,000 assistance for Mains qualifiers, and ₹50,000 for those reaching the interview stage.
The initiative has also been expanded to cover SSC, banking, and railway examinations. Of the 510 students who underwent residential coaching in the first phase, 80 have already secured appointments in nationalised banks and the Railways, he said.
“The real success of Naan Mudhalvan is not just in numbers, but in restoring confidence that success is determined by merit, not financial strength or urban advantage,” Udhayanidhi added.