Will bring out policy to make getting higher education loans easier, says P. Viswanathan

Higher Education Minister P. Viswanathan has said the government would work towards bringing out a uniform policy to make higher education burden-free for students and parents. “We will take efforts so that students are able to get bank loans to pursue higher education,” he said, addressing mediapersons after releasing the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions (TNEA) 2026 rank list on Wednesday.

Asked about collection of high capitation fees by private institutions, the Minister said he had passed oral orders to institutions that allegedly collected high capitation fees to refrain from doing so in the interest of the students. His office, he said, was helping poor and meritorious students seek admission to private colleges without having to make heavy payments. “Once the counselling process is complete, we will bring out a uniform policy, which will be burden-free for both students and parents,” he said.

Mr. Viswanathan said all Collectors had been instructed to organise counselling sessions for students with bank managers in their respective districts to help them acquire loans to pursue higher education.

Asked about the efforts his government was taking to clear the stalemate over State-run university Vice-Chancellor appointments, the Minister said the Chief Minister had called for a meeting to exclusively discuss the issue, which was attended by the Advocate General and the Higher Education secretary. The government has taken up the issue as a policy matter and was following up on the court proceedings. “By the end of the year, two of the Vice-Chancellors are retiring. By the turn of the year, there will be no Vice-Chancellors at any of the State-run universities,” he said, adding that a decision would be taken soon.

On the row over the recruitment of assistant professors in government arts and science colleges, the Minister said there were complaints raised by some of the candidates that they secured ‘0’ marks in the descriptive section of the recruitment exam. The Teachers Recruitment Board, he said, had a meeting that was attended by its Chairperson, the Higher Education Secretary, the School Education Secretary, and experts. The board is examining the complaints and will submit a report in a day or two, after which a decision will be taken, he added.