Will Stalin Launch the 'Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil' Initiative Tomorrow, Providing Laptops to 10 Lakh College Students?
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Key Takeaways
Chennai, Jan 4 (NationPress) Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, is set to unveil the inaugural phase of the government’s premier digital empowerment program, "Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil" (The World in Your Hands), on Monday. This initiative seeks to enhance access to technology for college students throughout the state.
The launch event will take place at the Chennai Trade Centre at 3 p.m., with Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin also expected to be present.
During the first phase of this initiative, the Tamil Nadu government will distribute 10 lakh laptops to students engaged in higher education at government institutions.
The beneficiaries will include students from government engineering colleges, arts and science colleges, medical colleges, agricultural universities, law colleges, polytechnics, and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
This initiative is part of a broader two-phase plan aimed at distributing a total of 20 lakh laptops to college students, a promise previously made by the Chief Minister.
As per an official release, this scheme aims to bridge the digital divide and ensure that students from economically and socially marginalized backgrounds are not left behind in an increasingly technology-centric education and job market.
The program builds on the student-focused welfare initiatives of the Dravidian model government, which include Tamil Pudhalvan, Pudhumai Penn, the First Graduate Scholarship, Post-Matric Scholarships, and Social Justice Hostels, according to an official statement.
The laptops being distributed will come from renowned global manufacturers such as Dell, Acer, and HP. Each device will feature either an Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 processor, 8 GB RAM, and 256 GB SSD storage. The laptops will also be pre-installed with Windows 11, BOSS Linux, and MS Office 365, alongside a six-month complimentary subscription to the AI-enhanced Perplexity Pro platform.
Beneficiaries will also receive a high-quality laptop bag.
The state government has noted that this initiative is not solely focused on academic support, but also aims to boost students’ employability by enhancing digital literacy, software skills, and familiarity with emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence tools, coding platforms, and freelancing ecosystems.
By increasing access to digital resources, the government’s goal is to foster long-term social and economic mobility for students, equipping them to thrive in a rapidly changing job market.