Students

University of Madras holds its first B.A. examination

The University of Madras, founded in 1857, conducted its first Bachelor of Arts examination; C. W. Damodaram Pillai was among its first candidates.

Madras Dravidian Association formed

The Madras United League, founded by C. Natesa Mudaliar in 1912, was renamed the Madras Dravidian Association, an early non-Brahmin political body.

Compulsory Hindi order and first anti-Hindi agitation

The Rajaji government's move to make Hindi compulsory in schools triggered a large anti-Hindi agitation led by Periyar, the Justice Party and Tamil scholars.

1965 anti-Hindi agitation

Student-led protests against Hindi becoming the sole official language turned into statewide riots, with police firing and self-immolations.

Madurai University founded

Madurai University, renamed Madurai Kamaraj University in 1978, was established as the main university of southern Tamil Nadu.

Kamaraj loses his seat to student leader P. Seenivasan

In the 1967 election, Congress president K. Kamaraj was defeated in Virudhunagar by the young DMK candidate P. Seenivasan.

Official Languages (Amendment) Act guarantees bilingualism

Amid fresh protests in Madras State, Parliament amended the 1963 Act to ensure English would continue in use alongside Hindi.

SC and ST students exempted from tuition fees

A 1970 Government Order exempted Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students up to the Pre-University Course from paying tuition fees.

Free bus passes for students

The Karunanidhi government introduced free bus travel for government school and college students and half fares for private institutions.

Pleasant Stay verdict and the Dharmapuri bus burning

Jayalalithaa was sentenced to a year's imprisonment in the Pleasant Stay hotel case; in the violence that followed, three agricultural students were burnt to death in a bus at Dharmapuri.

Free bicycles for higher secondary students

Free bicycles for higher secondary students were introduced by the Jayalalithaa government, and the scheme later reached every Class 11 student.

Professional course admissions law and end of entrance tests

With common entrance tests abolished, a 2006 law reorganised professional course admissions and brought reservation to private colleges.

Self-immolation of K. Muthukumar

Journalist K. Muthukumar set himself on fire in Chennai in protest against the killing of Tamil civilians in the Sri Lankan war.

Fee support for first-generation graduates

The state announced a scholarship to pay tuition and other fees of first graduates in a family who join professional courses.

Free mixers, grinders, fans and livestock

The new AIADMK government began giving households free mixers, grinders and fans, and goats and cows to poor families.

Free laptop scheme for students

Students at government and aided schools and colleges started receiving free laptops from the AIADMK government.

Student protests over Sri Lankan Tamils

Colleges were shut after students throughout Tamil Nadu protested over alleged war crimes against Sri Lankan Tamils.

Pro-jallikattu protests at Marina Beach

Mass protests led largely by students and youth at Marina Beach forced an ordinance and then a state law allowing jallikattu.

Death of S. Anitha and the NEET protests

Dalit student S. Anitha, who had challenged NEET in the Supreme Court, died by suicide, triggering protests across the state.

Pollachi sexual assault and extortion case

Arrests in Pollachi exposed a gang accused of sexually assaulting and blackmailing many women, causing statewide outrage and protests.

7.5 percent medical seat quota for government school students

The Governor assented to a law reserving 7.5 percent of medical seats for students who studied in government schools.

Assembly passes NEET exemption bill

The Assembly passed a bill to admit students to medical courses on Class 12 marks instead of NEET, and re-passed it after the Governor returned it.

Naan Mudhalvan skill development scheme launched

Naan Mudhalvan, a state scheme offering students skills training and career guidance, set out to reach about 10 lakh young people annually.

Violence at Kaniyamoor school over student's death

Protests over the death of a Class 12 student at a private residential school in Kallakurichi district turned violent.

Pudhumai Penn scheme for college girls

The state began paying Rs. 1,000 a month to girls from government schools who go on to higher education.

Nanguneri attack on Dalit student and his sister

A 17-year-old Dalit student and his sister were attacked with sickles at home in Nanguneri by schoolmates from dominant castes.

Tamil Pudhalvan scheme for college boys

Stalin launched Rs. 1,000 a month for boys from government schools who go on to higher education, modelled on Pudhumai Penn.

Anna University campus sexual assault case

A student was sexually assaulted on the Anna University campus; the sole accused was convicted and sentenced to life in 2025.

Anbu Karangal support for orphaned children

The state began paying Rs. 2,000 a month to children who have lost their parents, to support their schooling.

Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil free laptops for college students

Stalin launched a scheme to distribute 20 lakh laptops to students of government colleges, with 10 lakh in the first phase.