Tiruppur is fast becoming the educational hub for girls belonging to the economically weaker sections of the nearby districts. To these students, with a desire to study, but no money to back their ambitions, government-run hostels are blessings in disguise because they are free.

The newly-constructed ladies hostel building for college students, which was established under the Department of Adi Dravidar Welfare with an outlay of Rs.51.50 lakhs in Tirupur, was recently inaugurated by the Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa. About 55 girl students, studying in various colleges at Tirupur, were admitted by the District Collector G. Govindaraj as inmates, at the inauguration function.

M. Deepa, hailing from Karur, is studying her Second Year B.Sc. Computer Science at Chikkanna Government Arts College, said, “My parents are farm workers and though I cannot afford to pursue my higher education, the availability of free hostel facility has encouraged me to join the course.”

C. Kavitha, daughter of farm workers from Dharmapuri, is doing her B.Sc. Mathematics at Chikkanna Government Arts College. She said, “The welfare schemes implemented by the state government for Adi Dravidar students have helped me make my dreams come true. The free hostel facility is a boon for students like me.”Another student from a remote village in Dharmapuri district, K. Priyadharshini, ding her Third Year B.Sc. Mathematics at the same college, said that it was the free hostel facility that encouraged her to study further.

Shanmugapriya, an M.Com student of LRG Government Arts College for Women, hailing from Krishnagiri district, said that the welfare schemes and the hostel facilities had given her the chance to continue her education. She is confident that it will improve her family’s socio-economic conditions.

According to officials, the Department of Adi Dravidar Welfare runs 19 hostels for school and college students in Tirupur district. These hostels accommodate 1056 students of various colleges in the district.