THOOTHUKUDI: Thoothukudi achieved an inspiring Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 96.15%, with 18,130 students who cleared class 12 in academic year 2024-25 pursuing higher education.

It is almost double the states GER of 49.1% in 2022-23, and triple of national GER of 29.50% for the corresponding period.

According to officials from the school education department, 18,855 students cleared class 12 exams held in May 2025.

Of this, 18,734 (99.35%) applied for admission in higher educations, and 18,130 students got enrolled, taking the GER in the district to 96.15%.

A total of 66 schools recorded 100% of students joining colleges. Speaking to TNIE, chief education officer (CEO) D Chidambaranathan said the GER of 96.15 % has been arrived by consolidating students of government schools, government-aided schools and private schools, and it was not the practice previously.

The GER figure was 84% (government schools only) in academic year 2023-24.

He reasoned that schemes like Naan Mudhalvan play a significant role in encouraging students to pursue higher education.

“Career guidance counselling under collector’s exclusive camps of “Perithum Perithu Kel” and exposure visit of class 12 students under the “Kalloori Kanavu” initiatives help students to identify and select the right courses,” he added.

Sources said, collector K Elambahavath establish a control room comprising 30 teachers at the collectorate to gather information of class 12 students from all the 206 higher secondary schools in the district and intensified the “Kalloori Kanavu” campaign.

Sources added that 11 government school students have joined premier institutions like IIT, NIFT, and NIT, besides medical colleges. As many as 226 students, including from BPL (below poverty line) families and those with single parent, received financial aid from the district administration.

Families of 32 girls out of the 41 girls, allegedly majors, married off after plus two results, were given counselling and convinced to continue higher education.

An official who was a part of the control room, said that the collector had approved payment of college fees to 275 underprivileged students amounting to Rs 30 lakh from the collector’s discretionary funds and also by mobilising funds from various service associations.

The story is reported by S Godson Wisely Dass for The New Indian Express