Under the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme, girls from Classes VI to X who are pursuing their education from government schools can apply for Rs 1,000 assistance. This they can do via the new website, penkalvi.tn.gov.in.

Who are eligible? Students pursuing certificate courses, diploma courses, bachelor's degree, professional and paramedical courses, and vocational education and those in the second year to the penultimate year of college. A Social Welfare department release on Monday, June 27, also informed that those who are availing scholarships from other schemes can also apply.

Female students who studied in private schools from Classes VI to VIII under the Right to Education Act and studied in Classes IX to XII in government schools, students of panchayat union primary and middle schools, Adi Dravidar Welfare schools, municipality schools, corporation schools, tribal welfare schools, Kallar rehabilitation Schools, backward/most backward classes schools, disability welfare schools, forest department, schools and social welfare department schools are also eligible.

It may be noted that the scheme is applicable only to those students who are joining higher education institutions after completing Classes VIII, X and XII for the first time. Students who study through correspondence and in open universities are not eligible.