The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment provided detailed beneficiary data for various welfare schemes implemented in Tamil Nadu from 2023-24 to 2025-26, as disclosed by Minister of State Shri Ramdas Athawale in a Rajya Sabha reply.
For Scheduled Caste students, Post-Matric Scholarship beneficiaries increased significantly from 643,761 in 2023-24 to 934,793 in 2024-25 and reached 966,840 in 2025-26. Pre-Matric Scholarship for SCs and Others showed growth from 335,642 students in 2023-24 to 521,124 in 2024-25 and 582,684 in 2025-26. The Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) covered 507 beneficiaries in 2023-24, 894 in 2024-25, and 666 in 2025-26, while the SRESHTA residential education scheme supported 238 students in 2023-24, 312 in 2024-25, and 267 in 2025-26.
For Other Backward Classes, Economically Backward Classes, and Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, the Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme showed volatile numbers: 294,000 students in 2023-24, 875,000 in 2024-25, and 276,000 in 2025-26. Post-Matric Scholarship coverage declined from 476,000 students in 2023-24 to 459,000 in 2024-25 and 367,000 in 2025-26. The Top Class Education Scheme in Schools saw remarkable growth from 725 beneficiaries in 2023-24 to 10,735 in 2025-26, while the National Fellowship for OBC Students increased from 78 scholars in 2023-24 to 92 in 2024-25 and 116 in 2025-26.
Senior citizen welfare under the Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC) component of Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) supported 32,940 elderly in 2023-24, 33,715 in 2024-25, and 24,390 in 2025-26. Lending schemes of the National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC) benefited 20,618 persons in 2023-24, 18,377 in 2024-25, and 21,437 in 2025-26. The National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) Income Generating Schemes showed 14,548 beneficiaries in 2023-24, dropping to 5,314 in 2024-25, and recovering to 8,085 in 2025-26.
Legal protection schemes provided relief to 5,586 atrocity victims in both 2023-24 and 2024-25 under the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955 and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, with 6,042 victims receiving relief in 2025-26. Financial incentives for inter-caste marriage couples were extended to 2,392 couples in 2023-24, 2,476 in 2024-25, and 2,202 in 2025-26.
For persons with disabilities, the Deendayal Divyangjan Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) supported 1,052 persons in 2023-24, 1,036 in 2024-25, and 878 in 2025-26. The Scholarship Scheme for Students with Disabilities covered 4,046 students in 2023-24, 3,851 in 2024-25, and 4,043 in 2025-26. The National Fellowship for Scheduled Caste Students supported 107 scholars in 2023-24, 102 in 2024-25, and 112 in 2025-26, while the VISVAS scheme covered 5,092 beneficiaries in 2024-25 and 7,475 in 2025-26.
The Ministry noted that welfare of Scheduled Castes is undertaken through 38 Ministries under the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Castes (DAPSC). An assessment by the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO), NITI Aayog observed that the Ministry's targeted interventions have contributed to notable improvements in access to education for marginalized communities. The Government remains committed to ensuring inclusive and equitable development through educational opportunities, livelihood support, financial inclusion, and social protection for vulnerable sections.