Pudhumai Penn (for girls, from 2022) and Tamil Pudhalvan (for boys, from August 2024) pay ₹1,000 every month to students who studied classes 6 to 12 in Tamil Nadu government schools, for the whole of their first UG degree, diploma, ITI or paramedical course. There is no income limit, and it comes on top of other scholarships. A girl doing a 3-year B.Sc. gets ₹36,000; an engineering student ₹48,000. Check yours below.
Pudhumai Penn / Tamil Pudhalvan checker
Answer about your school and course.
Free tool; nothing you type is saved or sent. Built and checked on 29 October 2026. Points marked * come from news or secondary sources; confirm on the official portal or office before you act.
Who is eligible
| Rule | Pudhumai Penn (girls) | Tamil Pudhalvan (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| School | Classes 6-12 in a government school (government-aided Tamil-medium added 2024-25*) | Classes 6-12 in a government school* |
| Course | First UG degree, diploma, ITI, paramedical (any college in TN) | Same |
| Income limit | None | None |
| Amount | ₹1,000 a month to the student’s bank account | Same |
| With other scholarships | Allowed | Allowed |
Not eligible
- Students from private / self-financing schools (some RTE-quota students may be covered*).
- PG, M.Phil and PhD courses.
- Distance / correspondence courses.
- Students who broke their education (a gap year) before joining*.
- Students who joined college outside Tamil Nadu*.
How to apply and check status
- Your college’s nodal officer registers you on the Pen Kalvi portal (penkalvi.tn.gov.in) in the first year; give Aadhaar, EMIS number, bank account and school details.
- Keep your bank account in your own name, Aadhaar-seeded and active (most “not received” cases are bank failures*).
- Track payment with the student login on Pen Kalvi.
- If payments stop, ask the college nodal officer to check attendance / course status updates.
How much you get
| Course | Years | Total at ₹1,000 a month |
|---|---|---|
| ITI | 2 | ₹24,000 |
| Diploma / B.A. / B.Sc. / B.Com | 3 | ₹36,000 |
| B.E. / B.Tech / B.Sc. Nursing | 4 | ₹48,000 |
| MBBS / BDS | 5 (incl. internship*) | up to ₹54,000-60,000* |
The new TVK government (2026) has not announced any change to these schemes as of October 2026*. Related: scholarship status checker, Magalir Urimai Thogai checker.
Pudhumai Penn: frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for Pudhumai Penn? Girls who studied classes 6 to 12 in Tamil Nadu government schools (and government-aided schools from 2024-25*) and are in a first UG degree, diploma, ITI or paramedical course.
Is there an income limit for Pudhumai Penn? No. Family income does not matter.
What is Tamil Pudhalvan scheme? The boys’ version of Pudhumai Penn, started in August 2024: ₹1,000 a month for government school boys in higher education.
Can I get Pudhumai Penn with a BC/MBC scholarship? Yes. It is paid in addition to other scholarships.
Why is my Pudhumai Penn amount not credited? Usually the bank account is not Aadhaar-seeded or is inactive, or the college has not updated your record on Pen Kalvi.
Sources (checked 29 October 2026): Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Department / Directorate of Technical Education (dte.tn.gov.in) scheme pages and Vikaspedia; transgender inclusion as reported by Dinamalar*. penkalvi.tn.gov.in and dte.tn.gov.in did not open from our cloud server.
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