Chennai, July 30 (IANS) Tamil Nadu has emerged as the leading southern state in the expansion of digital learning infrastructure under the Centre-sponsored Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), securing the highest number of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) labs and smart classrooms sanctioned over the past five years.
However, despite receiving the largest financial approvals under the scheme, the state has alleged that delays in the release of Central funds have placed a significant financial burden on its education system.
According to details compiled by the Tamil Nadu government based on information placed before Parliament, the state has emerged as the biggest beneficiary of the Centre-sponsored Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan in terms of ICT labs and smart classrooms sanctioned for government schools.
The data shows that Tamil Nadu was sanctioned 9,432 ICT labs between the 2021-22 and 2025-26 academic years, the highest among all southern states.
The figure is nearly four times higher than that of Telangana, which ranked second among the southern states. For the 2025-26 academic year alone, Tamil Nadu received approval for 2,166 ICT labs, while Telangana was sanctioned 1,242 labs.
The state has also emerged as the leader in the rollout of smart classrooms. Since the scheme was introduced for Tamil Nadu in 2024-25, the state has been sanctioned 8,967 smart classrooms, nearly double the number approved for Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening digital learning infrastructure and promoting technology-enabled education in government schools.
Tamil Nadu has also secured the highest financial approvals under the programme.
The Centre approved Rs 167 crore for the state for the 2025-26 financial year, while the cumulative approval between 2021-22 and 2025-26 stood at Rs 655.25 crore. However, state officials said the sanctioned amounts have not been released, forcing Tamil Nadu to continue operating the facilities using its own resources.
Officials said the state has been bearing the expenditure for maintaining ICT infrastructure and paying the salaries of lab instructors, which runs into several crores of rupees every year.
M. Aarthi, Project Director of Samagra Shiksha in Tamil Nadu, said the state has been funding the programme from its own budget as Central assistance had not been released for the past three years. She said the delay had created operational challenges, particularly in meeting recurring expenses such as salaries of lab instructors.
According to state officials, the Centre has withheld the release of funds citing Tamil Nadu’s non-implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP).
–IANS
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