Authors: Ms. Dr.B. Geethpriya, Mr. M. Balakumar
Abstract: This study examines the socio-economic impact of the Tamil Pudhalvan Scheme a state-funded educational welfare initiative introduced by the Government of Tamil Nadu on low-income families residing in the Coimbatore district. A structured questionnaire was administered to 151 beneficiary respondents selected using simple random sampling. Data were analyzed using percentage analysis and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to test whether statistically significant differences exist in perceived financial relief, educational motivation, and dropout-prevention effectiveness across educational level groups (school, diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate). ANOVA results indicate significant between-group differences in financial impact (F(3, 147) = 4.82, p = .003) and educational motivation (F(3, 147) = 3.61, p = .015), while dropout prevention did not reveal statistically significant variation (F(3, 147) = 2.14, p = .097). The findings suggest that the scheme delivers differentiated benefits depending on the student's level of education. Post hoc Turkey HSD tests revealed that postgraduate students perceived significantly greater financial relief compared to school-level beneficiaries. Policy recommendations include increasing the monthly stipend, expanding digital outreach, and integrating the scheme with vocational skill programmes.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20354253
