The Vetri Skill Training Scheme has been allocated Rs 150 crore, under which the government will provide industry-aligned skilling to 12 lakh college students and 1 lakh unemployed youth this year. Internship training programmes in collaboration with government and private industries will cover 20,000 youth in the first phase.There will be monthly stipends for graduates and those with vocational qualifications, and priority will be given to youth from families without permanent employment. Moreover, coaching classes for SSC, RRB and IBPS examinations will also be expanded through District Employment and Career Guidance Centres with an allocation of Rs 3.38 crore.Approximately 5.32 lakh students studying in Class XI across government and government-aided schools will receive modern branded bicycles equipped with helmets and water bottles in the current academic year, at an estimated cost of Rs 277 crore. The budget speech specifically identified the beneficiaries as “Gen-Z students”, underscoring the government’s outreach to younger voters.College students will benefit from the Vetri Laptop Scheme, under which free laptops will be provided as an essential learning resource for technical expertise, skill development and digital access, with an allocation of Rs 2,000 crore.To address student accommodation, the government will establish the Tamil Nadu Student Housing & Infrastructure Corporation (TNSHIC) with an initial equity infusion of Rs 10 crore.Under the TN-SUDAR initiative, the minister announced that 200 integrated student hostels delivering one lakh modern beds will be constructed across major educational hubs through a de-risked public-private partnership model, with an estimated capital outlay of Rs 3,200 crore.These campuses will feature fully air-conditioned study hubs, 24×7 security, hygienic kitchens and an automated allocation framework designed to ensure diversity and social parity.Big push for AI