Anna University Announces New Scholarship Programme for Postgraduate Toppers
In a strategic move to attract high-achieving students, Anna University in Chennai is set to launch a new scholarship programme for postgraduate students, starting from the 2026-27 academic year. This initiative aims to encourage toppers to enroll in ME, MTech, MArch, and MPlan courses, addressing previous challenges in filling seats and enhancing the quality of teaching and research.
Scholarship Details and Selection Criteria
The university will award scholarships to 400 selected students, providing each with ₹60,000 per semester for a duration of two years. This financial support is designed to be on par with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) GATE scholarship, which offers ₹12,400 per month to postgraduate students. Candidates will be chosen based on their ranks in the Common Engineering Entrance Test and Admissions for Postgraduate (CEETA-PG) exam, ensuring a merit-based selection process.
Professor V Kumaresan, registrar (in charge) at Anna University, emphasized the programme's goals: "The scholarship programme is being introduced to get quality students for teaching and research. It will also encourage toppers to study in the university departments." This initiative is expected to boost enrollment in postgraduate courses that have historically faced under-subscription due to limited opportunities.
Expanding Opportunities Across Campuses
Anna University has a total intake of 1,100 postgraduate seats across its four campuses: the College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG), Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), Alagappa College of Technology (AC Tech), and the School of Planning and Architecture (SAP). To improve seat occupancy, the university introduced the CEETA-PG exam three years ago, and next year, it plans to award 800 scholarships for both first-year and second-year students.
A professor noted, "We expect students who studied in central institutions such as NIT to apply for CEETA-PG this year. The directorate of technical education is also planning to introduce a similar scholarship to government engineering colleges." This expansion aims to create a more competitive and vibrant academic environment.
Exam Schedule and Additional Initiatives
Anna University is planning to conduct the Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test (TANCET) and CEETA-PG in the second week of May. D Sridharan, secretary of TANCET, stated, "We will give the exam notification for the TANCET and CEETA-PG tests in the coming week. The results will be released within two weeks of the test. After counselling, the classes can start from the second week of June." Last year, 35,323 candidates appeared for both exams, with 5,400 specifically for CEETA-PG.
In addition to the scholarship programme, Anna University is offering research fellowships worth ₹40,000 per month to 275 research scholars to enhance the quality of research. This dual approach of financial incentives for both coursework and research underscores the university's commitment to academic excellence and innovation in technical education.
