Published Jan 26, 2026 | 9:43 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 26, 2026 | 10:21 PM
In Tamil Nadu, the use of government college students as props at state-run programmes to showcase government achievements is not new.
Synopsis: Women students from government and government-aided colleges in Tamil Nadu, many from poor and marginalised backgrounds, have alleged that they were made to attend large state-level events organised to showcase the government’s achievements. Students said attendance was compulsory, transport was provided only up to their colleges late at night, and they were often kept at venues for over 10 hours until the Chief Minister, MK Stalin, left.
The ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu has been accused of forcing thousands of students—largely women from state-run and government-aided colleges—to fill seats at large government events showcasing its achievements.
These include Vellum Tamil Pengal, Kalviyil Sirandha Tamil Nadu, and the Global Women Summit, held as the state heads into the 2026 Assembly elections.
Students and parents accused the state of compromising students’ safety and disrupting academic activities by making attendance compulsory.
Students, particularly from women’s colleges, are reportedly made to remain at these programmes for hours at a stretch, often waiting until Chief Minister MK Stalin leaves the venue.
Several students who spoke to South First said they were kept at event venues until as late as 9 pm and dropped back at their colleges only after that.
Vellum Tamil Pengal, organised on 12 December, showcased the government’s schemes for women. Beneficiaries of women-centric schemes shared their experiences on stage, while women achievers spoke about their journeys. The event was held on a grand scale at the Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai, with thousands in attendance.
But an attendee list seen by South First shows that a majority of the spectators were students, brought in large numbers from government and government-aided colleges across Chennai.
In all, 1,050 students from nine colleges were transported in batches using private buses and school and college vehicles for Vellum Tamil Pengal in December.
They are: Quaid-e-Millath Government College for Women, Nandanam Government Arts and Science College, Chellammal Arts and Science College, Bharathi Women’s College, Bharathi Arts and Science College, Dr Ambedkar Government Arts and Science College, RK Nagar Government Arts and Science College, Queen Mary’s College, and Presidency College.
All nine are government or government-aided institutions that largely serve students from poor and marginalised backgrounds.
“About 100 students from our college attended the event. Many of us come from distant areas such as Guduvancheri, OMR and North Chennai. Several of us are from economically backward families. We were sent home only after 10 pm. Many had no transport facilities that night and struggled to reach home,” a student who attended Vellum Tamil Pengal said.
Organisers reportedly arranged buses only up to the colleges. Students were then forced to make their own way home. There was no follow-up to ensure they reached safely, which led parents to wait at colleges late at night to take their daughters home.
Students also said they were photographed repeatedly—while boarding buses, again while getting down at the venue, once during the programme, and again after returning to college.
“They say this programme is for women. But they do not ensure even basic safety for them. Then what is the purpose of the event?” a parent told South First.
“My daughter has to travel all the way to Guduvancheri at night. How is that possible? Why are students being dragged to such events?”
In some colleges, including Presidency College, students were taken in large numbers from hostels and dropped back there after the event.
A coordinator involved in the logistics told South First that students had little say, as the Directorate of College Education tightly controlled planning and execution.
The Joint Director of College Education (Chennai region), Sudarkodi Kannan, oversaw student transportation, issued instructions, and coordinated arrangements for the events.
Before each event, a separate WhatsApp group is created. Coordinators from participating colleges are added, with Sudarkodi Kannan as the administrator. All instructions are issued through this group.
“Before every event, online meetings are held. Sudarkodi Kannan attends them, and sometimes IAS officers also join. They explain what the event is for and how students should behave. They also clearly state that whatever is discussed there should not go outside,” the coordinator said.
Students said they were given strict instructions: they must not wear black clothes, must not disturb the programme, must not carry bags inside the hall, and must return only in the same vehicle in which they arrived.
In contrast, they alleged that neither college managements nor the Directorate of College Education made any effort to ensure student safety. There were no instructions on accommodating students with health issues, whether special arrangements were needed, or what to do in case of emergencies.
“There is no specific instruction on which students should go. The Directorate of College Education only specifies how many students should come from each college. Colleges decide which departments to send. There is no tracking of whether the same students are sent repeatedly or whether new students are sent each time,” the coordinator said.
In some colleges, research scholars, rather than teachers or non-teaching staff, were reportedly made coordinators and asked to escort students to and from the venues.
As these events are held on working days, the academic work of hundreds of students is disrupted. Research scholars said their own academic work also suffers.
“With exams approaching in a few months, our academic work is getting affected because we are repeatedly taken to such events,” one student said.
Sudarkodi Kannan, meanwhile, told South First that no student was being forced to attend these programmes.
She denied that any government order had been issued directing government college students to participate. She declined, however, to say on whose authority the Directorate of College Education was bringing students to state functions.
In Tamil Nadu, the use of government college students as props at state-run programmes to showcase government achievements is not new.
Students have been brought in large numbers in the past for large events organised to highlight schemes such as Naan Mudhalvan, Pudhumai Penn, and the free laptop scheme.
A third-year student from Presidency College who attended the National Seminar on Union–State Relations at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai in August 2025 told South First that they were given similarly strict instructions.
“They instructed us not to wear black clothes. Women who came wearing black shawls had their shawls forcibly removed,” he said.
He added that more than 300 students from his department alone were taken from Presidency College, and that indirect pressure was applied by implying that attendance would not be granted if they did not participate.
Another student, who asked to remain anonymous, said they were told that more such events would be held as elections approached and that students would be required to attend them frequently.
“When we say our studies are affected, we are told this is election time and more such events will happen. We are told we must attend them. They say they cannot question their higher authorities, from college management to officials of the College Education Department,” the student said.
The Special Programme Implementation Department is now organising a two-day international event, the Global Women Summit 2026, starting Tuesday, 27 January, at the World Trade Centre in Nandambakkam.
According to an attendee list seen by South First, on the first day, 600 students from Queen Mary’s College, Quaid-e-Millath Government College for Women, Nandanam Government Arts and Science College, Ambedkar Government College (Vyasarpadi), AM Jain College (Meenambakkam), Chellammal Women’s College, Presidency College, Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed Women’s College, Guru Nanak College, and the Madras School of Social Work (MSSW) are marked to attend.
Students said they are required to report to their colleges by 6 am and will be transported by bus. Some colleges’ students are expected to stay for the entire programme, while others are allowed to attend for only half a day.
On the second day, Wednesday, more than 350 students from Queen Mary’s College, Kaithari Millath Government Women’s College, Nandanam Government Arts and Science College, Ambedkar Government College (Vyasarpadi), Ethiraj Women’s College, and MSSW are marked to attend and required to remain for the full day.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
