In an effort to enable college students to attend online classes until April this year, the state government will be providing free data cards of 2GB per day capacity to nearly 9.69 lakh students across Tamil Nadu.

While a majority of the final year UG and PG students have been attending classes in person, the remainder of the students from engineering, arts and science, and polytechnic colleges have been attending classes online since the nationwide lockdown that was announced in March last year owing to the Covid-19 pandemic situation. In his recent statement, CM Edappadi said, "More than nine lakh students will get free 2 GB data everyday to help those studying in government and aided arts and science colleges, polytechnic colleges, engineering colleges and to those students receiving scholarships in private colleges to attend online classes from January to April 2021."

The CM also mentioned that the data cards will be distributed through Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd (ELCOT). The move by the state government was welcomed by students as well as parents, who have noted that the provision will help relieve the stress several families are going through right now.