Tamil Nadu government has issued an order allowing 15% additional reservation (over and above the existing allocation) to the wards of fishermen in the admissions to the BFSc degree programme in Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Fisheries University (TNJFU). As per the order, the total number of students’ strengths would go up to 160 from 120, the notification said. Bachelor of Fisheries Science course (BFSc) is being offered at three constituent colleges of Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Fisheries University in Nagapattinam (Fisheries College and Research Institute, Tuticorin, Dr MGR Fisheries College and Research Institute, Ponneri and Dr MGR Fisheries College and Research Institute in Thalainayeru).
As such, 5% of the seats in BFSc admission is allocated to fishermen’s wards in the state. The students from the fishermen community admitted in this allocation of 5% of the seats (six seats as of 2020-21) are fully sponsored by the Tamil Nadu Fishermen Welfare Board and their tuition fees and hostel fees are fully met out by the board. Meanwhile, the government has issued the order based on the orders of the chief minister M K Stalin for an additional allocation of 15% of the seats to the children of active fishermen.