First batch of government model school students in Thoothukudi shines in national-level entrance exams

The Hindu

10-05-2025

The first batch of students who passed Class 12 from the government model school at Vallanadu in Thoothukudi district has cleared various national-level entrance examinations conducted so far for the academic year 2025-26. The 74 students from this pioneering batch are ambitiously working towards securing seats in prestigious institutions across the country.
Many of the students are awaiting counselling while others have begun the admission process and continue to attempt additional examinations to explore the best possible options for higher education.
The government model school at Thoothukudi was inaugurated in 2023. All 74 students admitted to Class XI have now successfully completed their higher secondary education with some even securing admission before the public examinations. Notably, students S. Abivarshini and J.E. Srither secured their seats at Azim Premji University in Bengaluru.
J.E. Srither, who chose to pursue B.Sc. Physics, said he had taken the exam in December, cleared the interview in January, and secured his seat by February.
'My father is a daily wage painter and studying in such a premier institution seemed unimaginable. But the model school has made it possible with ease. They provided accommodation, food, and all necessary facilities. All we have to do is study,' he said.
He said: 'I have been selected for a fully funded scholarship where the institution will take care of accommodation, food, and provide laptops for educational purposes.'
Similarly, four students have been selected for the JEE (Advanced) from the school. A. Balamurugan, one of the selected students from the school, hails from modest background. His mother Valliammal is a daily wage worker. Balamurugan said that his mother was not even aware of entrance tests and institutions existing and added that he aspired to clear the UPSC examination after completing his undergraduate studies.
Apart from this, the students were selected for NIFT, Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management, Common Law Admission Test, National Aptitude Test in Architecture, Indian Culinary Institute, and Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design at IIT-Bombay.
Ganjennthiran, headmaster of the school, said that other than these courses, students appeared for other entrance examinations and are still applying for a few more exams, including All India Forensic Science Entrance Test. He added that along with students, teachers too continuously got trained on current syllabus and national-level programmes to guide students in choosing their career.
Thoothukudi District Collector K. Elambahavath said that the students are excelling in their chosen path, whether it is engineering, medicine, law or other streams. 'The biggest challenge is convincing parents to admit their children into model school after the selection by the government,' he said.
He said the campus provided excellent amenities, including quality food, reference material and 24x7 Internet facilities.