Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai

Chennai, Jul 12: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) is gearing up to host its annual Education Awards ceremony, where Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay will honour district toppers in the Class 10 and Class 12 State Board examinations at a grand event scheduled for late July or early August in Chennai.

This year's programme carries added significance as it will be the first edition of the awards after Vijay assumed office as Chief Minister. Although he will preside over the ceremony as the state's head, the event will continue to be organised by the TVK as a party initiative.

Senior party leaders said preparations are in the final phase, with district secretaries directed to identify eligible students, coordinate with their families and arrange their travel to Chennai. Parents of the award recipients will also be invited to attend the ceremony.

While the official date is yet to be announced, party sources indicated that the function is likely to be held during the last week of July or the first week of August. Similar to previous years, the event is expected to take place at a private hotel in Mahabalipuram, bringing together students from across Tamil Nadu in a single programme.

TVK introduced the Education Awards in 2023 to recognise outstanding academic performance by students from both government and private schools. Under the initiative, Vijay personally honoured the top three Class 10 and Class 12 scorers from every Assembly constituency.

Over the years, the programme has become one of the party's most prominent public outreach initiatives, attracting thousands of students and parents from across the state.

Following TVK's victory in the Assembly elections and Vijay's elevation as Chief Minister, speculation had surfaced on social media over whether the awards would continue, as no announcement had been made immediately after the examination results. Party leaders, however, clarified that the initiative was never shelved and that arrangements were being finalised after the completion of the examination process.

They further emphasised that the awards will continue to remain a TVK programme, with gold medals, certificates and other honours being presented by the party rather than the state government, preserving the initiative's identity as an educational outreach effort launched before Vijay entered electoral politics.