Chennai, Feb 21 (IANS): Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Monday said that the leap in higher education in the state is due to the efforts of the AIADMK government.

In his address at the inaugural function of a private medical college owned by the former Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker, Thambidurai, at Hosur, he said that the percentage of entrants into the higher education sector in Tamil Nadu rose from 33 per cent to 51 per cent during the AIADMK regime.

He also said that the entry of students from modest backgrounds to medical colleges in Tamil Nadu was testimony to the efforts taken by the AIADMK government.

The AIADMK leader said that the state government's 7.5 per cent quota for medical education through NEET ensured that a large number of students from modest backgrounds could dream of medical education.

He also said that it was the AIADMK government that established 7 law colleges, 21 polytechnic colleges, 23 medical colleges, 5 veterinary colleges, and 40 government arts and science colleges.