---
title: "Tamil Nadu Clears Rs 2,000 Cr Vetri Laptop Scheme via ELCOT"
description: "Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's order hands procurement to state electronics agency ELCOT and fixes a gap that left younger students out of the previous..."
url: "https://bharat.digital/originals/tamil-nadu-vetri-laptop-scheme-rs-2000-cr-elcot-nov-2026/index.md"
canonical: "https://bharat.digital/originals/tamil-nadu-vetri-laptop-scheme-rs-2000-cr-elcot-nov-2026/"
published: "2026-11-07T20:50:00+04:00"
updated: "2026-11-07T20:50:00+04:00"
section: "Originals"
type: "startup"
author: "bharat.digital desk"
image: "https://bharat.digital/img/originals/tamil-nadu-vetri-laptop-scheme-rs-2000-cr-elcot-nov-2026-auto-b2946d73-og.jpg"
language: "en-IN"
site: "bharat.digital"
---

# Tamil Nadu sanctions Rs 2,000 crore for Vetri laptops, this time starting with first and second year students

*Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's order hands procurement to state electronics agency ELCOT and fixes a gap that left younger students out of the previous laptop drive.*

By bharat.digital desk. Startup, Startups & Fintech. Published 2026-11-07T20:50:00+04:00. 1 min read.

![Tamil Nadu sanctions Rs 2,000 crore for Vetri laptops, this time starting with first and second year students](https://bharat.digital/img/originals/tamil-nadu-vetri-laptop-scheme-rs-2000-cr-elcot-nov-2026-auto-b2946d73-hero.webp)

## At a glance

- Company: Government of Tamil Nadu (Vetri Laptop Scheme)
- What it does: Tamil Nadu state scheme giving laptops to college and diploma students, procured through ELCOT
- Based in: Chennai
- Latest: Rs 2,000 crore administrative sanction for the Vetri Laptop Scheme
- Date: 2026-11-07

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on 7 November 2026 ordered administrative sanction of Rs 2,000 crore for the Vetri Laptop Scheme, which was announced in the state's 2026-27 Budget, The Hindu reported citing an official release. The Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) has been cleared to buy the laptops and handle quality control, and a high level steering committee headed by the Chief Minister will monitor the rollout.

The scheme covers first and second year undergraduate and diploma students in government and government aided colleges in the 2026-27 academic year. Eligible courses include arts and science, engineering, polytechnic, ITI, medicine, veterinary science, fisheries, agriculture and law. Third and fourth year students in professional courses who missed out on laptops in 2025-26 are also included. Engineering students will get machines with Intel Core i5 processors or equivalent, given their heavier computing needs.

The order changes who goes first. The New Indian Express reports that the previous DMK government's Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil programme, launched in January 2026, also set aside Rs 2,000 crore to give laptops to 20 lakh students over two years. About nine lakh students got devices in its first phase, but it prioritised third and final year students and drew criticism for leaving out those in their first two years. It was also criticised for printing portraits of former Chief Ministers on the laptops.

The government says the aim is to help students, especially from lower and middle income families, reach digital learning resources, take up skill programmes and prepare for jobs in a technology driven economy, according to The Hindu BusinessLine. The things to watch next are ELCOT's procurement terms, the delivery timeline and whether the devices reach students before the academic year ends.

## Sources

1. [The Hindu: CM Vijay orders Rs 2,000 crore allocation to implement Vetri Laptop Scheme](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/cm-vijay-orders-2000-crore-allocation-to-implement-vetri-laptop-scheme-for-college-students/article71677364.ece)
2. [The New Indian Express: Rs 2,000 crore Vetri laptop scheme to cover undergraduate students till second year](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2026/Nov/07/rs-2000-crore-vetri-laptop-scheme-to-cover-undergraduate-students-till-second-year-tn-government)
3. [The Hindu BusinessLine: Tamil Nadu to roll out Rs 2,000 crore Vetri laptop scheme for college students](https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/tamil-nadu-to-roll-out-2000-crore-vetri-laptop-scheme-for-college-students/article71677804.ece)

Written by the bharat.digital desk from the sources above. Figures are as reported by those sources.