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• The Tamil Nadu government has confirmed the continuation of its free bus pass scheme for school and college students for the 2026-27 academic year.
• Free travel passes will be issued through educational institutions as schools and colleges across the state begin reopening from June 4.
• Students will be allowed to travel without payment during the interim period while passes are being processed and distributed.
• Government college students can continue to access free bus services by producing institution-issued identity cards.
• The transport department has deployed monitoring teams and issued operational instru
The Tamil Nadu government has decided to continue its free bus pass scheme for school and college students during the 2026-27 academic year, reaffirming the continuation of an existing welfare initiative as educational institutions across the state prepare to reopen from June 4. The decision was announced by State Transport Minister A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban, who said arrangements were being made through Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations to issue free travel passes directly through educational institutions.
The continuation of the scheme follows assurances given by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay in the state assembly that his government would retain welfare programmes introduced by previous administrations. The student transport scheme remains one of the key mobility support measures aimed at reducing commuting costs for students across Tamil Nadu.
According to the transport department, schools throughout the state are scheduled to reopen from June 4, while government arts and science colleges, government dental colleges and government industrial training institutes will resume operations subsequently. To facilitate the start of the academic year, free bus passes will be distributed through educational institutions once classes commence.
Recognising that pass issuance requires administrative processing time, the government has introduced interim travel arrangements for students. School students will be permitted to travel to and from their institutions without payment provided they wear their school uniforms. Government college students will similarly be allowed to access free travel services by presenting valid identity cards issued by their respective institutions until formal passes are distributed.
The transport department has also initiated operational measures to manage student travel demand during the reopening period. Senior officials have been deployed across the state as part of dedicated monitoring teams tasked with overseeing transport services and ensuring buses operate in accordance with student travel requirements.
The minister stated that conductors and drivers employed by Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations have been instructed to halt at designated bus stops and ensure the safe boarding and alighting of students. The department said the monitoring mechanism would help maintain service reliability and safety standards during peak school and college commuting hours.
The continuation of the scheme comes as the state prepares for the new academic session and seeks to maintain access to education through subsidised public transport. The programme remains one of Tamil Nadu’s longstanding student welfare measures, supporting daily mobility for school and college students across urban and rural regions of the state.
Source - PTI
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