While the bustling libraries of Connemara and Anna Centenary have long been Chennai's academic landmarks, a quiet revolution is taking shape in the city's northern neighbourhoods. North Chennai is rapidly emerging as a new, serious destination for students, competitive exam aspirants, and professionals, thanks to the state government's innovative co-learning centres.
Affordable Access and Remarkable Success Stories
The chief minister's co-learning centres in Periyar Nagar and Kolathur are at the heart of this shift. Offering study spaces for as little as ₹5, these facilities have collectively attracted around 89,000 users so far. Their appeal cuts across socio-economic barriers, drawing in gig workers, career changers, and dedicated students alike.
A. Ajay, who works as a Rapido driver, utilises the centre between his shifts. He drives before 8 am and after 8 pm, using the daytime to prepare for TNPSC and other exams. The centre's near-daily operation, unlike traditional libraries that often close in the afternoons or on Fridays, perfectly suits those with unconventional schedules.
The centres are already producing tangible results. Nitish Kumar, 25, from Perambur, credits the Kolathur centre for his success in cracking the TNPSC Group-II exam and securing a posting in the police department. After failing his first mains attempt, he joined the centre for his second. Studying from 6:30 am until night, he found the disciplined environment crucial for focus, away from the distractions of home.
Beyond Books: Free Coaching, Coworking, and Networking
These hubs offer far more than just a desk. They provide free study material for major exams from NEET to UPSC and grant access to expensive peer-reviewed journals like The Lancet. The Kolathur centre, which celebrated its first anniversary last November, is particularly popular for its reliable Wi-Fi, uninterrupted power, lounges, and a cafeteria.
Yazhini Kuppusamy, 22, highlights the massive cost saving. Private UPSC coaching can run up to ₹10 lakh, but here, free material is supplemented by coaching from staff of the All India Civil Services Association and even IAS officers. The newer Periyar Nagar centre, boasting a renovated library of 80,000 books first inaugurated by Murasoli Maran in the 1980s, is also introducing free coaching classes.
The Kolathur centre doubles as a vibrant co-working space, attracting young entrepreneurs and start-ups with half-day bookings for ₹50 and a monthly package of ₹2,500. A. Raghavan, a stock trader from Royapuram, makes a 30-minute daily trip because in trading, "every second matters." He previously paid around ₹20,000 monthly at private centres; his cost is now just ₹2,500.
Networking has become a key unexpected benefit. Deepak Raj, 21 from Anna Nagar, who works in manufacturing, says interacting with others at the centre has helped him learn about AI, coding, and finance, indirectly supporting his start-up. The co-working spaces have served about 6,000 users and offer three private conference rooms alongside 50 desk slots.
Discipline, Safety, and Future Expansion
Helen Sathish, director of the centres, emphasises the strict discipline maintained to ensure a productive and safe environment, especially for women. This includes regulating dress codes, restricting phone calls inside study halls, and employing six staff members to manage facilities. The model is clearly working: seven users have cleared competitive exams and about five have cleared NEET already. The first batch of in-house trained UPSC aspirants will appear for exams in February.
The government is planning a significant expansion of this successful model. The next centre is slated to open on Wall Tax Road in George Town. According to CMDA member-secretary G. Prakash, each centre is designed for 600–800 students. The CMDA is planning 27 more centres, while the Greater Chennai Corporation is building another 15, aiming to ensure that quality, affordable study and work spaces are accessible without long commutes for residents across the city.
