Tamil Nadu Government School Students Achieve Remarkable Success in JEE Main Examination
The recent JEE (Main) results have highlighted an inspiring success story from Tamil Nadu, where students from government schools have demonstrated exceptional performance. Leading the charge is S Praveen, a Tamil-medium student who emerged as the state topper among government school students with an impressive 99.5 percentile in Paper 1 of the exam.
Top Scorers from Humble Backgrounds
Praveen is joined by two other outstanding achievers: A Velmurugan, who also scored 99.5 percentile, and R Naresh, who secured 99.42 percentile. All three students come from modest backgrounds and received residential coaching at the Centre of Academic Excellence (COAE), a model school located in Chennai. This specialized training played a crucial role in their academic triumphs.
While Praveen has already completed his Class XII, achieving a score of 588 in 2025, Naresh and Velmurugan are currently preparing for their board exams this year. Their dedication and hard work have set a new benchmark for excellence in competitive examinations.
Widespread Success Across Government Schools
Data released by the Tamil Nadu school education department reveals a broader trend of success. A total of 448 students from government schools scored above 79 percentile in the first session of the JEE (Main) exam, which was conducted from January 21 to 28. Notably, the cutoff percentile to qualify for JEE last year was 79, making this achievement particularly significant.
Among these high achievers, 218 students were from model schools, underscoring the impact of focused educational initiatives. The results were officially announced by the National Testing Agency (NTA), highlighting the growing competitiveness of students from public institutions.
Impact of the Vetri Schools Initiative
Another key factor in this success is the Vibrant Education Targeted Reputed Institutions (Vetri) schools initiative, launched in alignment with the state education policy. Under this program, high-performing government higher secondary schools were identified in each block and equipped with facilities comparable to model schools.
Weekend classes are conducted at these Vetri schools for students interested in competitive exams such as JEE, CLAT, and NEET. Remarkably, 154 of the 448 high-scoring students received training under this initiative. School Education Secretary B Chandra Mohan emphasized the significance of this achievement, stating, "This is a huge accomplishment because it has been barely a year since the Vetri schools were launched. In addition to Vetri school students, 76 others from government higher secondary schools also achieved high scores in JEE."
Intensive Training and Dedicated Efforts
The success stories are a testament to the rigorous training provided by institutions like COAE. Senthilvalavan, the headmaster of COAE, explained that their intensive coaching program has yielded excellent results. "Students benefit from after-school training sessions held from 3 PM to 7 PM, along with full-day classes on weekends," he noted. This structured approach ensures that students receive comprehensive preparation, balancing their regular school curriculum with competitive exam coaching.
The achievements of these students not only reflect their personal dedication but also highlight the effectiveness of targeted educational policies and support systems in Tamil Nadu. As more government school students continue to excel in national-level exams, it sets a promising precedent for the future of public education in the state.
