COIMBATORE: As many as 52 Class XI students in Coimbatore district cleared the Tamil Language and Literature Aptitude Test in the 2025-26 academic year and secured a scholarship, a sharp rise from 16 students selected in 2024-25, according to chief educational officer R Balamurali.The scholarship provides ₹1,500 per month for two years to selected students through the school education department. Of the 52 students selected in 2025-26, 16 are from private schools.According to Balamurali, the Tamil aptitude test is conducted to help students strengthen their Tamil language and literature skills, on the lines of the preparation and participation seen in science and mathematics Olympiads. He said the exam is based on the Tamil Nadu govt’s Class X Tamil syllabus and is conducted in an objective format with 100 questions.He added that scholarship seats are distributed with 50% earmarked for govt school students, while the remaining 50% is open to students from other schools, including private institutions. He urged govt and private schools — including matriculation and CBSE schools — to identify interested Class XI students, motivate them and support systematic preparation for the exam.G Murugesan, coordinator for the district scholarship exam, said awareness activities have been initiated in all govt and private schools after reopening. In the next phase, schools will create dedicated WhatsApp groups for interested students, split the syllabus into weekly targets and use district-level WhatsApp groups to share unit-wise question papers to aid preparation.Balamurali said the district is targeting more than 100 successful candidates in the current academic year, with direct training planned through Class X Tamil teachers across all govt and private schools in Coimbatore district.