This support includes the ‘Merit-cum-Means’ (MCM) Scholarship, which, along with a two-thirds tuition fee waiver from the Government of India, covers the entire tuition fees for eligible students belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS), general, and other backward caste (OBC) categories. Prof. V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, emphasizes the significance of this aid in allowing students to concentrate on their studies without financial concerns.During the 2022-23 academic year, Rs. 3.26 crore was disbursed to 490 students under this scholarship, and for 2023-24, Rs. 3.30 crore has been committed to 495 students. Each student receives Rs. 66,667 split into two semesters annually.Acknowledging the contributions of alumni and donors, Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations at IIT Madras, expresses gratitude for ensuring continuous support to financially disadvantaged students.Beneficiaries of the MCM Scholarship, like Aksshith G., Saisri S., Aneesh Amuloju, and Soham Shah, share how the financial assistance has alleviated their academic stress, enabling them to pursue their aspirations without worrying about financial constraints.Furthermore, various financial aids are available to students based on merit and parental income, including full tuition fee waivers for students with annual parental incomes below Rs 1 lakh, concessions for SC/ST students in the M.A. program, and scholarships funded by alumni, NCERT, and central and state governments. Additionally, students pursuing the M.Tech. program through GATE receive Half-Time Teaching Assistantships (HTTA), while those enrolled in the M.Sc. program are granted merit scholarships. Full-time Ph.D. students in engineering receive Half-Time Teaching/Research Assistantships (HTRA) along with financial assistance for presenting papers at international conferences.Overall, these financial assistance programs aim to support students from diverse backgrounds in pursuing their academic goals at IIT Madras.