According to a recent report by Niti Aayog, Tamil Nadu ranks among the top five states in India for higher secondary school enrollment, boasting an 83.4% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER). The state has seen a remarkable 13.1% increase in GER from 2014 to 2025, attributed to factors such as the establishment of more higher secondary schools, welfare initiatives like free laptops, and targeted admission campaigns for dropouts. Education experts, including Aruna Rathnam, a former education specialist at UNICEF, highlight the role of women empowerment and state government schemes in this achievement. However, challenges remain, particularly in infrastructure, with 9% of schools lacking functional boys' toilets and 15.1% lacking internet facilities. In contrast, neighboring Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have provided internet access to 99% and 91.7% of their schools, respectively. The report also indicates that 60.8% of Tamil Nadu's schools have functional smart classrooms, but further improvements are needed to enhance educational facilities.