• The Ministry of Education (MoE) has approved an outlay of Rs 385.27 crore through the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) for a comprehensive infrastructure expansion at the Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN), Thiruvarur.

• The newly approved funding will enable CUTN to construct new academic and residential facilities, including a state-of-the-art academic block, additional hostels for students and research scholars, and faculty and staff residences.

• A dedicated Science Instrumentation Centre, equipped with cutting-edge instruments for advanced research, will also be established. 

• The HEFA-financed project will be largely serviced through Ministry of Education grants.

Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA)

• Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) was set up in May 2017 as a non-profit company under Section-8 of the Companies Act, 2013 and registered as a Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). 

• It is a joint venture of the Ministry of Education and Canara Bank for financing creation of capital assets in premier educational institutions in India.

• HEFA provides financial assistance for creation of educational infrastructure and R&D in India’s premier educational Institutions.

• It provides timely finance at low interest rates for capital assets creation in higher education institutions and supplement it with grants by channelising CSR funds from the corporate and donations from others.

• A key objective is to reduce the dependence of educational institutions on Budgetary grants and enable creation of quality educational infrastructure in a faster time frame.

• It has sanctioned projects worth Rs 43,437.58 crore to 110 centrally funded institutions since its inception as of August 11, 2025.