Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on January 18 asserted that the State is growing at a sub-optimal pace and running far below its true potential, triggering a fresh round of protests and criticism from the ruling DMK. Speaking at an event organised by the Pan Alumni Association in Chennai, the Governor outlined his vision of Tamil Nadu as a technology and innovation hub for Bharat and questioned whether the state was performing anywhere near its inherent capacity despite possessing strong fundamentals in education, human resources and innovation.
Addressing the PanIIT Tech4Bharat summit, Governor Ravi pointed to what he described as a widening gap between Tamil Nadu’s capabilities and its actual economic and industrial outcomes. He noted that the state has achieved a Gross Enrolment Ratio of nearly 50 per cent in higher education, among the highest in the country, and leads India in the number of patents filed and granted, research papers produced, and the output of engineers and PhD holders. However, he said these strengths were not translating into corresponding industrial and economic growth.
The Governor further observed that while Tamil Nadu had historically been the second-largest recipient of private investment after Maharashtra for several decades, its share of new private investments has now fallen to below five per cent, indicating what he termed waning investor enthusiasm.
Citing data from 2025, he said that out of the total Memoranda of Understanding signed across India, only about five per cent accrued to Tamil Nadu, adding that investors should ideally be “making a beeline” to the state.
Governor Ravi shared his vision for Tamil Nadu as the Technology & Innovation Hub at the “Technology for Bharat 2026 Summit” organised by Pan IIT Alumni Association. He hailed Tamil Nadu’s enormous potential to be the leader in technology and innovation as the state produces over… pic.twitter.com/vWWeVzBg6x
— LOK BHAVAN, TAMIL NADU (@lokbhavan_tn) January 18, 2026
Highlighting concerns in the education-to-employment pipeline, Governor Ravi said that nearly 70 per cent of school students opt for science streams, but the ratio is reversed in higher education, with only around 30 per cent pursuing STEM disciplines. He added that industry leaders frequently cite the lack of employable engineers as a major constraint, despite the presence of nearly 500 engineering colleges in the state. He also pointed out that nearly 45 per cent of faculty positions in universities and engineering colleges remain vacant, adversely affecting teaching quality.
Referring to the Anna University “ghost faculty” scam, the Governor said that those who took the initiative to rectify the issue are now being hounded, in a veiled reference to the suspension of the former Vice-Chancellor and Registrar of Anna University.
The summit marked 75 years of innovation and excellence of the Indian Institutes of Technology and aimed to align innovation, research and policy with the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. Renowned composer and Rajya Sabha MP Ilaiyaraaja was also present at the event, which was attended by around 500 delegates.
It is pertinent to note that Governor Ravi reiterated similar concerns while justifying his walkout from the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on January 20. He had stated that the Governor’s address contained numerous unsubstantiated and misleading claims, including assertions about attracting investments worth over ₹12 lakh crore. According to him, many MoUs with prospective investors remain only on paper, with actual investments being only a fraction of the claimed figures. He also pointed out that while Tamil Nadu was the fourth-largest recipient of foreign direct investment among states until four years ago, it is now struggling to remain in the sixth position.
