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The Hindu
11-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Students make a beeline for innovative job-oriented courses
With the Class XII examination results released recently by the School Education Department in Tamil Nadu, students and parents have begun the arduous task of filling application forms for their preferred courses in colleges of their choice. With the advent of innovative courses to cater to the needs of changing global trends and job criteria, the urge to dive deep into a subject has gone down, say academicians. The new courses, mostly related to computer science, data science and Artificial Intelligence, are preparing students for a well-paid job in the Information Technology sector. Due to the influence of the booming tech sector, student preferences in choosing courses in arts and science colleges appear to veer towards job-oriented subjects rather than those offering scope for higher education, they add. While the interest for conventional subjects such as Math, Physics, English and Chemistry, among others, has witnessed a dip, interest can be seen shifting more towards integrated courses such as Computer Science + AI or Data Science and similar courses, says D. Pandiaraja, Principal, Thiagarajar College, Madurai. 'In order to specifically satisfy students who approach the college with such interests, we have launched courses such as B. Com Fintech [Finance+ Technology], B. Sc Computer Science + AI, B. Com with value-added courses,' he adds. The learning, which was earlier restricted to only the core subject, has widened to include all related topics to meet the job recruiters' demands. 'To understand this, it is essential to see how many students opt for higher education after getting their undergraduate degree and how many of them apply for placements,' he further says. More than half of the students in colleges applied for placements in the recent academic year and that itself shows how the interest has shifted more towards jobs and less towards higher education, he adds. Echoing a similar view, a staff of Fatima college says that students approaching colleges for admission clearly state their need for an integrated course to able to satisfy the market needs. 'Their expectation for such courses stems from their research on courses available across the country and abroad. Though their interest is appreciated, colleges in the State are yet to adopt such modern subjects and courses.' But, to fulfil their needs, colleges have started adding certificate courses or skill-based training to their curriculum, the staff adds. N. Jegatheesan, secretary and correspondent of Nagarathinam Angalammal Arts and Science College, says the trend was partly due to the revival of engineering subjects due to a boom in the global market. 'As the engineering colleges were shutting down earlier in the decade due to insufficient employment opportunities, there was a rise in arts and science colleges.' The arts and science colleges, which have been on the rise since then, could not produce students qualified enough to fit the roles in companies and academia, Mr. Jegatheesan says. Understanding the need for subjects that will meet the market needs, he says he introduced courses that were approved by the Board of Studies. Some courses such as B.B.A. Digital Marketing, B.B.A Aviation Management, B. Com Block Chain and Fintech, B. Sc Cloud Computing and Cyber Security, B. Sc Data Science and Analytics, B. Sc Artificial Intelligence, B. Sc Animation and Game Designing, B. Sc Forensic Science, which are hardly available in colleges in southern districts, are providing instant jobs for students following their completion. Seven students, who graduated from B.B.A Aviation Management course, got placed in Madurai airport itself, he says. When employment seems to have taken over the interest of pursuing a subject deeper into the level of research, it is appropriate to have industry-specific courses. When courses such as B.B.A. Hospital Management are going to help a rural student get a good paying job, the higher qualifications are just going to add to their standard, he adds. S. Vanathi, Principal, Meenakshi Government College for Women, says: 'Though the conventional courses are less preferred by students, Tamil is being preferred for entering into government jobs.' As the Tamil Nadu government has announced reservation and preference for Tamil-medium students and those who learn Tamil in college, many wish to get jobs by using the subject as a leverage. Another preferred subject is B. Com General as it helps students in clearing the National Eligibility Test and State Eligibility Test. Principal and Secretary of The American College M. Davamani Christober says the shift towards professional courses started after the Covid-19 lockdown. 'As students learn about the perks of being in a professional course rather than being in a course that demands longer duration even during their school days, they get clear in what they want,' he adds. P.B. Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary, State Platform for Common School System-Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN), says the global job market is creating a hype to bring in more labour rather than skilled employees. 'Students should learn physics and math as foundation courses and then the specialisations should be learned.' When the specialisations are taught as an UG course without any foundation, it puts a gate block to their academic development. Further, creating a labour force for a good pay can not create experts and scientists which is the need of the hour. Another important problem with specialisations such as AI is that private institutions in the State do not have the necessary faculties and curriculum to produce qualified students in the field. Data science and AI as technology are just applications that can be applied only when the foundation is strong, Mr. Gajendra Babu adds. Government programmes such as Naan Mudhalvan, instead of blindly educating students about the available courses in colleges, should give a detailed overview of the higher education scenario, he feels.
The Hindu
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Heritage Art Gallery showcasing Madurai's art history inaugurated
In order to showcase Madurai's art history, Andril Heritage Art Gallery was inaugurated at V.S. Chellam Century Hall in Madurai on Friday. Thiagarajar College president Uma Kannan inaugurated the art gallery. P. Rajesh Kanna of the Andril Heritage Art Gallery said that Madurai, referred to as the heritage capital of Tamil Nadu, boasts a rich and vibrant history of art and culture. He said that in ancient times, the city even had a dedicated street for artists highlighting Madurai's deep-rooted artistic traditions. To honour and celebrate this legacy, Andril Heritage Art Gallery - a space dedicated to showcasing the artistic heritage of Madurai - was organised. Separate sections were created to highlight the various themes, he said. He said that the name Andril was inspired by the Ibis bird, a symbol of love, mentioned in Sangam literature. The gallery focused on heritage - themed arts and crafts, serving as a platform to preserve and promote the cultural richness while supporting local artists. The exhibits will highlight the natural heritage, intangible heritage, festivals, folk arts, and Sangam literature, shedding light on the unsung heroes of our artistic traditions. The gallery offers an immersive experience of the heritage through visual art, he said. There was an exclusive section for art collectors and a dedicated space for enthusiasts and connoisseurs. Andril Heritage Art Gallery was more than just an exhibition space. It was a tribute to our cultural roots, an opportunity for artists to thrive, and a celebration of Madurai's timeless artistic spirit, he said.
