Latest news with #UniversityofMadras
New Indian Express
20 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
University of Madras staff seek May salary, official says payment today
CHENNAI: Teaching and non-teaching staff of the University of Madras staged a protest on campus on Monday over the delay in the disbursal of their May salaries. The employees, who usually receive their pay on the last working day of the month, said they were expecting to be paid by May 30 but did not receive their salaries, following which they began the protest. The university, which has been grappling with a financial crisis, has cited a shortage of funds as the reason for the delay. For the academic year 2025-26, the varsity has posted a deficit budget of Rs 149 crore. It requires around Rs 19 crore every month to meet its expenses, with a major chunk of it going towards salaries and pensions. Over the past year, salaries have been disbursed using interest earned from the corpus fund deposits. However, recent expenditure on infrastructure projects has left the institution without sufficient funds to meet its salary obligations. Higher Education Secretary C Samayamoorthy stated that the issue has been resolved and employees would receive their salaries on Tuesday.
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
BA English: To Be or Not to Be?
There was a time when a BA English literature course was the pathway to mastering the language and exposure to Western culture, which consequently provided access to govt jobs, the civil service, and positions of influence. From the 1970s, when graduation became mainstream, the course started getting a bad reputation for being a bridge between school and marriage for girls with no intentions of a career, and for being the last option for those who couldn't find admissions in the popular courses. Even the poster boy of English language and literature, Shashi Tharoor, went for a BA in History in the 1970s, not English. Cut to 2025, and 13 arts and science colleges under the University of Madras have opted to drop the course for the 2025-26 academic year, citing "poor enrolment". Sources say enrolment for the course at these colleges was in single digits in the past two years against the sanctioned strength of 70 seats. In 2024-25, the university bodies, including the Syndicate and the Senate, gave approval to six colleges to withdraw the course. The move doesn't come as a surprise, say professors, adding that enrolment has been dwindling for more than a decade now as students with English degrees are seen as having "limited career options". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Todos os idosos deveriam ter um desse no banheiro! Veja só! Evite quedas e escorregões Saiba Mais Undo With no recruitment for govt colleges and schools in the past few years, most end up joining private schools and colleges as faculty where pay is poor. Though top colleges in major cities in the country still get a section of good students, post-Covid, there's been a disinterest in anything which requires one to read and focus for long hours, and parents and students look for ROI or 'Return on Investment' if they're paying donations, say teachers. Also, "students of both genders now look for courses that guarantee job options with plum pay packages", which a traditional BA English course doesn't offer, says R Raman, Principal of Madras Presidency College. Professors from mofussil areas say many students are intimidated by the English language, which is also a reason for them not selecting the course. At the same time, data on govt college admissions in the state reveals that BA English remains one of the top five courses as 1.68 lakh of 1.87 lakh applicants gave the course as one of their options this year. Principals say the numbers may be because the fee is lower in the govt colleges and so students "don't mind" doing English as they are not spending much. But several private colleges and new-age universities too are in a conundrum. Depending on the number of applicants, the management makes a decision on what courses to include, and there is little demand for English literature as a canonical subject, says a staff member who doesn't wish to be named. "There is a trend of reformulating courses aligned towards technology, such as digital humanities. Also, it's more about how literature can be used to study contemporary society. For example, how health is represented in literature." A handful of colleges in Chennai, such as Women's Christian College (WCC), Ethiraj, and Stella Maris, have been constantly reinventing the course to make it relevant enough to draw in applicants. "Students today are not into reading, and certainly not keen on the old tomes. Right from the 1980s, skill-based elements were added to our traditional BA English course," says Lillian Jasper, Principal of WCC. "The course has advertising, a bit of journalism and travel writing; and the social element pervades all the subjects. " So they have a social history of English literature, besides contemporary Tamil literature in translation. Eco-literature is also popular among the new additions of the past decade. "We often screen environmental documentaries and take students on field trips; it's not just classroom teaching," says Lillian. There is also a distinct shift from canonical British texts to the literature of the colonies as well as that of America, which are among the reasons English is one of the most sought-after courses at WCC. Even at the prestigious St Stephen's College, New Delhi, they don't teach Shakespeare as such, but unconventional or Indian adaptations of it, says Ashley N P, Professor at the college which still has a strong traditional BA English literature course. "It's the age of AI where the need is to teach how to give the right prompts to ChatGPT, not how to write. One of the exercises I give my students is to find what's wrong in a ChatGPT result," says Ashley. Besides teaching and research, the modified courses open up creative and content-related career avenues such as content writing for NGOs, research organisations, and digital spaces; copywriting for advertising firms, human resource management, public administration, and translation, besides journalism. Above all, you cannot quantify liberal arts courses on "what you can get out of it", which is how every course is being sold today, says Ashley. "Even in foreign universities, there is a tendency to advertise 'takeaways' like in a sales pitch, which doesn't fit into the liberal arts structure." There is this 'MBAfication' and 'vocationalisation' of all the courses, but in the age of AI, ChatGPT can always make better PPTs than you, he says. "We don't teach Shakespeare or Amitav Ghosh, but how to read them, how to read history and culture. You can't hurry it, you develop critical thinking skills slowly by constant interactions with peers, teachers, authors, listening to countless seminars and collecting information from other sources. " A degree in literature, or any field in humanities, can foster a culture of critical thinking and the ability to question the existing social structures, says Sreelakshmi N Sreejith, a third-year student of International Relations at the Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence, New Delhi. Universities have accumulated knowledge over the years and knee-jerk reactions like randomly picking courses which sound new-age will do more harm than good, he feels. "Rethinking a discipline doesn't mean abandoning it, but looking at it differently. Without a sense of history, the new-age courses don't make sense. What we need is a serious study of the state of higher education in India." (With inputs by A Ragu Raman) Email your feedback with name and address to
New Indian Express
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Quest for vision in darkness: Dr Ilango's journey from silence to world records
CHENNAI: At first glance, Dr Inspiring Ilango's world is quiet, and filled with shadows. But spend a moment in his presence, and it becomes clear that this man sees much more than what meets your eye. Born in a world that offers limited resources to the blind, Dr Ilango was ready to turn these resources into weapons. Born blind due to a consanguineous marriage in 1972, in Chennai, Ilango, now 52, is not just surviving without sight—he's soaring with purpose. From an early age, he lent his distinctive voice to advertisements, documentaries, and short films, gaining admiration in India and abroad. He also hosted a 42-episode musical talk show on television in 2012 and remains a sought-after guest on media platforms, where he discusses emotion management, language, and life skills. Ilango completed his M Phil in English Language Teaching at the University of Madras in 1995, emerging among the top scholars in his batch. He also holds a Master's degree in English from Loyola College, Chennai, where he graduated with distinction and was awarded a gold medal for his excellence in public speaking and oral communication. His journey has since gone far beyond academia. On May 12, 2019, Universal Tamil University, Pondicherry, honoured him with an honorary doctorate for his exceptional accomplishments. Ilango then made global headlines, becoming the first visually impaired person to set world records in both scuba diving and paragliding—proving that courage, not sight, defines one's vision.
Hans India
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Srivani hosts ‘Aatreya Geethamrutham' at Sri City
Tirupati: The spiritual and literary forum of Sri City, Srivani, hosted 'AatreyaGeethamrutham' on Saturday. The event featured a talk by Prof VistaliShankara Rao, Head of the Telugu Department, University of Madras, who enthralled the audience with his insightful discourse on the lyrical brilliance and literary depth of noted Telugu film lyricist Aatreya. Prof Shankara Rao hailed Aatreya's lyrical prowess, particularly his innovative use of rhyming patterns like 'AadhiPrasa and 'AnthyaPrasa' in his songs, praising their emotional depth and poetic brilliance. He remarked that Aatreya had a rare ability to capture the intricacies of the human mind, sometimes beyond what even psychologists could express. He presented an engaging analysis of some of Aatreya's most popular film songs, much to the delight of the gathering. Sri City MD Dr Ravindra Sannareddy praised Prof Shankara Rao for his talk and highlighted Aatreya as an enduring inspiration for contemporary writers. Secretary of Vedavijnana Vedika, Chennai Kandanuri Madhu, Sri City PRO Palleti Balaji and others took part in the programme.
New Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Nellai library to be named after Quaid-e-Millat Ismail
TIRUCHY: As part of the state government's efforts to honour those who contributed to the Islamic Tamil heritage, the soon-to-be-built library in Tirunelveli will be named after late political leader Quaid-e-Millat. An Islamic Tamil Studies Chair will also be established at the University of Madras, said Chief Minister MK Stalin in Tiruchy on Friday. Inaugurating the 9th World Islamic Tamil Literary Conference at MIET college, Stalin said with this announcement he has fulfilled the wish of several Islamic outfits to honour the late leader. On the establishment of an Islamic chair, the CM said that Tamil's literary richness has always connected diverse communities. On the DMK's stand on minority welfare, Stalin said that the party has always stood as a shield for minority rights, not just to uphold them but also to help such people secure their privileges. 'This is not new; it's part of our tradition,' the DMK president said. Meanwhile, at the event, IUML national president Kader Mohideen was honoured with the Umaru Pulavar Award, while Madras University ex-VC Sadiq was given Kavikko Award. MP Navas Kani and 10 others were recipients to the Islamic Guardian Awards.
