CHENNAI: As the Tamil Nadu government has increased the intake by 20% in Arts and Science colleges, the Higher Education Department has started identifying especially the state-run institutions’ infrastructure including labs, which have to be upgraded according to the enrollment.
Accordingly, it was decided to increase the 20% seat capacity in all government colleges and 15% in government-aided colleges besides 10% in self-financing Arts and Science colleges across the State.
A senior official from the Higher Education Department told DT Next that due to the introduction of new courses and the increase in admission of students in Arts and Science colleges, it was important to enhance the infrastructural facilities including laboratories, classrooms, toilets and other basic amenities in the institutions.
“The authorities were in the process of identifying the colleges, which get the full 20% additional admissions, for improving the required requirements”, he said. Stating that the government has already accorded financial sanction for Rs 100 crore to expand infrastructure facilities in more than 30 government Arts and Science colleges, the official said, “All the infrastructure works will be carried out by the Public Works Department (PWD) “.
The official said that the management of the colleges, which had more student enrolment, were instructed to report to their affiliated universities to get permission to provide admissions to the applicants.
Pointing out that an additional 20% of admissions in the Arts and Science colleges will be reviewed year-to-year based on the student’s enrollment, he said the management of the colleges should also ensure there should be no dropouts from the additional enrollment.
Concerning private institutions, the official said that self-financing colleges should not demand additional teaching staff under the pretext of admitting more students.
“They should strictly follow the norms including providing the required facilities for students, who were admitted additionally,” he said.