Mega auditorium, hostel for PwD in Presidency college

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday announced that the State government will construct a mega auditorium in the name of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and a hostel exclusively for differently-abled students inside the campus of Presidency college.

"The auditorium will be constructed in such a way that 2,000 people can be seated and it will be named after Kalaignar. More than 300 differently-abled students from across the State study in the college but they do not have a separate hostel for them. A hostel for differently-abled students will be constructed inside the college campus,” said Stalin, while delivering his presidential address at the convocation function in Presidency College.

He also said that there are 94 visually challenged and over 200 hearing and speech impaired students studying B.Com and BCA in the college.

Courses were commenced during the previous DMK rule in 2007 when Karunanidhi was the Chief Minister. The opportunity had been extended for post graduate degree too, said Stalin.

"Now, the State government has given permission for commencing M.Com course for speech and hearing impaired students. I can say proudly that no State in India offers M.Com for speech and hearing impaired students and by offering courses for differently-abled students Presidency college is functioning as a humanitarian college,” he said.

Stalin being the alumnus of the college took a trip down his memory lane and shared his college days experience with the students.

"When I was arrested during the days of national Emergency under MISA I came to write the exams from prison with police security,” said Stalin, who further said that education is a property which cannot be destroyed by anyone and Presidency college with a history of 182 years is delivering the asset to students.

A total of 3,210 students received their degrees which includes 2,198 UG students, 806 PG students and 206 M.Phil students.