CHENNAI: New clubs, collaborations with foreign institutions and in-house training for government jobs are some of the new initiatives city colleges are taking to ensure a wider draw for arts and science students. Some colleges also invite alumni to share their experiences with students.Madras Christian College plans to start clubs on social media, legal literacy, science, research and mental health. “Companies are coming up with new roles like social media managers. We’ll be training our students through club events and they’ll be learning by doing internal online events and editing bytes,” said Paul Wilson, director of MCC. The college is also in the process of mapping the relevance of elective courses and in-service programs to careers, academia and entrepreneurship, he added.Ethiraj College for Women has now entered into collaboration with foreign institutions to give students international exposure. “Around 50 students have registered for the certificate program at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. This will give them an opportunity to learn about PG programs and research,” said Principal S Uma Gawri. The institution also plans to create an incubation center to nurture students’ startups.Women’s Christian College has started in-house coaching for government jobs and many students are doing it. “WCC students have broken many glass ceilings in the past. The first woman to become a member of the Madras Legislature, Rukmini Lakshmipati, and the first woman officer of the Indian Diplomatic Service, KB Muthama, were graduates of our college. We try to inspire our students by telling them about their achievements,” said college principal Lillian Jasper.DG Vaishnav College is planning to introduce a new internal marking system before the exams. “Students have to accept internal marks under the new tuition system. This will help them plan and prepare for the semester exams. The faculty can also make corrections in case of wrong entry of marks,” said S Santosh Babu, Principal, DG Vaishnav College.
