The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Fashion students of Govt. college left in the lurch

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Sunday, Jul 22, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Fashion students of Govt. college left in the lurch

M. Gunasekaran

Photo: M. Balaji

Uncertainty prevails: A view of Chikkanna Government Arts College, Tirupur. —

TIRUPUR: Students of B.Sc. costume design and fashion at Chikkanna Government Arts College here are a worried lot. Their dreams to become fashion designers or merchandisers in the highly competitive garment export industry are fast turning sour.

There are more than 110 students studying in the three-year course, but not even a single faculty has been posted. The college is the only Government arts college affiliated to Bharathiar University which offers this industry-oriented course in this region.

All students come to the college every day and go home in the evening. No faculty member enters their classes, either for teaching or taking attendance, laments a student.

The course was introduced three years ago as a self-supporting programme and was converted into a Government-offered regular one this year. “This is basically a good course that ensures employment. But the industry expects a deep understanding of the subject and also field experience. Here no one is available to guide us,” says a final year student.

For them self-support is the best support for at least now. Rotary Club of Tirupur Gandhi Nagar was instrumental in commencing the course by donating Rs. 10 lakh towards lab equipment, machinery and other infrastructure, including a generator. The lab remained unused for months owing to lack of faculty and technical staff.

“We have been supporting the students every year. But it is unfortunate that the Government was not showing any interest,” says N. Chidambaram, past president of the club. The fashion industry has donated a CAD software to the department.

One good thing the Government did was converting the course into a regular one from the self-supporting course involving a high fee. Students said their tuition fee was reduced substantially by the decision.

Students complain that neither the Government nor the University authorities remember that the course is offered by a Government college. “They have forgotten that over 110 students are studying,” they added.

Citing government norms, official sources said they could give a salary of Rs. 4,000 a month to faculty who completed his/her M.Sc. costume and fashion design. “We are searching for candidates but no qualified person comes forward owing to low salary,” an official said.

The higher education department has not taken steps to fill vacancies. “Unless the Government or the University intervene nothing will happen. We fear we cannot complete our degree course successfully and our professional career appears to be in jeopardy,” says a girl student.

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