INSTITUTION IN FOCUS
In its own suave way
Shastry V Mallady
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Sitting on a semi-urban neighbourhood,NMS S. Vellaichamy Nadar College has broken the myth: achieving academic excellence is the prerogative of city colleges.
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If there is an impression that the drive to achieve excellence is present only among elite colleges in the heart of the city, it would be proved wrong after a visit to this institution located in a picturesque setting at Nagamalai Pudukottai on the outskirts of Madurai. The blend of educational excellence and social objectives is well in place in this college that predominantly caters to rural students.
Nadar Mahajana Sangam S. Vellaichamy Nadar College, affiliated to Madurai Kamaraj University after it was established in 1965, has emerged as a major player in the field of higher education due to its social relevance and academic pursuits. Started with only 330 pre-university students four decades ago the college now has on its roll 3,700 under-graduate/post-graduate students with 31 departments in a 44-acre campus. Inaugurated by late K. Kamaraj, the institution has emerged as one of the biggest colleges in south Tamil Nadu, empowering the rural youth.
In its journey, various innovative student-centric schemes have been drawn up and some like Helen Keller Club, started on the campus for conducting classes for visually impaired students, contribution of money by staff members towards scholarships to students and setting up of a mineral water plant to supply purified drinking water to teachers and students, have won all-round acclaim. "The management has always been generous in allotting funds for overall development. With that support we are taking up initiatives ranging from academic programmes to campus placement for students," says K. Natarajan, Principal. Demand for regular and self-financing courses has been on a high every year, especially for MBA, MCA, M.Com., B.Com., M.Sc. Biochemistry and M.Phil courses.
Infrastructure has been constantly upgraded while over 350 computers have been provided for students to get hands-on experience. The Principal attributes the success of the institution to its founders, Dr. P. Vadamalayan, P.R. Muthusamy Nadar, V.P.R. Gangaram Durairaj and M.S. Ramasamy, who evolved a value-based education system. The finest moment came when a team from National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) visited it in October to assess its strengths. "We are expecting NAAC accreditation soon," the Principal says. Every year, nearly 1,900 students receive government scholarships. The college has a book bank to which seniors, while leaving the institution, donate their books. It also has a well-equipped gymnasium and an active NCC wing. But what stands out in the campus is the `Braille initiative' benefiting 28 visually impaired students.
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