College students continue preparations through online classes and seminars

Early in April, professors of Swami Dayananda Arts & Science College, Tiruvarur, decided to utilise Google Classroom facilities to complete the syllabus and prepare students for their online exams to be held in June. Nearly 1,500 students across 11 courses have registered for the classes.

Despite some initial hesitance, 86 per cent of the student population have enrolled for the online classes. “Interestingly, students have been utilising their mobile phones and the internet wisely during this shutdown time. We are able to host online quizzes and conduct classes smoothly through the software, which is very userfriendly. Teachers, too, are finding it easy to connect with students as they would in the physical classroom,” said Hema Rengamani, vice-principal of the college.

While some prepare for their exams online, others are more concerned about future career prospects. With the career market at an all-time competitive high, many are worried about acquiring the right skills during the lockdown to ensure they hit the ground running once things return to normalcy.

In this vein, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) launched a free 15-day training programme for college students and other working professionals called Career Edge, in an attempt to enhance their career skills. The online programme also offers a certification after the course. The programme consists of nano videos, case studies and assessments to assess strength and weaknesses, and the organisation hopes to reach out to more schools and colleges to promote the application.