Arts & Science colleges to get Rs 200-cr uplift

CHENNAI: In a bid to improve academic ambiance for the students on par with private institutions, the state government has decided to create infrastructural facilities in all state-run Arts and Science colleges at a cost of Rs 200 crore as a part of the first phase of the programme.

Accordingly, more than 70 colleges involving 1.3 lakh students are expected to benefit from the Higher Education Department’s move.

A senior official from the Higher Education Department told DT Next that as a part of the long-term plan, the state government has allocated Rs 1,000 crore for developing the overall infrastructure of the state-owned colleges. “All the Science labs will be modified and new equipment will be procured,” he said adding, “additional classrooms will be constructed at every college depending on the requirements.”

Stating that new auditoriums will also be constructed besides improving the existing ones in the colleges, the official said, “as a pilot project, at least one smart classroom will be established in all the colleges.”

He said that the government had also sanctioned a sum of Rs 16.21 crore, for the purchase of 12,930 desks and benches for students, 862 tables for teachers, and 862 ceramic blackboards for the colleges through Tamil Nadu Small Industries Corporation Limited (TANSI).

“With the primary goal of supporting the learners and creating a knowledge society, the government has ordered for starting of new digital libraries in 10 government Arts and Science Colleges and sanctioned a sum of Rs 93 lakh,” he added.

The official further said that the state is planning to establish 10 new Arts and Science colleges in various districts.