NAMAKKAL district is known for consistently producing top rankers in the State School Leaving Certificate (SSLC), Matriculation and higher secondary examinations. It is but natural for it to emerge as a centre of higher education. The district, which had only a few engineering colleges three years ago, is now home to 20 institutions. Proposals have been sent to the All India Council for Technical Education and Anna University-Coimbatore for opening more technical institutes. There are 50 higher education institutions in the district.

The overall success rate in higher secondary examinations in the district had been above 80 per cent for the past five years. Last year, Namakkal registered a success rate of 91.6 per cent and produced three State toppers.

Although academics criticise Namakkal schools for the teaching practice that results in rote learning, there is a rush for admission to the local schools from other parts of the State. The success of Namakkal’s school education has encouraged private organisations to invest in higher education, particularly engineering and technical education.

N.V. Natarajan, chairman of Paavai Educational Institutions, said the country needed more professionals to overcome the challenges posed by globalisation. Technical education was important for the socio-economic development of the country, he said. A. Baladhandapani, director of the Sengunthar Educational Institutions, said scientific, industrial and technological development would enable the country to become a superpower.

A problem of deep concern is that while the colleges in Namakkal have managed to attract a few multinational companies for conducting campus recruitment, the number of students selected is low compared with the placements offered during similar drives in Salem.

In order to overcome this, the colleges have started placing more emphasis on skill development. They have tied up with human resource development institutes and industries to improve the technical and soft skills of the students. Personality development courses and communication skill development programmes are part of the curriculum now. The government arts colleges are facing severe shortage of teaching staff. People have expressed grave concerns over the conditions prevailing in Thiruvalluvar Government Arts College in Rasipuram and the NKR Government Arts College for Women in Namakkal. There is a demand to fill up the vacancies and improve the quality of education in government colleges.

T. Arangannal, chairman of the Gnanamani Educational Institutions, says, “Education is essential for positive change. Access to higher education should be improved.”

S. Ramesh