Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday (April 16, 2025) called for revamping the Curricula and teaching methodology, in the consultative meeting held by him with Vice-Chancellors (V-Cs) and Registrars of all State universities.
It is the first such consultative meeting held by Mr. Stalin. Tamil Nadu currently has 21 universities operating under the department of Higher Education. The meeting involved discussions on their operations and ongoing development plans.
The meeting also comes after the State government notified 10 university-related Acts post the Supreme Court verdict that various Bills pertaining to universities, re-adopted by the Assembly and pending with the President, were deemed to have been granted assent.
Speaking at the meeting held at the Secretariat, Mr. Stalin said that the future plan which the State is looking to chart is based on three pillars: relevant education, jobs and inclusivity. “We need to think about these three pillars.”
“The world is changing fast like never before. Factors like A.I., Green Energy, Industry 4.0 determine the economy. The universities have to prepare the students as per the growing needs,” he said. New fields such as data science, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing should be added to curriculum, Mr. Stalin said.
The students should be trained in such a manner that they are not mere graduates, but persons who can give innovative solutions. We should join hands with industry and design courses which reflects global needs and promote learning in multi-fields, he said.
Mr. Stalin also called for suggestions to further enhance the scope of his pet project, the Naan Mudhalvan scheme, which aims to provide employment-linked skill development training to youth.
He also called for strengthening campus placements and expanding training programmes. Mr. Stalin emphasised on inclusivity and equity. Stating that Tamil Nadu’s strength is in its firm focus on social justice, he requested the Universities to create inclusive campuses.
“It is my dream that Tamil Nadu’s universities become global headquarters for research and innovation,” he said. “Just as the Kamaraj era was the golden age of school education, and the Kalaignar era was the golden age of collegiate education, the Dravidian Model era must be remembered as the golden age of higher and research education. Your support is crucial to achieving this,” he added.
In his concluding remarks, Mr. Stalin also pointed out due the economic and job policies adopted by US President Donald Trump, there is a possibility of talent returning back to State and the universities can rope in that talent to undertake research work.
Only scientific temper should be taught in universities. There is no room for divisive opinion or activities in educational institutions, and there should be no compromise on the issue, he said.
Published - April 16, 2025 10:49 pm IST
