In an increasingly competitive world, it is not enough to excel academically. In order to get a winning edge over others, students need to have inter-personal, coordination/team work and time-management/multitasking skills, to name a few. Co-curricular activity clubs are one of the best platforms that provide students with valuable exposure and help them develop these skills. “Students come from different backgrounds and may have so much innate talent which needs to be nurtured. College clubs give them a chance to unleash their potential,” says Prof. A. Nirmala, principal, Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai.
While many join a club out of necessity to obtain a credit, some students do it because they see it as an opportunity. Brian Edwin, a student of Kasturba Medical College, Mangaluru, says, “Students are constantly engaged in projects, assignments and homework. Co-curricular activities such as quizzes and other competitions conducted by different clubs help them unwind. It gives them a break from lectures and ia something to look forward to. It also helps them broaden their skill set and meet and interact with new people, which exposes them to different perspectives.”
Every college has plethora of clubs. “We have had atleast one friend say, ‘I’m so excited about the drama club I’ve joined,’ within months of joining college. For those who have never been part of a large community of like-minded people in school, this is the best platform that allows them to tap into their hidden talents. The craft they learn either ends up becoming a hobby or a source of livelihood. Clubs allow students to rediscover themselves. I have always dreamt of being in a Harry Potter club or a film-making group,” says Abhinaya Natesh, a student of M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women, Chennai.
Social cause
Some students also consider these clubs an opportunity to give back to the society. At VIT, students have started various NGOs to reach out to people. One of these NGOs is ‘Anokha – the Inception of Change’. “Anokha is a youth-organised NGO that focuses on providing education to underprivileged children. At present, we have three centres (orphanages we are associated with) where our volunteers teach English and maths to kids from Classes I to VIII. Apart from this, we spread social awareness by conducting health and sanitation sessions. We also visit old age homes along with the students so that they can interact with the people there. Anokha has taught us that it is our responsibility to take care of our society,” says Sachin, a member of the NGO.
One may think that students in engineering colleges would barely get time to join a club and take part in co-curricular activities. On the contrary, most of the engineering colleges, including the IITs and the NITs, have several clubs that conduct various activities on a regular basis.
Athul Santhosh Kumar, a student of National Institute of Technology Calicut, says, “When it comes to clubs, NIT Calicut has you spoilt for choices. The diversity of the populace has led to the formation of several associations and clubs of like-minded individuals who are more than just engineers. For the fiery debaters and literary enthusiasts, there’s the literary and debating club; passionate actors and dancers can join the dance and dramatics club; the list goes on! The real world exposure I have gained from being a member of the literary and debating club goes beyond the realm of a classroom.”
How can students decide which club to join and optimally utilise the opportunities it provides? “First, it is essential for them to be self-motivated. To help students decide, we hold a one-week orientation programme in the beginning of the year. This is the time when the students, filled with enthusiasm, are really impressionable and eager to learn new things. It is important for them to understand the significance of joining a particular club; this is why we invite powerful speakers who are able to reach out to the students,” says Prof. Nirmala.
