The University Grants Commission (UGC) has certified Loyola College, Chennai, and Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College, Sivakasi, as ‘College of Excellence.’
The certification, for a period of five years till 2019, comes with a grant of Rs. 2 crore for each college to upgrade its facilities.
In an effort to improve higher education a decade ago, the ministry of human resources and the UGC had selected around 200 colleges across the country, and provided them funds to upgrade facilities.
In March, 48 colleges were asked to present their performance, and, based on their achievement, eight colleges had been chosen for the College of Excellence status.
K.S. Antonysamy, associate professor of English at Loyola College, said, “The funds will be used to further research, make classrooms IT-enabled, and improve the outreach and extension programmes.”
Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College principal S. Baskaran said the funds would be used to upgrade laboratories, for library automation and establishing a trans-disciplinary research centre besides developing software for teaching soft skills.
The college has a number of IAS and IPS officers among its alumni, besides the present Chief Justice of India, P. Sathasivam.
