Ponmudy to hold meeting with Government College Principals
	CHIDAMBARAM:The Tamil Nadu Government has proposed to provide necessary infrastructure and post adequate staff in Government colleges to take higher education to the rural areas, said K. Ponmudy, Minister for Higher Education. He will convene a meeting of Principals of 60 Government colleges on April 16 to ascertain their requirements. Their views would be presented in the Assembly on May 5 while seeking grant for his department. Mr. Ponmudy was speaking at the silver jubilee celebrations of the Government Arts College here on Friday. He proposed to call for a meeting with the students' representatives, five from each college, to know their opinions on the shift system to be introduced in Government colleges from the next academic year. Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had mooted the shift system to increase the opportunity for rural students to pursue higher education and to put to optimal use the existing facilities. The shifts would function from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sensing protests from certain sections of students, Mr. Ponmudy said they should get adjusted to the new schedule. The views of stakeholders were being gathered because the Karunanidhi regime believed in "Government by consensus." The Minister promised to fill up all the 2,050 vacancies for lecturers' posts during the summer vacation. Communication Referring to the medium of instructions, Mr. Ponmudy said while mother tongue nurtured intellect, English acted as a language for communication. During his visit to China, he found out that the Presidents (equivalent to Vice-Chancellors) of eight universities could not converse in English, and he had to seek the help of interpreters. However, these institutions had set up language laboratories. Responding to the demand of D. Ravikumar, MLA, for setting up a women's college at Kattumannarkoil, the Minister said that going by the percentage of women students in higher education there was no need for such segregation. E. Ponnuswami, MP, granted Rs 10 lakh from his local area development funds for the improvement of the campus. M.R.K. Panneerselvam, Backward Classes Welfare Minister, sought a B. Ed college on the college premises. R. Syed Abdul Hamid, Joint Director of Collegiate Education, Rajendra Ratnoo, District Collector, and L. Venkatasamy, Principal, participated.