Tamil Nadu govt makes college HoDs responsible for placements, industry tie-ups: Report

Heads of the department (HoDs) of universities and colleges will now be primarily responsible for the students placement across Tamil Nadu state. HODs will take care of students’ skill development and industry engagement according to a new directive from the higher education department of the state. 

According to the new directive, the responsibility for preparing students for employment will be moving from the placement coordinators to the HODs. They will be expected to identify industry requirements, organise training and establish partnerships with employers.

According to Times News Network, higher education secretary Dheeraj Kumar issued a circular to state universities and colleges, calling for changes to the existing placement system. Placement coordinators will continue to assist students with CV preparation, interviews and aptitude tests.

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Industry tie-ups, internships

The circular directs HoDs to establish partnerships with at least three to five relevant industries through memorandums of understanding (MoUs). These collaborations will facilitate curriculum feedback, industry-related assignments, mini projects and regular interaction with employers.

Institutions must also arrange internships lasting at least three months for students who have acquired foundational skills. The circular also warned the institutes against sending students for internships without basic training.

As reported by Times News Network, the initiative will cover science, commerce, language and social science departments. Generic skills such as digital marketing may also be introduced in language and social science programmes.

All the HoD must identify two to three skill-training verticals, with six skills under each. The Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE) has asked institutions to nominate five members for placement training and submit their details by November 16. TANSCHE will review the initiative alongside the 'one degree, six skills' programme.

However, teacher associations have raised concerns over the directive. S Suresh, general secretary of the TN Government Collegiate Teachers' Association, told Times News Network, “skilling alone should not be the objective of education. Govt arts and science colleges have more than 7,000 vacancies, making it difficult to carry out routine tasks. Govt should prioritise appointing permanent assistant professors”.

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Mixed response to LinkedIn post

Tamil Nadu Association of Training and Placement Officers (TNATPO) in a LinkedIn post welcomed the directive saying it was a big step toward improving student employability and “it can create a stronger institutional ecosystem connecting academics, skills and industry”. However, it recommended strengthening the existing Training and Placement Officer (TPO) ecosystem “while empowering HoDs to drive department-level industry engagement”.

Reactions on the post were also mixed. While some users welcomed the move, some wondered whether HoDs would personally be responsible for placements or just divide the work among faculty members.

Dr Kanmani Buddhi, an international engineering educator associated with IGIP, expressed concern over the growing focus on placements, arguing “educational institutions had the responsibility to teach”, with students pursuing jobs after graduation.