True to its vision of meeting the demands of a global society and building human resources for inclusive development, Madras School of Social Work (MSSW) has emerged as a premier institution to reckon with for social sciences and management in south India. The institution was founded in 1952 by Mary Clubwala Jadhav, an outstanding social worker of her time. The institution is famous for its 100 per cent placement record and envious salary packages of as high as Rs 7 lakh per annum.
Humble beginnings
The institution initially had only seven students who were awarded a diploma in social service administration. Today the college is home to around 400 students and offers eight academic courses with efforts on to introduce two more programmes.
MSSW presently offers UG and PG programmes in social work, MSc in counselling and guidance, MA in HR management, PG diploma in personal management and industrial relations, an MBA course in association with Missouri State University, US, and several research programmes.
In 2006, the college decided to go independent and attained autonomy. “It gives us a lot of freedom to start new courses,” explains Fathima Vasanth, principal, MSSW. She’s quick to end any comparison with management institutes. “It is not fair to compare MSSW to B-schools. There, students are degree-oriented, while we prepare professionals who will make a difference in the life of the underprivileged, create awareness, change the way people look at them etc,” she says.
There is not a section of the society MSSW has not touched and probably made a difference in — transgenders, gypsies, people living with HIV, differently-abled, rape and war victims, commercial sex workers and drug addicts.
Campus life
“We undertake numerous research and youth development works. We adopt villages for a period of three years or so, identify the unemployed and the uneducated and strive to uplift them. It is important to link community and college,” points out Sara Karunakaran, the NSS coordinator. The students actively participate in all of these projects.
Students who join MSSW are from diverse backgrounds. “Despite doing my UG in microbiology, I joined MSSW as I want to help the underprivileged,”
explains Vasanth, a final-year student.
“To be an ideal social worker, you need to know your strengths and weaknesses, empathise with people, be creative, unbiased and corrupt-free,” elucidates Thabitha, a final-year student.
Extracurricular activities
“We regularly arrange study tours, seminars, symposiums and workshops so that students can upgrade their skills to survive in this ever-changing world. We arrange student exchange programmes. We have collaborated with Missouri university in the US for our MBA programme,” says Jayanthi Peter, HoD of the HR department.
Vandana Gopikumar of Banyan and Stephen Vidhyakar of Udavum Karangal are some of its distinguished alumni.
— shilpa.vasudevan@expressbuzz.com