CHENNAI: Undergraduate students in Tamil Nadu’s 181 government arts and science colleges will learn at least one job-oriented skill every semester from the next semester, alongside their regular degree courses, as part of a higher education department initiative to improve employability and placements.
There are 1.30 lakh sanctioned UG seats across the state and 96,477 students have been admitted to various courses for the 2026-27 academic year so far.
Under the two-pronged plan, the colleges have been directed to enter into MoUs with at least three leading industries. The companies will provide inputs for curriculum upgradation and offer internship and placement opportunities.
The ‘One Skill Per Semester’ programme has been developed with the help of the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE).
Govt colleges asked to sign MoUs with firms
By the end of their three-year degree, students will have acquired six additional industry-oriented skills. Each skill course will involve 30 to 45 hours of learning and will not have a conventional written examination. Assessment will instead focus on students’ ability to apply the skill, with 40% of the marks based on skill exercises, 30% on individual competency, and 30% on a final demonstrable output.
“Our aim is to develop professional capability among students through real tools, independent practice, troubleshooting and open-ended tasks, and the skill verticals have been designed accordingly,” higher education secretary Dheeraj Kumar told TNIE.
The programme will be implemented from the coming even semester, beginning in January. The department has identified 20 courses across basic sciences and arts and prepared a basket of skill programmes. Over the next three months, colleges will identify the skills they wish to offer and nominate an expert trainer for each course. TANSCHE has already been conducting outcome-based education (OBE) training for faculty members.
Meanwhile, to bridge the industry-academia gap, each department in the government colleges has been asked to sign MoUs with leading companies in its sector. The companies will help update curricula and provide internship opportunities.
MoUs with leading firms
Various govt college departments have been asked to sign MoUs with leading companies. The firms in turn will help update curricula and provide internship opportunities to bridge the industry-academia gap
