Tamil culture and heritage mandatory for engineering students

Chennai, Aug 24 (IANS) The engineering students of Anna University in Tamil Nadu will now have to learn the heritage and culture of the state in their engineering syllabus. The university has designed two unique courses, Ariviyal Tamil (Scientific thoughts and studies in Tamil) and Tamilar Marabu (Heritage of Tamils).

The university has made both these courses mandatory for all engineering students with Ariviyal Tamil being taught for the first semester and Tamilar Marabu for the second semester. The courses are taught to provide an insight to the students into the rich culture and heritage of the state. The courses would also provide the students detailed information on the engineering techniques that were practiced in Tamil Nadu to construct architectural marvels.

Anna University Vice Chancellor, R.Velraj told IANS that the curriculum for the courses is being prepared and would be released before the commencement of the first semester classes. He also said that the university has decided to include these two subjects as part of engineering studies for the students to understand the rich Tamil cultural heritage and to make the students connect with their roots, appreciate, and preserve it.

The Vice Chancellor also said that the course material will be printed in both Tamil and English. He said that the preference was for preparing the material in Tamil language only as it would help the students have a better grip on the mother language. However, with several students from outside the state joining the classes as well as students who passed under the CBSE stream also having difficulties in Tamil, the material is being prepared in English also.

Anna University has also included an English practical laboratory as a paper for the first semester for improving the English language efficiency of the students.

The students will also be taught another foreign language during the second semester in a communication laboratory. The students, according to officials of Anna University will be taught subjects in fintech and blockchain in addition to their main semester courses.