From being known for campus clashes to being ranked in the top three colleges of India as per the recently released National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2023, Presidency College in Chennai has come a very long way.
Even last year, Presidency College was ranked three all over India, making this the second year of maintaining its streak. But the journey has been long and tough for the college to reinvent its image, stated a report in The New Indian Express.
The strategy that was developed
The officials from the college disclosed that a strategy was drawn out to bring to light what fighting on campus and clashes could result in for students and this strategy has delivered the right results. Even during induction programmes for undergraduate (UG) freshers, this point is emphasised, that clashes and ragging should not be engaged in.
"It is a fact that the Presidency had earned a bad name for clashes and violence in the past, but today the perception has changed completely. In the last two years, hardly any clashes have been reported inside the campus. During the induction programme, we invite lawyers, retired police officers and academicians to educate students as to how by getting involved in a clash they can end up in jail and ruin their career," said college Principal R Raman.
Teachers are involved in counselling students as well as guiding them regularly and even the police and done their bit to keep the situation under control, he said.
No time for clashes
"Most of our students come from economically backward and illiterate families. Without proper guidance, they become wayward. In the last year, we have organised over 300 seminars and other cultural activities on the campus. Now, the students have so many activities to participate in that they hardly have any time to engage in fights," added Raman.
In the peer perception parameter of NIRF, Presidency College scored 61.66 out of 100 in 2021. In 2023, the score shot up to 78.23. This score is based on improvements in how employers, research investors, peer groups, academicians and the general public perceive the institution.
