City may get more arts and science colleges next year

Chennai: City and suburbs may get more arts and science colleges as the University of Madras has received nine applications from different trusts to start new colleges for the next academic year (2026-27).The educational trusts wanted to start new colleges in Royapettah, Alandur, Vyasarpadi, Vedachalam Nagar, Mannivakkam and Maduranthakam in Chengalpet district, Pattabiram, Thirumullaivoyal and Podaturpet in Tiruvallur district."Educational trusts that run engineering colleges now want to start arts and science colleges due to the popularity of these courses," an official from the University of Madras said.In the previous year, the university received five applications to start new arts and science colleges."Besides the applications for new colleges, about five trusts also applied seeking affiliation to new standalone colleges," the official said.After the govt issued orders on starting new colleges, the university would give its approval for affiliation. In the first year, the college can start any of the five courses with required faculty members and other infrastructure facilities.To start a college, the trust should have minimum two acres of land within the corporation and three acres in municipality and five acres of land in village panchayat areas."There is a demand for arts and science courses in the city colleges in the past few years. It might have created interest to start new colleges," said S P Thyagaraman, former vice-chancellor of the University of Madras."More arts and science colleges coming up in city suburbs is a good thing as students are travelling long distances for colleges. The university should ensure that the new colleges have all the minimum required infrastructure such as labs, faculty members and playground for students," he added.