In a significant decision aimed at improving the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), the Tamil Nadu Higher Education Department has decided to abolish the two-shift system in 50 recently-established government arts and science colleges. From the academic year 2020-21, these colleges will function in a single shift from 9.30 a.m to 4.30 p.m. with an hour’s lunch break.
As for 59 older government arts colleges, where ever there is no overlap in courses offered in the two shifts, the revised timing would be implemented.
The two-shift system, as opposed to the previously existing day and evening college, came into vogue in 2006. A cross-section of academics was of the view that college timings for each shift was so inadequate that a learner acquired neither knowledge nor skills to the extent the job market demanded of them.
Sources said with funding under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), UGC and State, significant additions have been made to the classroom and allied infrastructure. Therefore, enrolling more students in a single shift and providing quality education with classes spread through the day is feasible.
A Government Order said, “Interaction and spending more time with teachers will be an avenue for students to identify their abilities.” The students can participate in various sports activities and skill development programmes.
“It would also avoid health issues like anemia among students. Further, more involvement in academics in turn will pave way for quality education and enhanced employment,” the G.O. added.
Prof M.Ravichandran, a former principal of the Tamil Nadu Government Collegiate Service, said while the two-shift system had also led to increase in GER, quality of education was compromised in view of the “the truncated, in effect half-a day-colleges”.
He acknowledged that the single-shift system could affect students from poor families, who used to work part time. He suggested that for such students the placement cells must facilitate evening jobs.
The G.O. said in the 59 older colleges it was found that only few courses were conducted parallelly with the same subject as Shift-II courses. Hence, the shift-I courses in these colleges where no same course is conducted in Shift-II can also follow the suggested revised time schedule.
Courses, which are conducted in both Shift-I and Shift-II in these 59 colleges will work in the present existing time schedules until adequate infrastructure facilities are provided to these colleges. Once the classrooms are ready, they automatically should be reverted to the revised single shift time schedule.
