Within a short span this self-financing college (estb.1992) has succeeded in impacting the educational establishment in Chennai in a big way through its teaching-learning innovations Sited in Nungambakkam in the heart of the port city of Chennai on a modest 1.3 acre campus, the six-storey M.O.P Vaishnav College for Women has transformed into an epicentre of women’s empowerment in the yet conservative southern state of Tamil Nadu (pop. 62.1 million). The main building, which is built around a verdant circular courtyard, and presided over by a Ganesha deity is well insulated from the bustle and noise of its commercial surroundings. Established in 1992, with the objective of providing complete education for holistic development of women, M.O.P was born out of a collaboration of two philanthropic trusts- M.O.P Charities constituted by the late Dewan Bahadur M.O. Parthasarathy Aiyengar, a leading city barrister and advocate of women’s education, and the Sri Vallabhacharya Vidya Sabha, the governing body of D.G Vaishnav College (estb. 1964). Today, eminent industrialists and administrators from both these promoter organisations constitute the board of governors and managing committee of this self-financing college which has an aggregate enrollment of 2,745 students. The mission and goals of M.O.P, as articulated by its founders, venture beyond conventional college education and aim at promoting academic excellence, developing self-reliant individuals, providing career opportunities and creating socially responsible citizens. In pursuit of these goals, the college has adopted several innovative strategies to empower its women students. The recently concluded academic year 2004-2005 was especially significant for this all women college. On September 7, M.O.P was conferred autonomy by the University Grants Commission and attained the distinction of being the youngest self-financing college in the country to be granted this coveted status. “The conferment of autonomy has given us the freedom to venture beyond traditional education, introduce job-oriented courses, modify the curriculum and include non-credit programmes like projects, internships, skill-oriented professional courses and student development programmes into the credit system,” says Nirmala Prasad, the energetic principal of M.O.P Vaishnav College who has been actively implementing progressive pedagogies from the time she took charge of the institution in 1997. An alumna of Andhra and Utkal (Orissa) universities, Prasad also earned a doctorate in commerce from Madras University, served as professor and founder of the postgraduate department of commerce in Chennai’s Ethiraj College for Women before joining M.O.P eight years ago. Under her leadership, M.O.P was adjudged the best managed collegiate institution in Tamil Nadu and awarded the “Managerial Excellence Award” in 2003 by the Madras Management Association (MMA). Undoubtedly, within a short span of 13 years, M.O.P has succeeded in impacting the education establishment in Chennai in a big way through its teaching-learning innovations and brand development initiatives. The distinguishing feature of the college is the value additions it has introduced in its study programmes. These include publication of a journal by every department, introduction of personality development courses, communication workshops, soft skills training, and special professional courses dovetailed with market requirements. For instance to nurture young entrepreneurs,…
