The Autonomous Status Committee visited the college today in an effort to assess if the college has the necessary credentials to be granted autonomy. It is yet another step forward for the institution.

The panel interacted with the faculty and elucidated on the advantages and disadvantages of the autonomous status from the faculty's point of view. They sounded the warning bell that while a lot of freedom may come in the academic organisation, it may also entail more work, longer work hours and more effort from teachers...are we ready for the transition.

Well, having been through the long and arduous process of TEQIP, it was felt by all that this was a challenge that teachers could accept, albeit with a little hesitation and reservation.

However, there under TEQIP if the effort was more to improve the infrastructure, here the effort would be to learn to be dynamic leaders, administrators and constantly learning teachers.

Teachers here are the focus of attention, since on their shoulders rests the success of the autonomy status which offers students more flexibility and choice.

I feel that everything has to be given time to be assessed. Will autonomy be good? Or better still, effective? Time alone can be the best judge. In the meantime should I remember Tennyson's 'Ours is not to reason why, But to do and die? '

I keep telling this, but I cannot tell it but once more...the rainwashed campus is one of the most serene sights I have ever seen in Salem...and sometime back, one of the trees in the large open space between the admin block and the computer science block had bloomed and the fragrance of the flower laden tree made me think that there were some trees that were trying to commune through their fragrance. The fragrance on this tree was light, subtle and yet lingering...The road near the Metallurgy department was laid afresh. It looked so neat and clean.

I do believe the canteen fare is sometimes quite bland...this, in spite of the fact that at times, it offers delicious food ...sometimes...I think, the quality is compromised when quantity demands it.

The college is awash with drenched trees and open grounds. The damp smell and wetness is so refreshing, considering the fact that I live in an urban jungle.
The online examination went off with considerable comfort for the third year students. The exams were conducted from 7 to 10 for the lab sessions, owing to the power crunch faced by Salemites.
All practical examinations are going on in all departments. So, the campus is silent for the most part.

This Saturday has been a wonderful experience for me...I listened to one of the distinguished speakers in English - Dr. Noel Irudhyaraj of Bharathidasan University. He is a walking encyclopedia of English Language Theories. He took us through the entire gamut of syntax, pragmatics, competence, skills with respect to the reading skills. It was a revelation as to how knowledge gives a speaker the power to convince people. He knew etymologies like the lines on his palms; he knew the theorists as if they were reared in his home; he knew theories as if they were learnt at his mother's knee. Academics like these are a rarity and should be cherished for their knowledge.

All said and done, at the end of the day, the teacher depends on her/his own strengths and resources considered as best suited for the class he/she handles.

As for the campus, everything is quietening down for the exams. One sees students in droves running arund tying up all the loose ends of class work.

What one does not see this time of the year are the butterflies which used to move in thousands across the vast spaces of the college. What is happening? I hope some naturalist has an answer to this question. I really do miss this sight this year.

It is with sadness that I write this to tell all the readers about a young man Gopi, a student of the ECE department who passed away after a long and cruel battle with leukemia. About a fortnight ago, this student had visited Dr.Wahida Banu, his HOD, to tell her that he was getting admitted in the hospital and would be hospitalised for sometime. He also met Mr.SenthilMurugan, his Advisor and broke out into heart-wrenching sobs because he was scared. Mr. Senthil Murugan had offered him encouraging words and sent him home. Just two days later, the boy passed away.

My prayers for the young man and his family.

I am really sad that many times I do not know if someone needs comfort and if I can brighten up the child's day in some way or the other.

I am sleeping, dreaming, eating and drinking 'quotations', 'proposals' ,'comparative statements', 'assignments', 'record note books', attendance statements, 'Lab based exams', 'online tests', 'patch cords' etc for the past three weeks. Work is proceeding at a feversih pitch for the Language Resource Centre. For all this, maybe, I may not roast in Hell after all.

To top it all, I have been asked to prepare a 'Diagonostic Test' to test the proficiency level of our students in English. Am trying my best to first of all understand the dynamics of the test and the methodology to be followed in the design of such a test. However, with all the background study of it, I see a ray of light and hopefully, the task should be over by mid October.

Once again, students of the third year surprise us with their hard work for the Communication Skills Lab. The long hours of classes, the entire afternoon sometimes, seem to have paid off, as we hear of more students participating in paper presentations and winning prizes. And, their presentations on general topics are amazing...all very interesting and visually enriched. How well they present their ideas! Well, there may be one or two who may not be entirely good, but then, I feel teachers should be tolerant of students and not always expect the best. Sometimes, it is just not their day and everything goes wrong, including at the presentation in the English class. That's O.K. There should not be only X Men in a class... there may be a few slow takers.

Department of ECE celebrated "World Web Day" by inviting school students and teachers to an introduction to the world of Web. I was asked to give a short talk on Blogs (to my delight) and did so willingly. This was followed by talks by students and faculty. I believe that this was a good introduction, but due to internet failure there could be no live demo. That would have made it so interesting.
Exams are drawing close and I am on tenterhooks. How can life be so cruel...I mean, the semester started just now, seems like yesterday, and it is already time for exams! Instructions and more instructions from us must be making students' lives more and more misreable...I am sure we teachers will roast in the flames of Hell for such unkind acts!

Days are flying by in a flurry...the third year students are being groomed for their placement cum communication skills lab by the seniors who are holding mock interviews..believe me when I say they put the fear of God into the hearts of the juniors. The department is glad that the students have taken a lot of effort to give the students their first taste of interviews. They also wanted to give them some input on G.Ds. However, our biggest worry right now is holding the English lab component of the examination which requires LAN connections. Every year this poses a problem, because only now we find that systems have to be loaded with suitable software for the conduct of the exams. I, for one, will really be grateful to the merciful God when the Language Resource Centre (Language Lab) is completed. That might solve some of our misery...

Did I hear somebody say that interviews can be a breezy experience if you are well prepared and are calm? Ha...what an understatement, as I found out yesterday. As part of the Career Advancement scheme, as one moves to another scale or whatever, one faces a panel which decides if the employee is worthy of the upward movement. So, the TRB recruits of 2001 faced the experts' panel and the Commissioner on the 11th and the 12th. Mine was slotted for the 12th morning at GCT, Coimbatore.

The shock of seeing other colleagues emerge from the room is by itself unnerving. I thought I was handling it quite well by indulging in small talk and shop talk with friends. However, Vijay Anbalagan refused to talk or sing as is his wont and preferred to wander about. I was the second last to be called in. The shock hit me hard. There was the Commissioner himself and the ten other panel members to make the room smaller. No walls or windows are visible. The eyes play tricks and only these people fill one's vision. It looks like they are all waiting to ask questions and as one turns around ( the turnable computer chair made it seem like one was on a merry-go-round), the mouth turns dry and the lips seem to stick to one another. The heart is heard thudding...you wonder if the others can hear it...for the first few questions you only hear yourself as if from an echoing room. Then slowly sanity prevails and you begin to notice that everyone is trying their best to put you at ease. It seems easier to answer questions, if one is courteous, open and smiling.

After one has finished the interview, one savours every moment and tries very hard to recall every single moment...hard though it is. To admit, I shall never tell my students that interviews only require good preparation. Having expereinced it all first hand, I now empathise with my students who face these hard nosed campus interviewers in order to nail that job. Hats off to my students. They are brave, soldierly and can be called the courageous knights of the present day. And, if you dont agree with me, face an interview board and you will certainly know that I speak nothing but the truth. It is always easier to be the interviewer than the interviewed.

ECE had a gala valediction of the year long Embedded Design Contest conducted with Frontline, an Indo-Japanese Microcontroller company. There were students from far flung colleges and Mr.Kirowasaki, the Japanese CEO of the company was very happy with the enthusiastic participation from the colleges. Mr.Elwin Chandra Moni, AD, DOTE was also there. The department of ECE keeps involving students in several such projects.

By the way, Shri.Vijay Sharma, CEO, JSW, Salem distributed the JSW-GCE Scholarships to 6 meritorious students at SFAME at the annual inaugural function. As usual, it was a pleasure to listen to Shri Vijay Sharma...he narrated how he had started very humbly in life with the help of a scholarship at one point during his studies. He exhorted students to realise that when they earn in lakhs, they must remember that somewhere students might need financial support and at that time, they must extend a helping hand. It was leading by example...

And ah, the high point of this week for me has been the visit by one of our alumnae. The tall, lanky, stubble cheeked, unkempt and hollow-cheeked youngster who had seemed anxious, worried and undecided had gone. There he was - confident, cheerful and truly humbled by the experiences he had had at college.

"I am glad college taught me a few precious lessons...some very bitter ones. I loved a friend and lost her friendship, because I couldn't accept the fact that I had insulted friendship by imagining that I loved the girl. I was not a very sociable person then...I wanted friends to accept me as I was... and I learnt that one has to also accept the others as they are. I learnt that by judging my friends, I had lost them. The job has given me confidence that I can do something in life, as I was selected at a training session to become a Management trainee...I have decided to learn one good thing from someone around me everyday..." and this outpouring of emotions and pent-up thoughts came like a torrent. I could only gape in open-mouthed awe at this immense transformation...what is life at college not possible of?

Nasence 08, the ELA inauguration got off to a great start with an inaugural function. The present secretary Imtiaz Sheriff must be congratulated for the team that he co-ordinated - for, it wasn't just the Secretary who spearheaded the effort to introduce the first year students to ELA as part of their contribution to the personality development of our freshers. Student power was at its most visible strength today, as they all got together to delegate responsibilities, share work and contribute to the successful fruition of the programme. Five boys showed us what a team could do. For the first time in all these years, the ELA had its own inauguration. That itself was a laudable effort. They also have a number of plans to work with the department and on their own to help students realise their language power. The quiz organised by them for the occasion was quite interesting - neither too difficult, nor too easy. There is a plan afoot to upload the report on to the college website. I believe that these small efforts will go a long way in strengthening the student community's effort to give the institution a persona of its own. After all, a college is what its students are.

Department of ECE is conducting a three day training programme on VLSI for students. Department of English also organised a workshop on 'CV Writing and Interview Techniques' with the British Council of India and TEQIP, sponsoring the programme. The students enjoyed the presentation and responded well to the speaker. Mr.Ralph, the professional trainer and facilitator of the British Council was welcomed by the III Year students for whom the programme was conducted. They say they have picked up a few useful tips. However, they have to begin theri preparations in earnest to make a mark in the next academic year.

Prof.S.R.Damodarasamy was promoted as Principal, GCE, Salem 11 and Prof.Kavimani as Principal, GEC, Bargur on Monday by the Directorate.
A common syllabus for all the Anna Universities has come through this semester. However, there seem to be some bottlenecks, since the English syllabus is different in the university at Chennai and Coimbatore. Everything should be clear in a week, else teachers are going to meander around without clear directions from the University.
However, teachers are always resourceful, so they are sure to find ways and means to handle the challenge.

I am literally bursting with information - the NBA panel comprising senior academicians from IITs, NITs and Universities was at college for the last two days. Two days of strenuous activity, a little stressful too, since the panel had hundreds of questions and also had to be taken around on a whirlwind tour of the college. One could not guess what their reaction was. Well, I can only sigh; I am also keeping my fingers crossed, because as an insider, I know the amount of hard work, sweat and hopes that have gone into the preparation for the past two months. All this, for the sake of our students.

The Alumni can take pride in the fact that they contributed in no small measure to the success of the feedback they gave to the panel, during the interaction that the panel had with the alumni and the industry. There were star guests and alumni who included Dr.Annamalai, Director of SAIL, Salem and first HOD of Metallurgy , and also an alumnae, Shri.Vijai Sharma, CEO, Jindal Steels, GM of Burn Standard, Paul of CTS and Simon of CSC, Noel of ISRO and a number of other notable members of the GCE alumni and Industry. The feedback given by Shri Vijai Sharma was the most appreciated for the comprehensiveness, completeness and effectiveness in terms of the expectations of the Panel about the role of industry. The alumni were also most sincere and appreciative in their assessment of the college. Mr. Pandian, Asst.GM, marketing (Exports) had gone that extra mile to ensure the success of the meet. The Panel wholeheartedly appreciated the feedback given at the meet.

I only wish they give a favourable confirmation and that formal accreditation is given to the college from the AICTE based on their overview.

The first year classes began yesterday. I went to the EEE classes and found that even with my laryngitis, I managed to chat with students via the old and trusted blackboard. Students were so good to me, because I found that they were responding very well to their dumb (!) teacher with deep understanding, spontaneity and sympathy writ large on their faces. In fact, there were more students talking to me than in normal times - perhaps, I speak more then or perhaps, the exhortations that we make to students to speak only ensure silence!When the bell went off (five minutes earlier due to the department clock running five minutes earlier than the rest of the clocks in the college), I was happy to have had a different kind of teaching experience. Makes one appreciate the little voice box. Wonder if classes would be more interesting to students if teachers talked less!!!

The last piece of good news that came just as I was leaving college for the day was that Zinnov, the company run by three of our alumni - Pari, who has written in earlier and is one of the directors of Zinnov, was visiting the college to recruit our students. It was one of the most uplifting news for me. I do believe that the alumni is so deeply involved in the welfare of its juniors that such motivating and inspiring gestures come spontaneously. Good for you Pari and co. God bless you boys. (However, I am sad that I will not be meeting your HRs to extend my personal greetings to you all - am on leave today).

The NBA fever is on. Everybody is in a tizzy preparing files and documents and records. The panel is visiting the college on the 8th,9th and 10th of this month.

Change is the law of nature. How true this is of GCE, Salem, which sees changes every year, with new batches of freshers for the various departments, with new challenging tasks every semester, perhaps, I should also add, new approaches to teaching and learning too. We have the admission process for the first year students and it should be one big fiesta, as always. Fear, anxiety, excitement, pride and joy can all be seen in their gamut tomorrow. What a moment it is for many families...as a beloved son or daughter is sent away from the home environs into a new place of professional studies. I share in the joy of all.

I've discovered the most amazing use of the net...the availability of free course materials for engineering offered by the IITs. I checked the web page and wow...it is something similar to the MIT venture. Our students can immensely benefit from this.

-Good Initiative taken by IIT's & IISc (This is really useful for continuous learners) The IITs have taken up an initiative of starting online teaching and thus have started offering course materials online for every engineering stream.Many professors from all the IITs have provided course materials for each chapter and each subject.One has to register at the link provided below and can access the course material free of cost.Every Chapter has been described with diagrams and charts. Please spread this message to everyone, as many can benefit from this program taken up by the government and IIT.This is just a trial period going on and hence i request everyone to register at the link given.1] Type the following address on internet explorer http://www.nptel.iitm.ac.in/ 2] Click on Courses 3] Sign up as a NEW USER 4] And one can access any course material.Please spread the word, so that this initiative benefits as many students as possible.

I do not know how else I can spread this information...so this is one of my efforts. Shall try other means too.

Principal Ebenezer Jeyakumar retires from service today. However, the farewells were hosted yesterday. It was quite strange actually - there was more a sense of intense pride in having been a part of the Principal's achievements in everyone of us than an acute feeling of sadness that such a fine man was leaving us. It is my fervent hope and prayer that the next principal will carry on with the momentum created by him. In the farewell speech, he highlighted what he hadn't done or was leaving incomplete and attributed the success of the college's performance to his team of professors, teachers and other supporting staff. The placement officer, Mr. Rajkumar offered the best piece of news for the Principal - that Appollo Tyres had taken in 5 of our students and with that the placement figures for the year stands at 98.5%. All GCEians can take pride in this, immense pride!

Professor Damodarsamy assumes charge as Principal-in-charge.

For the first time, I visited the quarters to invite friends and others in the B,C and D type quarters. Was amazed at the size of each of the houses. Spacious, airy and opening on to huge open spaces outside ...birds of various kinds chirping, fluting and cawing...everything was so serene, calm and peaceful. I then heard that all this would be razed down by Periyar University to house its departments and that the housing quarters for GCE would be moved closer to the IOC filling and storage station..to inhale its pure fumes and breathe in its gassy fragrance. How could life be so cruel?

But then, as with everything else, life must go on...

Vacation starts for me from today. However, I must confess it is to be utilised more for my son's wedding preparations than any serious academic pursuit or professional updation. But, nothing shall deter me from enjoying my son's wedding, not the exams, not the valuations , not journal deadlines, not article writing.

I must share the latest whisper doing the rounds in the college...the government seems to have given its NOC for granting autonomy to GCE. It will be a milestone in the annals of the college...the transition from a dependent infant to an independent toddler. Since the actual mechanism of autonomy and what it means for the department of English is still not clear to me, I hope that it will bring about some changes in tune with the needs of the day in technical education.

This set me thinking...it looks like the government has given GCE all it needs by way of infrastructure and is now ready to let it go in its own way... the way a mother lets go off her children once they grow up so that they can fight, lose, survive, win and make their own lives. The law of nature works everywhere.

Even as teachers and students prepare for the vacation and study holidays respectively, one finds hundred and one tasks to be completed before one can really sit back and sigh and say, "Ah, the work for the year is over!' AU, Coimbatore had online examination application forms for the students...and paucity of staff led to students themselves going online at the college, downloading the forms and filling them online...something that one could not have imagined earlier.

The canteen nowadays has more customers from the nearby Periyar University, since theirs is of the stuff shoe leather and reindeer horns are made of - tough on the teeth and bad for digestion. Or so, some of them have confessed. Good to know that the GCE canteen is appreciated. I'm sure all GCEians will be happy to hear this. The vadai is great stuff...the thattapayir kolambu is ...slurppp...the rasam , watery but tasty...the poriyal oniony and coconutty...it is not blameless, but it is not poor either. And oh, the rosemilk and badam kheer...served in tall plastic tumblers, is chill, sweet and satisfying these hot summer days. Chappathis are served on special request too...