Sri Meenakshi Government Arts College for Women situated in a sprawling campus of 17 acres in the heart of Madurai city was established in the year 1965 to educate and empower women from rural and underprivileged sections of the society in and around Madurai. With an aim of imparting knowledge through holistic education and to make the students independent and responsible citizens of the society, many student activities are introduced at the department level and at the college level.
The Student Council, consisting of student representatives who are elected in the Student Council Election which is held in a transparent manner, is the apex student body which co-ordinates the various student programs held throughout the academic year. The Student Council is guided by the Principal of the college and the respective department which is in charge of the smooth conduct of the Union Activities for that specific academic year.
The Student Union consists of the Union Chairman, Union Vice-Chairman, Secretaries of different student support units like NSS, NCC, Sports, Fine Arts, Audio-Visual Arrangement and the Hostel. Post- Graduate students and Shift II students have their representatives in the Student Union. The Student Council Members acquire leadership qualities and serve as models for their fellow students to emulate their organizational skills.
Being an autonomous institution since 1998, the college has designed many specific papers that focus on the knowledge and skills indispensable to face the challenges of the modern scenario. Non-major elective papers are formulated to assist the students to acquire an in-depth understanding of the predominant issues of the present times such as gender-based studies, women’s studies, papers in interview techniques, public administration, entrepreneurial practice and fundamentals of accounting. Extension Activity, a core component of the Under Graduate framework entails hands-on experience in the industry or society integrated activities as an integral component. The integration of academic input together with a hands-on-experience chisel the young graduates into confident graduates as they pass out of the portals of the institution.
The Department of English has incorporated the Content and Language-Based Learning(CLIL) modules in its Part II English syllabus. CLIL is a pilot project designed under the Tamil Nadu Innovative Initiatives (TANII) program of Tamil Nadu State Council For Higher Education (TANSCHE). Our college is one of the three Government Arts Colleges in Tamil Nadu that have introduced this project in the academic year 2017-2018. This is an innovative effort to enhance the language competency of the learners through ten different books that are major-specific. This is a learner-centered program where students can progress at their own pace. The gradual gradation in the four-semester CLIL books which is based on Bloom’s Taxonomy instills confidence in the learners in the use of the English language.
Bridge Course for the new entrants with textbooks prepared by TANSCHE is yet another program spearheaded by the English Department which creates an awareness in the learners and enlightens them about the necessity of learning English in the modern world.
The various Association Meetings and competitions, the participation of students in intra-departmental, inter-departmental and inter-collegiate programs and competitions provide avenues for students to hone their skills to face the competitive world of today.
The relevance of Gandhian ideals to the modern world is understood by the students as they take up the Diploma in Gandhian Thought (DGT) and Certificate in Gandhian Thought (CGT) examinations conducted by Madurai Kamaraj University. Our college is the proud recipient of the shield awarded for the maximum number of students taking up these examinations.
Active involvement of the students in different forums of the college such as the NCC, NSS, Sports, Fine Arts, Youth Welfare, Red Ribbon Club, Youth Red Cross, Consumer Club, Science Forum, Niche Club, Readers Forum and Research Forum develops a positive attitude in them, emphasises the importance of teamwork, time management skills and build leadership qualities.
The Career Guidance Cell creates an awareness to the students about the vast job opportunities for young graduates. Soft Skills Training programs and mock interviews are conducted to assist the students to face job interviews confidently.
The College Library in the lofty heights, on the third floor, is a storehouse of knowledge with books, journals, and daily newspapers that are a boon to the student community. Students are privileged to access and download 6,000 E-journals and 30,000 E-books through INFLIBNET NLIST facilities in the library. Many students have made the maximum use of the available resources and cleared competitive examinations.