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Community College | 
A community college is a comprehensive institution of higher education, offering educational programs which include courses in occupational and technical fields and continuing education. The community college is the need of the hour. It responds to the challenges of exclusion and elimination from the formal system, mismatch between education and employment capability, poverty, and problems of unemployment, under-employment, unemployability and school dropouts. It is established by non- profit making, non-commercial and community based organization. | |
The initiative for Community college in India came from Tamil Nadu. It was Dr. Xavier Alphonse, the then Principal of Loyola College, Chennai, who established the first Community College in India -The Madras Community College in San Thom, Chennai. In he set up the Indian Centre for Research and Development of Community Education (ICRDCE) to facilitate the growth of community colleges in India. Today, India has colleges and ICRDCE is the Coordinating agency of Community Colleges recognized by U G C. | |
To quote from an interview of Dr. Xavier Alphonse reported in Mylapore Times (dated May 29 - June 04, 2004), the Community College is 'a place that makes people fit for a job. It is an alternative system of education to empower the socially, economically and educationally disadvantaged. Here, we concentrate more on skill development based on each individual. Anyone can join - school dropouts, degree holders who want to learn a particular skill...
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The Community college holds the answer to the problem faced by a country like India where more than half the population is marginalized on account of the lack of accessibility to opportunities. Today the Government of India has recognized the functional utility of the Community Colleges in addressing the issue of the large number of people being left out in the development process on account of the complex socio-economic reality of India.
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The Community College movement has drawn the attention of the Govt. of India from the year 1999. The system has been mentioned in the Union Planning Commission (2007-12) Tenth Five Year Plan document. It has been included in the 11th Five Year Plan for establishment and funding recommended by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and U. G. C. A National Committee on Community Colleges has been formed by U. G. C in 2007 to discuss the concept and methodology for establishment and functioning of Community Colleges and Dr. Xavier Alphonse, Director, ICRDCE has been appointed chairman. In the light of the document submitted to the U. G.C, the M H R D has decided to grant recognition to Community Colleges.
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An important milestone has been achieved with IGNOU'S decision to offer associate degree to students of Community Colleges. The associate degree provides the student a career oriented qualification and at the same time enables him to get into a university. With IGNOU'S associate degree, a student will be able to get lateral entry into the third year of degree programme. APACC is one of the Community Colleges registered under IGNOU. |
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