The Department of English is as old as the college. One of the founders, Prof.A.M.Varki was attached to the department.His reputation as a teacher and orator, and the stature of early teachers like Prof. Aravamuda Iyengar gave the department great prestige.  The irrepressible Malcolm Muggeridge spent five years of his formative period in the department, existing precariously on the margins of institutional discipline, teaching highbrow texts of British writing to first generation college students in a provincial backyard of the empire, and gathering resources and wit and humor that would sustain his colourful future as author, broadcaster, celebrity and editor (Punch).  Muggeridge who enjoyed and commented (with a trace of critical humour) on the residential and academic life here, returned to the campus in the 60s with a BBC crew to film the academic life of the college.  There were also teachers like Rev. T.V. John who has been immortalized in the writings of Guru Nithya Chaithanya Yati. 


               Courses Offered

               Under graduate Courses : BA English
               Post Graduate Courses: MA English ,Ph.D
              

Programme

Level of study

Cut-off  marks at  entry level in %

Student strength

BA

UG

60.00%

50

MA

PG

60.00%

18

Ph.D.

Doctoral

55.00%

10


               BA English
Students list
I BA
II BA
III BA
Syllabus
I BA
II BA
III BA
Question Papers
I BA
II BA
III BA
Teacher-in-charge
I BA
II BA
III BA

               MA English

Students list
I MA
II MA
III MA
IV MA
Syllabus
I MA
II MA
III MA
IV MA
Question Papers
I MA
II MA
III MA
IV MA
Teacher-in-charge
I MA
II MA
III MA
IV MA


              International Academic Programmes

International Seminar
International Seminar on ‘(Ex)istence on the Margin and Beyond’,”  January 8-9, 2001.
International Seminar on ‘Encounter and Identity,’ January 23-24,  2000.

              International Linkages
From the early nineties the department has been maintaining close association with premier academic centres.Collaborative programs with ASRC, Hyderabad, and SCILET, American College, Madurai, organized in 1996 cemented the association.  The department continues to maintain association with the Inter University Centre for International Studies (IUCIS - formerly ASRC).  The faculty and the students have been participating in the January Term for student groups from Austin College, Texas. A member of the faculty convened the January Term programme during the previous year.  Teachers have served as resource persons for visiting student groups.

              Faculty details

Sl. No.

Name of the teacher

Qualifications

1

Marcus Criselda Prabhavathy

MA

2

A.M.Geevarghese

MA, MPhil

3

Sulatha Annie Thomas

MA, MPhil

4

Varghese John

MA, MPhil, PhD

5

M Latha Mathew

MA

6

Ancy Eapen

MA, PhD

7

C. Jacob George

MA, MPhil, PhD

8

Susan Thomas

MA, BEd

9

Suma mary Skariah

MA, BEd, MEd

10

Rekha Nair

MA, MPhil

11

Sonia Chacko

MA

12

Isha S.R.

MA

13

Soumi Mary

MA, BEd

14

Deepa Xavier

MA, BEd

15

Indu Rajasekharan

MA



              Activities of the Department
              ( a ) Ongoing Research
""The Novels of Shashi Deshpande:  Fictional Realisations of Post-feminist Paradigms"" Priya Gainneos
"An Eco Feminist Study of Selected Writings of Mahaswetha Devi,Arundhati Roy and Sara Joseph" Niji C I (part time)
"Preface to the Digital Dialectics: " A M Geevarghese (part time)
"Myth and Ritual in the Plays of Louis Valdez" Saji K S (part time; recently granted FIP, and joining for full time research shortly)
Creative Lie and Autobiography in the Writings of   Cinny Rachel Mathew (part time; recently granted FIP, and joining for full time research shortly)
"Paradigms of Conflict in Indian Fiction in English, 1981-1990" Sonia Chacko (JRF scholar now on extension of research period, part time)
"Space in the Fiction of J M Coetzee"

Bindu Jamal (part time; recently granted FIP, and joining for full time research shortly)

The Poetry of R S Thomas Mary (part time)
Paradigms of Change: New Articulation of Relationships in the works of Denise levertove, Maxine hong Kingston, Nikki Giovanni and Paula Gunn Allen" Tessy Anthony (part time)

              ( b ) 21 day-Refresher course
                     MG University Refresher Course for College Teachers, 1999

               ( c ) International Seminar
                     1. International Seminar on ‘(Ex)istence on the Margin and Beyond’,”  January 8-9, 2001.
                     2. International Seminar on ‘Encounter and Identity,’ January 23-24,  2000.

              ( d ) National Seminar
                     1. National Seminar on Translating Women’s Reality through Creative Self Expression,
                        4-6 November 2004

               ( e ) Other Seminars and Work Shops
1 One Day Workshop on Girish Karnad’s Hayavadana and Naga-mandala. Indo-American Drama Workshop Series, February 14, 2001.
2 Seminar on “Literature of Other Dimensions: South African and Jewish Experiences,” July 18, 2003.
3 “Montage 2003”: Five Day Workshop on Film Studies, February 2003.
4 Seminar on “Manufacturing Consent: Chomsky and Modern Media,” March 2003.
5 One day Seminar on Modernism [Dr.Muthalik Desai] 27 September 2004

              ( f ) Books
1999

American Literature and Indian English Literature: Studies in Cultural Contiguity.

Edited by A. M. Geevarghese and Varghese John. New Delhi: Prestige Books, 1999.

[ISBN: 81-7551-065-X]

2000

Commemorative volume Remembering Prof. C.T. Benjamin, 2000 [Department Publication]

2001

Girish Karnad’s ‘Nagamandala’ and ‘Hayavadana’: Proceedings of the Indo-Canadian

Drama Workshop. Alwaye: CCS, 2001.

 (Jacob George)

2002

(Ex)istence on the Margins and Beyond: Canada and India.

 New Delhi: Prestige Books, 2002 [Jacob George Ed.]

Encounter and Identity: Perspectives on Indo-Canadian Studies.

New Delhi: Prestige Books (ISBN 81-7551-105-2; Jacob George).

Introducing Canadian Studies. Alwaye: Jigs Publishers, 2002 (ISBN 817525-335-5; Jacob George)


              ( g ) Journals

1

Journal of Indo-American Studies (ISSN 0972-6497; Jacob George)

2

Journal of Indo-Canadian Studies (ISSN 0972-330; Jacob George, editor and publisher)


              ( h )    Research

Ever since the Department became an approved Research Centre of the M.G. University (1990), research has been a priority. In sheer quantitative terms, this is manifested by the number of Ph.Ds produced [12].  The research supervisors encourage their protégés to take up work in areas that reach beyond the conventional disciplinary boundaries.  The thrust areas have been Immigrant Writing, Diaspora Literature, American Indian Writing, Welsh Writers, Canadian Literature, Science Fiction, Technological and Economic Paradigms, Women Writers, and Indian Writing in English.

During the last five years the department registered significant achievements in the following areas:


1 Faculty publication [three books and 20 articles]
2 Presentation of papers at conferences [19]
3 2 international seminars
4 2 national seminars
5 12 PhDs from the Research Department
6 UGC grant for two seminars during the current year [women and creativity, Language]
7 One major project of the UGC (ongoing)
8 University ranks (2nd and 3rd) for BA and MA respectively
9 Numerous prizes for students in Elocution, Debates and Quiz

              The plan of action for the next five years includes:

  • A network of locally available resource persons will be established.The work on this has been initiated with two lecture sessions by teachers in retirement.
  • The research supervisors in the department will initiate a helpdesk activity for new researchers in the region.This will include consultation on methodology, topic delimitation, and compilation of working bibliographies.Lectures will be organized in the department on new approaches, key concepts and thrust areas.
  •  A lecture series for postgraduate students on staggered format.
  • A faculty exchange programme generally involving colleges in the region, and occasionally involving institutions in other parts of India.
  • A film-related activity in alternate years (initiated last year with a work-shop)
  • Development of academic infrastructure (The space has been assigned for this. Basic furniture and alteration of assigned space is awaited)
  • A departmental collection of books and journals (The financial plan has been made. Annual grants for the next three years has been independently secured by the department)
  • Identification of donors for developmental assistance.
  • Commencement of M.Phil Programme if the facilitating policy is adopted by the government.This was not in place at the time of an earlier application.
  • A book bank for disadvantaged students. Training sessions for National Eligibility Tests (NET) for postgraduate students.

              Roll of Honour
              ( a ) Student Achievements-----Miscellaneous
1 Ist prize in English Short Story at MG University Youth Festival 2002-2003 [Viju Kurian]
2 TV Song Programmes [Sherine]
3 TV Anchor [Manju]
4 3rd Prize at MG University Mime Competition[Manju & team]
5 Ist Prize Veegafest Cinematic Dance [Manju]
6 Dance progammmes in Ernakulam[Binitha VJ]
7 Dance Teacher[Binitha VJ]
8 Second prize at InterCollegiate Literary Quiz at St.Thomas college, Pala [Viju Kurian and Kolbe Davis]
9 Selected for a TV Serial and acted in a Song Video[Manju]
10 Music Troupe[Ratheesh]
11 Cinematic Dance Kairali TV [Ratheesh]

              ( b ) Carol Singing
Team Nithya Janardhanan, Shruthy Francis, Merin manju, Rechitha, Johny CT, Renjitha, Anju
1 Aluva Mar Athanasious memorial Trophy [First]
2 Ernakulam chavara Cultural Centre competition [First]
3 Jeevan TV[Second]

               ( c ) Speech and Debates
Anu Unny
1 Father Vadakkan Memorial competition [First]
2 State Co-operative union competition [First]
3 Chavara Cultural Centre Competition [Third]
4 CUSAT Trophy [Third]

              ( d ) Sports and Games
Ashgar AA
1 Member, MG University Softball Team [Four times]
2 Member of the team which won the All India inter university Championship
3 Captain of the MG University Softball Team
4 Captain of the Ernakulam District Softball Team [Winner 2003]
5 Coached the Ernakulam Sub-Junior Softball Team which finished as Runners-up

 

 














 
 

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