Hindusthan College of Arts and Science is committed to provide not only world-class academics but also beyond the classroom initiatives. The main focus of the college is to achieve holistic development of the students. The process of achieving holistic development is done through intellectual, mental, physical, emotional and social development of the students. Various activities are conducted for students in the college to achieve the holistic development throughout the year continuously.

    The idea of Education is to refine the life of the students by empowering them to enhance intellectual, mental, physical, emotional and social abilities. The students as individuals will come across lot of challenges in their work place, society and in personal life and therefore need to enhance their abilities to face such challenges. The college facilitates the students to be successful in their life by  participating in various activities and enhance their abilities for the fulfilment of holistic development.

i. Intellectual and Mental development

       Conducting series of seminars, conferences, guest lectures, workshops to provide hands on training, internship training, exhibitions, value added courses, online courses facilitate intellectual and mental development.

       The departmental associations conduct series of seminars and conferences, guest lectures and workshops based on the targeted planning. 734 programmes were conducted in the last five years by various departments. Internship training is provided in the curriculum itself, whereas hands on training is given with the help of industry through MOUs signed. 126 MOUs were signed during the last 5 years. Exhibitions are organised by the Departments of Computer Science stream, Department of Management, Department of Commerce, Department of Costume Design and Fashion, etc., 20 exhibitions are conducted where the products are displayed and demonstrated by the students. Value added courses and online courses are included in the curriculum to develop the mental and intellectual ability of the students. 465 value added courses are offered by the departments and 87992 online certification was received by the students. Various placement training programmes and soft skill enhancement programmes were conducted for students by the placement cell to enhance the mental ability of the students. Further, the activities of Quiz club, Elocution club, VaasippuMutram, Art club, Craft club, etc., helped the students to develop their mental and intellectual abilities.

ii. Physical development

        The physical activities such as sports and games like Volley Ball, Basket Ball, Hand Ball, Badminton, Cricket, Foot Ball, Kho-Kho, Kabaddi, Carrom, Chess, Gymnasium, Karate, Silambam, etc., contribute for physical development. More than 33 events were conducted towards sports and other activities during the last 5 years. 

iii. Emotional development

      Counselling, yoga, soft skills training, leadership training, role play activities etc., contribute for emotional development. There is a separate counselling cell functioning in the name of student support cell in the college where the students seek guidance from the counsellor on academic and personal issues. Soft skill training, leadership training and role play activities are being conducted at regular intervals. 

iv. Social development

        The programs organised and conducted by NSS, YRC, Social work students, clubs and other students of various departments through extension activities form part of the  social  development. A few of the activities are given below. 

         The students regularly conduct rallies to create an awareness on Swachh Bharat Mission, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, De-addiction, female infanticide and  the use of helmets to save lives. A Marathon entitled ‘Kalam Vision 2020’was organised  and it started from Hindusthan College of Arts and Science campus to Rameshwaram to spread the concept of Humanism, Love and Brotherhood among the people and to create  a peaceful society in the future. Another Rally was organised and it started from the Sathyamangalam bus stand to HICAS campus to emphasise the importance of wearing Helmets. The students carried the Olympic Torch and the rally drew a huge response from the public. As a service to people who were affected by GAJA cyclone, basic essentials like Rice, Dal, Bedsheets, Mats, Clothes, etc., were collected and transported through a lorry arranged by the college and were distributed to the people of Keeramangalam village and Aappankudi village in Pudukottai District and Peravurani of Thanjavur District. A rally was organised by the NSS, NCC and YRC students for eradication of plastics. The hazards of using plastics and its effects on the environment were demonstrated by the students to the public. In association with Indian Express, the college has distributed relief materials to the flood affected areas in the Nilgiris.

     The students were involved in all the activities conducted by the college and gained knowledge and developed their skills for attaining holistic development. Those activities also helped the students to become confident, develop their organising skills and in turn gave them a platform to expose their hidden potentials and exhibit their talents to the society. The number of students placed through on and off campus,  competitive examinations, entrepreneurs and those moved to higher studies remain as an evidence for  the success.

▶️  Holistic development is a qualitative aspect which is difficult to be measured and analysed. However, the college is keen on developing key values attached to holistic development through several activities and taking utmost care in shaping the students by enhancing their abilities.

▶️  The students can be classified under learning levels as slow learners and advanced learners and this classification pose problems in developing the core values of students. 

▶️  When the strength of the students increases year by year, same strategy could not be used.

▶️  In case of enhancement of certain values, the dependability on using the external sources increases. 

     In view of the success of this best practice, it has been decided to include this practice in the curriculum in future. Through holistic development, the students will gain self-confidence, self-esteem, organising ability and a sense of accomplishment. Holistic development of students is an essential  element and it is an inevitable concept too, yet our institution is following scrupulously.