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Tamil, computer science courses emerge favourite choices in TN's Tiruchy government arts colleges

Tamil, computer science courses emerge favourite choices in TN's Tiruchy government arts colleges

TIRUCHY: Government arts and science colleges in Tiruchy have witnessed a record surge in applications for UG courses for academic year 2025-2026, with over 1.9 lakh students vying for limited seats across five institutions. On Monday, the first day of admission counselling, Tamil, Computer Science, and Commerce emerged as the sought-after courses, reflecting a shift in student aspirations shaped by government job dreams and job-oriented training programmes.
The Thanthai Periyar Government Arts and Science College received 1,00,617 applications for just 1,600 seats, which is a steep 15% increase from last year's 87,534, and nearly double from 54,004 applications received in 2023. This year, a maximum of 9,301 students applied for admission to Tamil. Computer Science and Commerce received 8,231 and 8,130 applications respectively.
In Thiruverumbur's Government Arts College, a similar pattern is evident. At Srirangam Government Arts and Science College, the trend tilts toward career-focused streams. The college has only 470 seats, making competition stiff. The Government Arts and Science College in Kumulur, Lalgudi Taluk, has also seen applications rise from 11,000 last year to 18,642 this year.

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Why roasted gram should be your pantry staple
Why roasted gram should be your pantry staple

Mint

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Why roasted gram should be your pantry staple

One morning, I had idlis steaming away for breakfast when I realised I was out of molaga podi—the classic spicy lentil powder we mix with sesame oil to accompany idlis and dosas. A quick scan of the fridge yielded barely two spoons of grated coconut, frozen solid. That's when my pantry saviour stepped in: roasted gram, or pottu kadalai, as it's known in Tamil. This humble, beige-hued ingredient has an unmatched ability to rescue a chutney emergency. I blended it with the little coconut, a green chilli, a touch of tamarind and some salt, and I had a thick chutney that could rival any local darshini in Bengaluru. The beauty of roasted gram is that it blends smoothly, adds body to chutneys and keeps them from turning watery. It is ideal for sandwich spreads or travel food, where you want your chutney to add flavour and not sogginess. Sure, you could use roasted peanuts for a similar effect. But that means roasting, cooling and then blending, not to mention the extra fat and calories. 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Instant green chutney: Blend a handful of coriander, mint, one green chilli, a slice of ginger, two cloves of garlic, 4 tbsp of roasted gram, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and a little water. It's sandwich or wrap-ready and travels well. Desi hummus: Blend a cup or so of roasted gram with garlic, lemon juice and a spoon of tahini (or sesame seeds) along with a splash of water. Season with cumin and salt. Top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. It's not authentic, but it's creamy and tasty, and comes together in 3 minutes, giving you an instant dip for your veggies or crackers. Fortified buttermilk: Blend some roasted gram to get a fine powder (like sattu). Add 1 tbsp of this powder to a glass of buttermilk, with a pinch of black salt, cumin powder, chopped coriander and a squeeze of lemon. Chill and drink. It's cooling, filling and excellent for hot days. Subzi booster: Keep a jar of coarsely powdered roasted gram in your pantry. 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Remove to a plate and allow to cool. Blend all these ingredients along with salt to a fine powder in a blender jar. To prepare the chutney, mix 3-4 tbsp of the powder and required quantity of water. If required add a tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves in a little oil to top the chutney. Double Tested is a fortnightly column on vegetarian cooking, highlighting a single ingredient prepared two ways. Nandita Iyer's latest book is The Great Indian Thali. She posts @saffrontrail on Instagram and X.

14 Virudhunagar students crack national entrance exams
14 Virudhunagar students crack national entrance exams

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time2 days ago

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Why It's ‘Kannada' For Karnataka & ‘Kannad' For North? ‘1st Language Interference' Explained
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Why It's ‘Kannada' For Karnataka & ‘Kannad' For North? ‘1st Language Interference' Explained

Last Updated: There has been a significant row over non-Kannada speakers' inability to speak the local language fluently. The simmering language debate in Karnataka has taken a new turn, this time, over the pronunciation of South Indian languages. A common point of contention is the frequent mispronunciation of 'Kannada" as 'Kannad," which has irked many locals. Even Kannada star Kiccha Sudeep joined the conversation, saying, 'Just like Hindi cannot be called Hind, Kannada cannot be Kannad." But the question remains. How did the phrase 'Kannad' come into existence? According to a recent discussion with linguists in Deccan Herald, many believe it's a result of 'first language interference", where a speaker's native language influences their pronunciation and usage of other languages. Why Do People Pronounce Kannada As Kannad? Meti Mallikarjuna, a linguist, professor and researcher at Kuvempu University, spoke to the outlet, explaining how linguistic structures are different for different languages, including Kannada and Hindi. 'While Kannada and other Dravidian languages are largely based on vowels, which means the words end with a vowel, languages like Hindi end with a consonant sound," he added. As a result, those unfamiliar vowel-ending languages are likely to struggle with the correct pronunciation and end up mixing it with a consonant sound. The linguistic expert went on to cite a few examples, showing the difference between the pronunciation in Hindi and Kannada, such as pustak-pustaka (book), ganith-ganitha (mathematics) and chintan-chintana (think). Likewise, DN Shankara Bhat, another linguist, stated how speakers make certain changes in pronunciation when they borrow more from other languages. 'The structure of the borrowed word may be different from what the speaker is exposed to in their primary language. This is the reason why North Indians refer to our language as Kannad," he added. Noting that the mispronunciation of Kannad is not necessarily wrong, as such adjustments are common, Bhat went on to share how English speakers have a distinction between alphabets but Indians do not. Sahiba, an academician and former Kannada professor, explained how pronunciation issues prevail among Tamil speakers as well when they converse in Kannada using Tamil grammar. 'The grammatical rules of the primary language are deeply rooted everywhere. Many speakers are only able to adapt to the grammar of a second language while speaking it is as much as their own primary language," she explained. Linguistic experts continued to emphasise that the variations in mispronouncing languages might not be deliberate, as not everyone is aware of it, and they have nobody to correct them. Despite being a common issue with speakers from all parts of the country, many within the state of Karnataka are still seen as being targeted for not speaking Kannada fluently or mispronouncing words. It reflects how language politics have been unfairly affecting those with limited access to linguistic support. First Published:

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