THE DYNAMICS AND FUNCTIONING OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SERVICE LEARNING AT LOYOLA COLLEGE, CHENNAI ? A CASE STUDY

Loyola College had initiated an extension programme in 1978 for the postgraduate students where each student was expected to undertake 120 hours of community service in the course of their studies. The programme was known as Loyola Extension and Awareness Programme (LEAP). The management of Loyola College strongly felt that not only PG students but all students who pass through the college should have some knowledge of the social situation around them. Hence, Outreach programme for the undergraduates, known as Loyola Empowerment and Reach-out Network (LEARN) was started during the academic year 2001 ? 2002. The department of Foundation Studies, now known as School of Human Excellence in Loyola, teaches the students to do Social Analysis and the Department of Outreach takes the students to have practical exposure to the realities of life in the neighborhood areas, particularly to the slum communities. This process not only helps them to be socially conscious but also would enable them to realize their social responsibility to the society. It has now become an integral part of the academic programme to both the aided and self-supporting course students in Loyola. The value education should be an integral part of education of every student who left the portal of the college with a degree and the students should become socially conscious. The Outreach programme, earlier known as Loyola Extension Programme, is named as the Department of Service Learning during the academic year 20015 ? 2016.