ENGLISH

The Department of English, Payyanur College, Payyanur started functioning in 1965, the very year in which the college was founded. Only Pre-degree classes were held then. It was elevated to an undergraduate department in 1969. The activities of the department gained momentum with the contributions of the students and the teachers in the academic process. The need for a regular post graduate course was gradually felt in the region and it became a reality in the year 2013. Commendable display of research temper and spirit in all the activities ensued the upgradation of the department to a Research Centre with 4 Research guides in 2023. At present the department faculty consists of eleven regular members and two guest teachers. The teachers strive for competence and are updated on the latest academic domains.

The department has signed Memorandum of Understandings with English Language Teachers’ Interaction Forum (ELTIF) and other neighboring institutions. It also extends its goodwill for community orientation by having collaborations and linkages with various regional institutions. The department was a Training Partner Institution of the ASAP programme of the Government of Kerala. The department offers opportunity for the students not only to get a degree in language and literature but also to get an exposure to study the world’s finest works in the historical and cultural contexts. Due weightage is given to co-curricular activities and student-centric approaches to learning, so also to extension activities for the benefit of the community around.

In addition to the regular UG and PG programs, it has offered Special Certificate Courses in Communicative English, Film Studies and Subtitling, and Creative Writing and Translation. Currently, it offers the Certificate Course in Creative Writing and Critical Thinking. Regular opportunities for interaction with experts in the field of literary and cultural studies are provided to the students through seminars and invited talks. Remedial classes, tutorial sessions, literary and cultural festivals are the other regular activities. The teachers are always accessible to the students, thus setting a fine ambience of knowledge production and exchange. 

The department is very particular in being inclusive and extending special care to the differently-abled students to boost their confidence and make them feel that they are part of the mainstream. The students are also given counselling on the various opportunities awaiting them. All sorts of personal help, including financial support, are extended to the needy students. The students of the department have proved their calibre by fetching university ranks. They have got admissions for higher studies in the premier institutions all over India and abroad. Most of our students are placed well as they are equipped for a diverse range of professional fields that include teaching, fine arts, journalism, the publishing industry etc. and they also contribute to the field of technology and start-up ventures. They always yearn to return to their alma mater with great affection.

The department attracts the budding aspirants and leads them to heights of all-round development. All these finer aspects have contributed to its being a leading department of English among the affiliated colleges in the university.