Two established colleges in Chennai are gearing up to welcome girls into their classrooms from this academic year, shedding the “male tag” attached to them over the decades.

Both the 184-year-old Pachaiyappa’s College in Poonamalee High Road and 60-year-old C. Kandaswami Naidu College for Men in Anna Nagar (both run by the Pachaiyappas Trust Board) started taking baby steps towards transition into a co-educational system at the post-graduate level and for evening college respectively. This will be the first academic year when undergraduate courses would see a mixed classroom.

“We hope to fill at least 30 percent of undergraduate courses enrolling women this academic year. This percentage will be increased to 50 percent in the coming years,” says V. M. Muthuramalinga Andavar, principal of C. Kandaswami Naidu College.

Switching to a co-educational system is not a new trend, both at the school and college level, if one were to see how iconic institutions across cities have been taking this route.

In 2024, Government Arts College in Nandanam, one of the oldest men’s college in the city, opened its gates for girls. Likewise, some years ago, MCC Higher Secondary School in Chetpet switched from a boys-only school to enrolling girls as well.

Annai Veilankanni’s College of Arts and Science in Saidapet has also opened its doors for both boys and girls from this academic year, both at under graduation and post graduation.

In fact the college has transitioned from a women’s only college to a co-educational institute to again switch to only accepting women and now it is a mixed gender institute.

“In 2000, the college started as women’s institute and after two years switched to co-education continued with the system for five years. Today, many parents and students are increasingly preferring a co-ed institute and one with a Deemed University status,” says V. Radhika, principal, Annai Veilankanni’s College, adding that the management offers free education to deserving students.

Certain legacy institutions that are expanding their scope of education are also going the mixed way.

For example, Good Shepherd flagged off its centenary year celebrations a couple of years ago by announcing launch of Good Shepherd Centenary School, a co-educational institution attached to the ICSE Board located on the same campus in College Road.

Why are some institutions moving towards co-education? Declining enrolment in single-gender institutions and growing parental preference for inclusive learning environments are key factors driving the shift.

Former headmaster and correspondent of MCC Higher Secondary School, G. J. Manohar, during whose time the co-educational stream was introduced, says the mixed classroom has certainly seen many positive outcomes, but there are challenges as well and it depends on how institutions handle gender equations.

“Today’s workplace is all inclusive and to prepare them to face a heterogeneous group, it is better we bring them up in such an environment early on. I have noticed that children studying in a mixed group are better at appreciating gender values, and mutual respect is developed,” says Manohar, secretary, MCC Association.

Nirmala Krishnan, an educational consultant who has helped start many institutions, says research points out that those growing and learning in an inclusive environment are emotionally stronger and more confident of facing the world. She says gender sensitisation is best learnt and experienced in a mixed environment.