Best Practices
7.2 Best Practices
Best Practice 1
1. Title of the Practice
Economic empowerment of women by empowering students of the college, to ‘rise and shine’.
2. Objectives of the Practice
- To explore the innate potentialities in students and avail facilities to bring them out and arrange for different entrepreneurial training for the students.
- To raise self-esteem and national awareness through Bratachari training.
- To equip the students with different skills as per their ability, interest and aptitude.
- To offer hands on training for making handmade products.
- To provide an opportunity to exercise and implement the acquired entrepreneurial skills through Anandamela.
- To create a joyful and attractive teaching learning environment using various technology-based tools by eliminating the fear of handling technology among students.
3. The Context
To fulfil the objective of economic empowerment, students need to self-sufficient. The students require knowledge and skill to be absorbed in the job market as well as to begin their own start-ups. In India the start-ups are expected to contribute 5% of GDP in near future. Students require knowledge and skill of functional education to be absorbed in the existing job market and to begin their own start-ups. Students need to be skilled self-sufficient to attain empowerment. Technology is a key aspect of learning for our students to survive in higher education and the future world. Technology has the potential to revolutionize the conventional teaching and learning process. Keeping in mind the vision and mission, college administration conducts innovative add-on courses on developing Entrepreneurial Skills, Media Writing, Embroidery, Cutting, Tailoring, Soft skills etc. to enhance employability of students.
4. The Practice
Self-employment provides opportunities of gainful occupation to those who otherwise remain unemployed. Thus it reduces the problem of unemployment. Moreover, students get opportunity to turn their passion, hobby and strengths into a business and earn living.
Add-on courses like Media Writing, Presentation; Embroidery, Cutting, Tailoring; Soft skills development etc. are conducted to make students equipped for job market. Students earn their earning potential by upgrading their knowledge and skills. For all the Add-on courses the curriculum is framed keeping in mind the nature of interest of students, market demand, time required etc. Students enrol paying small fees and gets certificate on successful completion of the course.
Expert trainer from the Bengal Bratachari Society comes to provide knowledge and skill on physical and mental well-being of students. Students are pursuing Bratachari training and have completed Prarambhik i.e. first stage of the course and on completion of the three levels they may serve as Bratachari trainers. Bratacharis develop physically, mentally, intellectually and culturally through folk art, dance, drama, music singing and social service.
It is mandatory for the students to have email id so that the study materials can be shared easily. Different course based whatsapp groups are created to help in communication between teacher and student; and among students too. Teaching - learning is always more meaningful and interesting with the use of information and communication technology.
The art of jewellery making dates back thousands of years ago, to a time when ancient civilizations crafted jewellery for personal adornment. The market demand for art jewellery is on increase. A training course in art jewellery designing and making equips students with the knowledge and skill to become a successful entrepreneur. The practical and theoretical knowledge imparted at the college helps in running a jewellery business, can develop entrepreneurship skills.
Pidilite provide hands on training on crafts like Quilling, Origami, Fabric Painting, Glass painting, Best-out-of-Waste and Clay. Students learn to create new creations by using art and craft materials, to be sold during Anandamela and also to sell/buy handcrafted creations online in whatsapp group and youtube videos.
5. Evidence of Success
These practices yield satisfactory results -
The students get opportunity to exercise and implement the acquired entrepreneurial skills through Anandamela. Different handmade items like art jewellery(earrings, bangles, pendants), paintings, food products (cakes, cookies, Indian traditional deserts – Pithhe, Kolkata fuchka, chaat are sold successfully. Students also sell apparels like saree, kurti, blouse etc. which they procure from whole sellers. Based on the demand of the faculty and staff all through the year order is placed to the upcoming entrepreneurs, who deliver their products in the college premises, this helps to strengthen their footing economically.
With time the students are becoming more tech savvy. Technological applications also help them collaborate with their own classmates through peer tutoring, thus narrowing the digital gap.
Using technology in the classroom has not only helped students learn better, but they also acquire multi-tasking skills, which help them later in their work place. Students are absorbed by different companies through interviews conducted in the sixth semester. Students gain confidence to continue their start-ups after participating in different training courses and programmes arranged in the college.
The institute is creating motivated self-learners through unique study experiences, thus promoting economic empowerment of women, the ultimate mission of the college.
6. Problems Encountered and Resources Required
Under Choice Based Credit System timetable is over burdened with classes. Little time is left to conduct different add on courses to offer variety of courses as per students’ needs, abilities and aptitudes.
Students need training on different skills, based on present demand, which require intensive survey of the market. The institution requires trained personnel and infrastructure for this.
Even in 21st century, girls are not given adequate employment opportunity and gender gap is so natural in Indian families that many girl students do not even have any specific aim to be economically self-sufficient. This attitudinal barrier is most powerful among all encountered problems.
7. Notes (Optional)
Best Practice ll (QlM – 20)
- Title: Regular Health Related Activities for Well-being of Students and Staff
- Objectives
- To help the students realise health is the most important resource of human life.
- To help the students, faculty and office staff solve their health problems free of cost, which otherwise could have remained unattended.
- To conduct awareness programmes to motivate the students, faculty and staff towards a healthy life style.
- To conduct awareness programmes on PCOS, HIV aids, thalssemia and Breast cancer.
- To conduct online awareness programme regarding health issues in covid pandemic.
- To conduct Covid 19 vaccination programme.
- To conduct free testing programmes (Blood Sugar, Blood Pressure, Thalassemia, Breast Cancer, E.C.G.)
- Context
Half of world population is women. Woman's health is considered as a significant indicator in any developed country. Health is an important parameter of an individual’s physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being; therefore, women should grow strong and healthy. Many students of the college come from remote villages where health centres are rare and in private health centre, doctor consultation costs a lot. In Indian society health issues of women are considered to be secondary in many families. In this backdrop a weekly medical consultation has been organised free of cost for the students as well as the staff in the college premises. Apart from this awareness programmes on PCOS, HIV aids, Eye check up, kidney Functioning Testand Breast cancer are also conducted, where doctors from different hospitals are invited to deliver talks on these health issues. Significant measures are also taken as per felt-need.
- Practice
Dr Suchandra Das MBBS, (Calcutta), Registration number 39671 WBMC, visits the college every week against an honorarium of rupees 1500/- per week. Students and staff of the institute are highly benefited by this service in their workplace free of cost. A separate room is allotted in the ground floor for the consultation sessions. In emergency Dr. Das makes her available on call apart from her scheduled dates of visit.
During Interactive sessions Dr. Das explains the need of healthy life style in the early adult stage and mentioned - one must avoid junk food and eat nutritious food including lots of fruits and vegetables, drink enough water, exercise regularly, sleep early to maintain healthy mind and body.
PCOS is health condition that affects about 10 million women all over the world. Both genetics and environmental factors are believed to be involved in the development of PCOS. These problems are growing in numbers among our students and in many cases ignorance and lack of awareness have made situations worse, therefore the college invited Gynaecologist doctors to conduct the awareness programme. Doctors from KPC Hospital and dietician delivered very informative lecture using PPTs which was followed by question answer session. All queries put forward were cleared patiently by the doctors. The dietician doctor catered very useful information, she explained many popular beliefs regarding weight loss are myths and others are only partly true.
Blood donation, eye and health check-up camps are organised for the students and staff, along with the hawker friends of local community and slum dwellers. Kidney Functioning Test was also conducted in collaboration with the Narayana Group.
These campaigns are made successful by active participation of NSS volunteers, NSS committee members and all other faculty of the institute.
Every year thalassemia camp is also organised by the NSS team in collaboration with Haematology department NRS Hospital. Approximately 10% of the students are detected as thalassemia carriers every year. Post-detection guidance and counselling service is also offered to students’ family by expert personal of the Nil Ratan Sarkar Medical hospital.
The college invites Doctors to deliver online lecture on Covid-19 pandemic issues. All students and faculty joined through Gmeet and Youtube streaming. The lecture was followed by various questions raised by students and faculty. Vaccination drive has also been undertaken when 212 people got vaccinated.
Following UGCnorms College canteen provide healthy food and sell junk food is restricted.
- Evidence of success
- Many students visit Dr Das on regular basis and some students visit as per requirement. In case of physical ailments, the students are immensely benefitted by this support.
- The teaching and non-teaching staff of the college is highly benefited by Dr. Das's advice. This in-house health facility has great impact on the staff as they do not need to get appointment outside campus and can address the health issue as and when these develop.
- Problems encountered and resources required
Problems encountered
- Anaemia, malnutrition, low blood pressure, gynaecological problems are quite common among students. Many a time they feel shy to consult the doctor on their own even if the facility is well within their reach.
- Many students are first generation learners from lower economic strata of our society so, they do not get any idea on importance of healthy living from their family. To make the students aware and conscious regarding heath is not an easy job.
- Resources required
- In full session more than 1500 students and teachers are present every day. A healthy doctor-patient ratio can be ensured by providing this medical facility twice a week, this obviously require more funds.
- 7. Notes optional
At present people are living very unhealthy life styles that lead to various diseases like obesity, diabetes, hypertension etc. Moderation in food habits daily exercise and balanced work life can surely make a big difference to our health and body. Success of life depends on physical and mental fitness which has a direct impact on our personality. The college believes health of the students is their real wealth and tries to make all its members believe that. Many students come to college every day after doing the household chores. They are taught to take care of the family but they are hardly taught to take care of self and this is the main hurdle of this endeavour.
