Friday, September 4, 2009

CRITERIA 7

Criterion VII : Innovative Practices


 

7.1 Internal Quality Assurance System

7.1.1 What mechanisms have been developed by the institution for quality assurance within the existing academic and administrative systems?

    The College Council headed by the Principal, the tutorial groups within the teaching departments, department staff meetings and assessment and feedback of students are the important mechanisms developed for quality assurance. The College has an Internal Quality Assurance Cell and a Research Committee to ensure Quality.

7.1.2 What are the functions carried out by the above mechanisms in the quality enhancement of the institution?

Almost all academic and non academic matters relating to the institutions are discussed and reviewed by the College Council. These include conduct of the academic activities, utilization of development funds, discipline and co curricular activities. The Council takes appropriate decisions from time to time to raise the academic standards of the institution within the administrative framework. The IQAC monitors quality initiatives of the Teaching departments and meets twice in a year to evaluate the teaching/learning practices within the institution. The Research Committee headed by a Convenor monitors and suggests reforms for the research activities within the institution.

7.1.3 What role is played by students in assuring quality of education imparted by the institution?

    Students actively take part in the academic activities, especially in utilizing the advanced facilities in the Online Education and Research Centre, Library and the Teaching departments to raise the quality of learning. The feed back provided by the students on teaching and effectiveness of curricular transactions contribute considerably towards ensuring quality of education.    

7.1.4 What initiatives have been taken up by the institution to promote best practices in the institution? How does the institution ensure that the Best Practices have been internalized?

     The IQAC and the Research Committee encourages departments to innovate in the areas of teaching/learning and research. Best practices that evolve in these areas are discussed in the council meetings and the staff meetings of the institution. Faculty members are encouraged to take part in national and international seminars, conferences and workshops to get acquainted with the latest developments in their respective domains. Faculty members who undergo training get opportunities to share their experiences in the department staff meetings. IQAC also organizes programmes to facilitate the dissemination of such acquired expertise and knowledge.

The Online Student Support being offered by few teachers of the Department of Geology is worth mentioning here. Teachers have established a Google group, http://groups.google.co.in/group/gsi-examtrivandrum as a platform for interaction between students, professional alumni and teachers. An online mock interview was organized for the UPSC Geologists Examination Interview in 2008.

    The Department of English has instituted several innovative practices for student development. This includes a Literary Club and a Drama Club which organizes frequent programmes. Poster exhibitions of literary figures with detailed information about their works and achievements conducted annually by students and teachers provide an innovative learning experience.

7.1.5 In which way has the institution added value to the quality enhancement of students?

    The institution has established several mechanisms to add value to the quality enhancement of students. The Geoforum of the Department of Geology ( Friday meetings which help students in soft skill development), Debate club of the Department of English and Quiz club of the College give special attention to quality enhancement of students. Besides, the Co curricular activities organized by the NCC, NSS, the Navy and the Women's Study unit give special emphasis to personality and skill development in students.

7.2 Inclusive practices

  1. What practices have been taken up by the institution to provide access to students from the following sections of the society:
    1. Socially-backward
    2. Economically-weaker and
    3. Differently-abled

For 7.2.1 a,b and c - The institution is owned by the State Government it strictly adheres to the reservation policy laid down by the government to provide access to students from the disadvantaged sections of the society. In both U.G and P.G programmes, seats are allocated to the SC, ST, OBC, and Differently abled. More over the SC & ST and the OBC enjoy fee concessions and avail government scholarships and grants.

7.2.1 What efforts have been made by the institution to recruit 1) Staff from the disadvantaged communities? Specify?

  1. teaching
  2. non-teaching

Teaching and Non teaching staff are recruited by the Kerala State Public Service Commission, in accordance with the norms that have been laid down regarding reservation of posts for the disadvantaged communities. Hence their representation is ensured in the different posts in the institution.

7.2.2 What special efforts are made to achieve gender balance amongst students and staff?

    At present there is no special effort in this direction as there is no provision for gender based reservations for student admission or staff recruitment. Merit and reservation norms forms the basis of student admissions to different programmes.

7.2.3 Has the institution done a gender audit and/or any gender-related sensitizing courses for the staff/ students? Give details.

    The institution has gender specific data about the students and staff. For example, in the year 2007-08, there were 1503 boys, 1215 girls, 177 male staff and 97 female staff. The Women's Study unit of the College organizes various programmes aimed at women empowerment and skill development among the girl students and lady staff.

7.2.4 What intervention strategies have been adopted by the institution to promote the overall development of students from rural/ tribal backgrounds?

Tutorial sessions are utilized by group tutors to assess the overall academic progress of the students. Special problems faced by students in learning and other academic activities are addressed in these sessions. Students from rural/tribal backgrounds who have adjustability problems in terms of curriculum transactions or related issues are taken care of by the concerned group tutors.


 

7.2.5 Does the institution have a mechanism to record the incremental academic growth of the students admitted from the disadvantaged sections?

     Teaching departments monitor the academic progress of students during every term by class tests,and group tutor reports. This takes into account all sections of students.

7.2.6 What initiatives have been taken by the institution to promote social-justice and good citizenship amongst its students and staff? How have such initiatives reached out to the community?


 

    Co curricular activities carried out through the NSS, NCC, Navy and Women's Study unit promote the cause of value education in students. Similarly the National festivals and National Days are celebrated by the entire community of the institution which includes students, teachers and non-teaching staff. The annual special camps being organized by the National Service Scheme units of the college select rural areas as their venues and community development as the theme. Extension activities are also being carried out by teaching departments. The social contacts that the students establish through such contacts help them develop good citizen ship.


 

7.3 Stakeholder relationships

7.3.1 How does the institution involve all its stakeholders in planning, implementation and evaluation of the academic programmes?

         The institution is affiliated to the University of Kerala and hence it has a limited and indirect role in the planning of the academic programmes. Members of the Faculty who are part of the various bodies of the University including the Syndicate, the Senate, the Academic Council and the various Boards of Studies involve in planning, implementation and evaluation of academic programmes. Stakeholders of the institution do involve themselves in the implementation and evaluation of academic programmes through various bodies such as the College Council, Staff Council, Departmental Committees and the PTA which review the performance of the different programmes of the institution.

7.3.2 How does the institution develop new programmes to create an overall climate conducive to learning?

The institution promotes innovations in the Teaching-Learning processes that take place from time to time to enable effective learning. Use of educational technology in the process is an example for this. The tutorial system takes care of the differently-abled learners by providing them additional opportunities for learning.

7.3.3 What are the key factors that attract students and stakeholders, to the institution and result in stakeholder satisfaction?

    The College, established in the year 1866 is a Heritage institution in the heart of the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram. The institution is owned by Government and it functions in a fair, just and judicious manner thereby has earning the trust of the society. The College has contributed considerably to development of the human resource of the Country. Alumni of the College occupy key positions in India and abroad. The prestigious alumni of the College include Late Mr. K.R. Narayanan, Former President of India, Dr. Madhavan Nair, Chairman, ISRO and ………….

7.3.4 How does the institution elicit the cooperation from all stakeholders to ensure overall development of the students, considering the curricular and co-curricular activities, research, community orientation and the personal/ spiritual development of the students?

Curricular transactions are made effective by the co operation of the teachers, students and the non teaching staff. The periodic meetings of the College Council, Staff Council, Department Staff Committees and IQAC discuss about the academic progress and the implementation of different programmes as well as motivates the stake holders. Advisory Committee of the National Service Scheme is a body that meets to make the community service programmes effective.

7.3.5 How do you anticipate public concerns in your current and future programme offerings and operations?

    Meetings of the PTA and the IQAC give opportunities for people other than from the institution to air their views and opinion regarding the academic programmes and co curricular activities. These suggestions are considered by the College administration while making suitable amendments to the academic transactions.

7.3.6 How does the institution promote social responsibilities and citizenship roles among the students? Does it have any exclusive programme for the same?

    Value education is imparted through the different Co curricular programmes being organized by the National Service Scheme, National Cadet Corps and Indian Navy units. The Community programmes such as Health Survey, Environmental awareness campaign and Socio economic surveys being organized during the vacations provide opportunities for students to develop social networking skills.

7.3.7 What are the institutional efforts to bring in community-orientation in its activities?

The institution promotes voluntary blood donation of students to poor patients of local hospitals, provides financial support through voluntary contributions to the poor and needy who approach the authorities, and responds to the calls of the state government in giving financial assistance to disaster victims (such those affected by the Tsunami of 2004). The institution participates in the various campaigns of the City Corporation directed towards environmental management and health care. These are the various efforts being done by the institution towards Community service.

7.3.8 How does your institution actively support and strengthen the neighborhood communities? How do you identify community needs and determine areas of emphasis for organizational involvement and support?

     The National Service Scheme, National Cadet Corps and the Indian Navy units are the organs of the institution through which it interacts with the community. Programme Officers of the NSS are in liaison with the Panchayat authorities and they design the co curricular activities to suit the demands of the society. The institution also maintains contact with various organizations that work for community development. These include the Kerala State AIDS Control Society, the Indian Medical Association, Red Cross, Blood donors forum and the District Legal Services Authority. Legal literacy campaigns are organized every year in the institution with the support of the District Legal Services Authority.

7.3.8 How do the faculty and students contribute in these activities?

    Faculty and students have an active role in these activities as they organize the programmes, liaise with the organizations and work on a voluntary basis. Members of the faculty are part of the Advisory Committee of the National Service Scheme and they attend meetings, annual special camps and special programmes of then NSS. The annual ten day camp of the year 2007-08 which was organized in a sub urban Panchayat area Focused upon Environmental Awareness Campaign. An Environmental status map of selected areas of the Panchayat was prepared by the NSS Volunteers. Entire student community participates in major programmes directed towards health care and Environmental awareness.

7.3.9 Describe how your institution determines student satisfaction, relative to academic benchmarks? Do you update the approach in view of the current and future educational needs and challenges?

Teaching departments elicit student responses at the end of every academic programme through meetings, and Feed back forms. The questionnaire given to the students addresses key issues such as student rating of the effectiveness of the programmes and their suggestions. These help the institution to benchmark its programmes. Faculty members who are part of the decision making bodies of the University of Kerala for academic programmes suggest modifications in approach in view of the changing needs and challenges.

7.3.10 How do you build relationships?

  • to attract and retain students
  • to enhance students performance and
  • to meet their expectations of learning


 

The institution has a well experienced faculty that strives constantly to impart quality education to the Students. Students of the College are mostly from middle class and poor families who cannot afford expensive education of private colleges. They approach the institution which is a Heritage institution of the State which has a proven track record in academic performance. Class PTA meetings help teachers Maintain contact with the parents and keep them informed of their wards' performances. The institution is people friendly and hence parents and the general public have free access for information and assistance. Modern facilities such as Central Computing, Language Laboratories and Audio Visual laboratories enable Students to meet challenges of the present day world.

  1. What is your complaint management process? How do you ensure that these complaints are resolved promptly and effectively? How are complaints aggregated and analyzed for use in the improvement of the organization, and for better stakeholder-relationship and satisfaction?

    General complaints received by the Principal regarding serious discipline issues are dealt by the College Council which authorizes a sub committee headed by a senior faculty member to probe and report. Action is taken on the basis of the report as a solution to the issue. Specific complaints of students are placed before the Staff Council of the concerned departments where the members discuss and find a solution. Complaints that demand a corrective action in the academic activities are given due weight age by acting upon the same.

For Re-accreditation:


 

The same assessment framework will be used. However, additional information has to be provided for the following probes:


 

  • How are the Core Values of NAAC reflected in the various functions of the institution?


 

* Responses to questions from 7.1.1 to 7.3.11 should be based on data of five years after accreditation


 


 

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