Criterion II – Teaching, Learning and Evaluation
In admission of students the College follows the reservation policy of the Government even though as a minority institution they are under no legal obligation to do so. The college admits students of the dispossessed classes. A full time management paid person is employed to cater to the academic and psychological needs of these students. Selection of students to the courses is based on marks obtained in qualifying exam. A personal interview with Principal, Vice-Principals and Deans is part of the selection process. The Counseling team helps the students to make the choice of the medium of instruction and subjects. A course of 90 lessons for remedial English has been worked out to help students who do not have English as a subject in the qualifying exam.
Most of the teachers supplement the lecture method of teaching with other, innovative methods of teaching such as seminars, class presentations, use of audio-visual aids etc. Students take up two exams in the first term and one before the annual exam. The Continuous Assessment component is 30% (25% assessment based on tests and 5% on regularity and class participation). The College has introduced innovation in testing methods in the second year of the UG programmes where there is no university exam. Besides regular classroom learning, field trips, industrial visits, in-service training and working at the industrial training unit provide a taste of real life situation.
Importance is given to extra and co-curricular activities. Various activities organised on Saturdays help students to develop their talents as well as gain practical experience in organising and managing various events. Few departments organise star batches for the Advanced learners – wherein the students under the guidance of a professor study on their own and present their findings. The research centre caters to a group of 10 students mostly from the sciences to take up minor research projects.
The faculty members are recruited not only for their academic skills but also for their social consciousness and the ability to communicate. The process of staff selection includes a written test, interview by the selection committee and demonstration lecture. Community service is given due credit. Candidates selected without a doctoral degree are asked to complete their Ph.D. degree within a specified period.
The Management encourages staff to do research. On duty leave is granted to staff to participate in seminars, workshops. Financial assistance is given if required. Faculty members are also encouraged to go abroad for seminars, conferences, workshops, etc. Teaching assistants are employed by the management to help the regular staff in their teaching work when the Government does not sanction the required number of staff. The goals and mission of the college are communicated to the new staff through IPP (Integrated Pedagogical Paradigm), which is conducted by a group of two staff members who have been trained at a national workshop. The research centre, AV room, OHP and other facilities are made available to the faculty. Gurjarvani a campus based media centre has helped in preparing audio and video-cassettes. A few of the teachers are involved in writing script, lyrics etc.
Regular meetings of HODs with Principal, Vice-Principal and Deans are held. There is also an annual evaluation meeting of the department. General staff meetings are held during which important decisions are made.
The College organises seminars related to wider concerns. Departments are encouraged to have seminars in their subjects. Besides seminars are also organised at the college level. Every year a theme is selected and activities of that year is geared towards the theme. Organisation of National Seminars in the past few years is commendable. The College also has a plan to organise a mega event every three years. The first of its kind was the XENFEST on Environment organised in 1997. This year organization of a Career Fair is in process.
A good number of faculty are upgrading their qualifications through research, leading to M.Phil/Ph.D. Faculty development programmes need to be extended to cover more number of teachers. Teacher evaluation by students at the end of the year could be used as a feed back mechanism to enhance the teaching-learning process.
Systematic feedback through teacher evaluation by students at the end of each academic year could help the college to enhance the teaching learning process.