The IQAC recognizes the importance of ICT in teaching learning, although it was not very easy to introduce ICT in our college. However, in recent years many faculties have started using ICT as a part of their teaching learning process.

The college has encouraged its faculties, staff members and students to be aware of biodiversity conservation for the last ten years under the auspices of Nature Club/Eco Club. A preliminary documentation of biodiversity in college and in adjoining areas has been done. A certificate course has also been introduced in the form of project in this context through collaboration with Department of Zoology, and a NGO “Nature Mates, Nature Club”, Kolkata. The college also took part in different project works through NEAC, MOFE. Committee of Nature club/Eco Club Committee actually manages the activity of Bio Diversity Conservation. Classes were organized for the students for identification of the traditional medicinal plants and their uses and the students were taken to Narendrapur Ramakrishna Mission medicinal plant garden for their field exposure. A small medicinal plant garden was developed in the College campus for the conservation of the same. Water quality, plankton, study of the water bodies in the college and its surrounding areas was done by the students under the supervision of the teachers. The aim of this unit is to enhance the socio-environmental responsibility among the students and other stake holders.

Title: Distribution of Garments among the Poor and Needy

 

Practice: The college has initiated a number of programs by which lofty human values are inculcated in the minds of our young students. The NCC and NSS units of our college organized different programs throughout the year.
The NSS unit initiated a program of the distribution of used garments among the poor people and the destitute residing in the adjacent areas of the college. The first such distribution program was held on 26th & 27th September 2019 and the second distribution camp was organized on 24th December in which used winter garments were distributed among the needy locals. The total numbers of beneficiaries stood at 111. Our students, along with faculty members & non-teaching staff, participated in that program motivated by the spirit of upholding lofty human values.

 

Title: Promotion of Human Values through Community Service

Practice: A number of health awareness campaigns in our college campus and in the neighbouring areas were held to prevent Dengue & other vector borne diseases. Moreover, on 11th March 2020, a special awareness program was conducted through illustrative posters and leaflets among the students as well as common people about the threatening Covid-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, Howrah City Police & Municipal Corporation jointly initiated a Safe Camp for the destitute and had chosen our college building for the said purpose. Our college authority stretched warm hand to them, the NCC cadets & NSS unit members of our college & Associate NCC Officer, who is one of the faculties of our institution, were regularly present to provide food, water and other necessary help to these distressed persons. When majority of the people were reeling under the threat of this unknown virus, our boys & girls had shown not only courage but also the worth of human values.

 

Title – Skill Enhancement Programme (Certificate Course in Communicative English)

Objective – The aim of the practice, which the college has been following since 2013, is  to enable the students to communicate fluently and confidently in English, to pronounce English words and expressions correctly, identify problems and work out their solutions, complete projects assigned to them from time to time and submit reports. It also aims to encourage them to engage in group discussions and/or dialogues on various burning topics and contemporary issues. The underlying concept or principle of the practice is to help the students to make proper use of their knowledge of English language and develop their communicative skills. This communicative approach to teaching English helps them very much to overcome their hesitation and nervousness in using the language in real life.

Context – As a part its competence enhancing strategies, the college introduced a certificate course in functional/Communicative English mainly for the students from the year 2013. The immediate context of introducing the course was a challenge that our students were facing at the time. The students of the courses/programmes faced difficulties in speaking/communicating in English during the campus interviews for jobs. They had command over the subjects they were taught in their classes but they could not speak fluently in English. The college authority felt that in a highly competitive job market, the students must develop communicative skills. With this end in view, the IQAC advised the English department to start a certificate course in communicative English.  A language lab was set up and resource persons from within and outside the department were engaged.

Practice – The course, conducted by the department of English, is of 60 hours duration.  It is divided into theoretical lectures and projects. Each lecture is of one hour duration. The course content are carefully selected to teach the students various grammatical functions like the use of articles and tenses, voice and narration change, phrasal verbs, modal auxiliaries and writing skills like reporting, dialogue and letter writing, responding to advertisements, preparation of resume/curriculum vitae, comprehension etc. Various topics are selected for the students to enable them to speak extempore. Group discussions on various contemporary issues are also organized. The objective is to encourage the students to speak fluently. They are also allowed to use microphones in the language lab so that they themselves can understand whether they are pronouncing a word correctly or not. Special emphasis is given on pronunciation drills. Daniel Jones’ English Pronouncing Dictionary and A.S.Hornby‘s Advanced Learner‘s Dictionary are used for this purpose. English Grammar books written by Wren and Martin and P.K.DeSarkar are used to teach grammatical functions. Home tasks are given regularly and they are corrected by the instructors. The students are also required to prepare various projects on local fairs, pujas, health centres, municipal service, NSS activities etc. The objective of these projects is to help them develop their linguistic and communicative skills, identify problems and work out solutions. At the end of the course class tests are held and mock interviews are organized. The successful candidates are given certificates signed by the Principal/TIC and the course co-ordinator.

Success indicator – As evidence of success of the course we collect feedback from the students. The overall impression of the learners is that they have benefitted from it. They now feel at ease to converse in English and face any interview conducted in the English language.

Resources Required – No resources are required except extra time involvement from our faculties.

Problems encountered – The main problems that we have faced in implementing this practice is lack of qualified resource persons, financial support and more space., photo- copying facility and  payment of  remuneration to the instructors. We have discussed the problems with the Principal and requested him to (a) apply for UGC grant and (b) share the financial responsibility for implementing this best practice. His response so far is positive and encouraging.

Title: Certificate Course on Primary Detection and Counselling of Life Style Diseases of Young Adults

Goal: To create awareness among the young adults about life style diseases

Context: Due to gradual shift in lifestyle pattern, occupational health hazard is on the rise. The inception of health hazards start from late adolescence to young adult stage. Thus it is imperative to create an awareness among the college students who are considered as young adults in WHO reference, about the impending life style diseases like obesity, hypertension and cardio vascular diseases and diabetes.

Practice:

• Information about life style diseases and their indicators
• Basic methods to detect the onset of such diseases through anthropometric variables.
• Impart knowledge on Reproductive health, Body composition and disease association with blood groups.
• To impart knowledge on ABO/Rh incompatibility and its effect on maternal and neo natal health.
• To provide genetic counselling to inherited disorders like thallasaemia.
• Estimation of body mass index and their classification through anthropometric variables.
• Health risk associated with different types of body composition.

Success Indicator:

• Students have become aware of the occupational hazards and dietary patterns which give rise to various lifestyle diseases.
• They are aware of the healthy and junk food choices

Title: Information Through Text messages in Mobile/ Cellular phones

Goal:  To ensure speedy and personaslised message delivery

Context: with increasing use of appliances and reliance on visual media, notices and announcements in print media were mainly overlooked by a large section of the people.

Practice:

• All information regarding admission and counseling is imparted and transmitted through websites and electronic messages in cell phones.
• The text messages are sent in very lucid English to all the students and teachers.

Success Indicator:

• Lesser enquiries in the help desk
• Speedy and effective dissemination of information

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Title: Online Admission

Goal:  To ensure transparency in the admission process and lesser involvement of man power, thus ensuring better utilization of man hour days.

Context: Admission process is lengthy and involves many personnel. Moreover, as the college is in a low lying area, and tends to get water logged in the monsoon, online admission is the easier option for students to apply to the college of their choice.

Practice: The students are intimated about the different steps of the admission process through text message after they log in for admission. The college is pioneer under Calcutta University in practicing online counseling of the students during the admission process. From 2015 onwards the full admission procedure has been made online which maintains the transparency of the overall admission system.

Success Indicator:

• More transparency
• Lesser involvement of man power
• Reducing the human error percentage