Institutional Best Practices

AQAR BEST PRACTICES 2021-22

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Institutional Best Practices 2016-2021

H. H. Sri Vibhudesha Theertha Swamiji, when he founded the institution, envisioned an institution that creates individuals who are not only educated, but aware. A highly skilled, culturally vibrant, socially responsible individual with a sound mind and healthy persona that can stand as a model to the rest of the society.

To achieve these goals, the institution, being well aware of the efforts and time required, has been providing a ‘Conducive Atmosphere’ as a priority with unaltered focus, without any compromise.

We also beleive in updating our skills and ideas to match the social environment we live in and also update our best practices in accordance to the NAAC evaulation cycle. For the current cycle, our best practices have been tuned to serve the purpose :

Title of the Practice 1 :

Inculcating skill development and research temper among students, preparing Vishwamanava(s).

Objectives of the Practice

What is an institution without a vision to carry forward and a mission to achieve? As the name suggests, Poornaprajna – Complete awareness is a path one must take for better life. Knowledge is endless, and ‘education’ must aim towards not only learning what is known, but to dwell into the unknown. A ‘student’ of Poornaprajna must therefore develop the required skills to achieve this awareness and in the process develop a curious temper - a research aptitude, to know what is not yet known. On this path of awareness, one can realize dreams and become self-relying universal citizen – A Vishwamanava, which is our mission.

The Context

While our institution provides education at the under-graduate and post-graduate level, we prepare them during their course for a future in academics, research or the corporate world – a path of their choosing. Any path they choose, provides endless opportunities, but only to those fully prepared. Those with courage, insight, creativity and most importantly, a mindset to succeed.

The institution has imbibed it into our code, since inception, to lead the student into this world of opportunities, fully prepared, by imparting in them, the necessary skill-set or a thirst for research through experiential learning during the course.

This is possible with infrastructure, such as state of the art laboratories, library and classroom facilities, guided by highly dynamic and qualified teachers, enabling students in realizing their future prospects. A plethora of EC & CC activities, skill-oriented and research-oriented certificate courses must be provided to students, to leave no stone unturned, on this path of realization.

The Practice

Skillset and Research temperament is developed via the various opportunities provided in addition to their curriculum:

Our programs are planned based on assessment through aptitude tests and mentorships, which helps us in gauging their abilities, strengths and weakness.
Outreach programs are organized by every department. Science departments demonstrate various experiments while the commerce and humanities take up the role of imparting essential knowledge. Here, our students are the resource persons and take up the role of teaching high school students. They develop communication skills and build a better understanding of their subjects.
Certificate courses with 40 hours contact classes are conducted by every department for everyone. These courses range from being skill-oriented (Epigraphy by History, Python Programming by Computer), research-oriented (Crystal Growth by Physics, Chromatography techniques by Chemistry) and future-oriented (preparation for competitive exams by Mathematics, Sociology and Economics) courses.
Academicians and Scientists from various domains are invited, enabling interactions and guidance for our students. Scientist from ISRO, CSIR labs and other reputed research institutes have visited us. Prof. C.N.R Rao & Prof. U.R.Rao have also visited us.
In collaboration with PPISR, we receive scholars and professors who update our students in the latest research in the subjects and every year, a group of students are sent there to be trained by scientists.
Participation in Internships, Research fellowships, Visiting-student programs, Talent Search and Training programs, are encouraged, giving a glimpse into the corporate world and the realm of research.
Invited Talks, Seminars, Webinars and Workshops are organized, which brings in people at the top of their field like Charted Accountants, Entrepreneurs, Doctors, Counsellors etc. on campus and interact with our students.
Workshops and orientation programs like E.g. ‘A Career in Charted Accountancy’, ‘Mock Interviews’ etc. are organized for students to understand the nature of work.
Students who wish to take up careers in the creative arts are enabled to do so through competitions, activities organized by Speakers Club and Cultural Association, for them to excel at.
Students are also taken on Industrial Visits, Study Tours and Visit to Science centers for a clear understanding of their fields.
N.C.C army and Navy units are in place to train students to join the armed forces and develop skills and discipline. Rangers & Rovers and Youth Red Cross units are also in place to impart compassion and social responsibility. An excellent training is provided to students to participate and win, in various Sports and Games event.

Evidence of Success

Our efforts have been fruitful as is seen in the large number of students that become successful in life and build great careers.

Some of our students are placed in highly reputed companies like Apple, Infosys and TCS. While several others have started their own companies.
A good number of students are selected every year, for Summer Research Fellowships at premier institutions.
The evidence of this practice being followed since decades, is the fact that several of our alumni have secured reputed positions as scientists, professors and teachers at institutions of repute. Majority of our science students, join higher studies of which a good number that pursues research.
Not only are our students well-trained in academics but their skill development can be witnessed through the many alumni who are currently in the field of creative arts and the movie industries.
Our NCC cadets have also joined the armed forces.
During their courses, our students demonstrated high level of discipline and skills, visible in the number of national-level camps that our students get selected to participate in, and bring laurels to our institution through their performance there.
We’ve produced well-trained athletes and sportspersons that have won medals and trophies at various state and national-level sports events.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required

The following are the problems encountered in pursuit of research and skill training:

The curriculum set by the university does not match to those of other universities. It offers 3-subjects-major system which dilutes the amount of study per subject, reducing the scope of in-depth study.
The current system prevents us from devoting enough time for add-on and certificate courses along with EC & CC activities.
A large number of students who hail from rural background, are hesitant to venture our into the field of entrepreneurship and research.
Our laboratories are only well equipped for curriculum-based studies and not advanced enough to carry out cutting-edge research, preventing more students from taking up research on campus.
The covid-19 pandemic posed a great challenge with the students being distanced from physical interaction with resource persons and teachers. However, online programs were conducted to ensure interactions.

Notes :

The implementation of this practice is thoroughly examined by the IQAC, understanding the various challenges, trends in admission and advancements in teaching methodologies to improve upon and update this practice. With each iteration, our students are offered the best of knowledge, skills and activities.

Our governing council and management also observe these practices, obtaining student feedback and multi-level appraisals to ensure that the quality of our offerings are always moving in an upward trajectory. They motivate the staff members constantly to update their skills, upgrade their qualifications and upscale their teaching capacities.

Most importantly, the result of these best practices coupled with the respect and adoration we get from our students towards the teachers and towards the institution, in addition to the feedbacks that students provide us about the latest trends, keeps us aware of our efforts and enables us to improve upon and prepare our students to become Vishwamanavas.

Title of the Practice 2

Development of Values through education and community service, in contribution towards national development.

Objectives of the Practice

While our first practice focuses on obtaining knowledge, Poornaprajna – a complete awareness, also demands passing on this knowledge. A student must therefore not only obtain education, but also use this education contribution to the society. The education we provide is not just a piece of paper, but also, values that encourage community service. We therefore work towards building individuals with a strong sense of social responsibility that feel the urge to contribute, in any terms, to society and build the nation.

Nation building is not just limited to students, but is also by teachers. While our teachers teach the citizens of tomorrow, we believe a teacher must oblige in providing society with their knowledge and skills whenever necessary, thereby strengthening the community and building a strong nation. Students who follow these teachers, naturally believe it is an essential duty of one to contribute to the community.

The Context

While ‘Educated’ means a degree-holder in a strict sense, the true sense of this word comes in the form of a person who has gained not only knowledge, but values. A student spends 6 hours a day on campus attending various theory classes, laboratory sessions and physical training, that student must also learn, in the meantime how to help one-another and be kind, nature-loving and work towards humanitarian causes.

At our college, we train our students in terms of skills and also impart value education through our teachers who are role-models to our students. The university mandates EC and CC activities and materializes it by offering marks. Our students are taught to embrace these activities and help the community by lending hands, teaching them and helping them in any form possible. Our students are taught, every task, cleaning or teaching, is noble and must be done with passion and good intention.

The Practice

Values are imparted and the community benefited through the following ways:

Every department organizes outreach programs each year, where our students visit various schools nearby and under the guidance of the teachers, demonstrate their knowledge and teach the school students. Science through experiments, importance of language and vocabulary, career counselling and guidance are some of the topics taught and discussed. Some departments discuss and raise awareness on social issues and national missions at these schools. Various Associations and clubs also organize outreach programs spreading their philosophies and expertise.
‘Nation First’ – a social service group by the NCC Army wing organizes awareness, cleanliness and fitness drives, visits orphanages, old age homes and schools for the community. They have also helped farmer in agricultural work and packaged food for the needy during the Covid-19 crisis. The Navy wing of N.C.C the college is also active in providing the community with the necessary awareness and service programs.
The NSS units of the college works constantly towards community service, raising awareness on various social causes and promote health and fitness through rallies and awareness drives. They develop communities during the Annual Special Camp and other camps, render service to various associations and institutions and have also distributed masks to Asha workers during Covid-19 crisis.
The Rangers & Rovers and The Youth Red Cross units also work towards community development through numerous services and awareness programs. These units, along with NCC and NSS units, work constantly towards helping the community in times of need and raising awareness on important social issues like AIDS, Anti-Tobacco, Diabetes prevention, Environment day etc. They also organize Blood Donation Camps on campus every year to help the community.
Our faculty members are regularly contacted by media as experts and resource persons, helping us spread the right information to the community.
The Poornaprajna Amateur Astronomers’ Club (PAAC) also renders public service in the form of news releases that enlightens the public about various astronomy events, through newspapers and social media. They release calendars and posters that is received by a global audience benefiting several thousands across the world. PAAC provides free consultation in purchasing telescopes and optics for the astronomy community.
Many departments hosts to various teachers training workshops that help the teaching community update their knowledge and skills. Our faculty members are also regularly invited to give talks and seminars at various institutions to share their knowledge.

Evidence of Success

Success of this practice is visible in the form of the reputation of Poornaprajna College that has helped the community since 1960.

The outreach programs act like a training program for our students who, realize their passion for teaching and have become teachers for the welfare of the students.
These efforts have built leaders and communicators who are desired by recruiters (Infosys, Northern Trust etc.) who keep coming back looking for ‘PPC’ students to recruit.
Evidence of this practice being in place for decades is the fact that our Alumni like Mr. Sunil Salian - batch of 1999, is not only an entrepreneur today, but is also an active philanthropist and has made several contributions to society.
Another exemplary evidence of the same is Mr. Murali Kadekar – batch of 1981, who is known for his numerous contributions, helping famers harvest crops and his acts of charity that has been praised by ministers of our state.
Our alumni have contributed to the development of the college and activities through the PPC Old Students association and also individuals who contribute service towards the alma mater which is a result of this practice.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required

The following are the problems encountered in pursuit of community service:

While we are motivated and passionate about contributions to the community, several activities require financial support regularly. For example, the Annual Special Camp isn’t funded sufficiently by the University and requires constant collection of contributions from our alumni.
The course curriculum constantly interferes with the time set for these activities causing several discrepancies every now and then.
No separate funds are allotted to associations and clubs that contribute towards society. This sets back the clubs from stepping up without the fear of financial burden.
The lack of social awareness in some instances also prevent some clubs and organizations from successfully executing some services. E.g. Fear of Eclipses prevents people from attending our awareness programs. Such instances may be tackled by increase door-to-door outreach and awareness, which may be implemented in the future.

Notes

Our students are recognized for their service towards the community and our teachers for their expertise. Several associations, institutions and organizations constantly approach Poornaprajna College for their activities, remembering us for our contributions to the society. Nehru Yuva Kendra, Pilikula Regional Science Center, Rotary Club, Lion’s Club and several other organizations that render public service through awareness, activism and education have preferred Poornaprajna College for our service. These organizations also help us demonstrate our knowledge and skills and help us reach out to the community in a more efficient way.

Our teachers are also invited by government bodies and news media houses whenever something out of the ordinary is observed. May it be Species identification, An unknown astronomical phenomenon or consultation or public awareness that is required in any field, our college always steps forward through these institutions and helps spread the knowledge and awareness required.

Our Best Practices that were in adherence to the theme of the previous cycle may be found in our SSR here

To read about the 'performance of the Institution in one area distinctive to its priority and thrust' click here