First practice
1. Title of the practice:
Zero garbage campus and green initiatives.
2. Objective of the practice:
Based on the maxim - “Reduce, reuse, recycle and restrict”, the Institution intends to achieve a better campus ambience with a clean and green environment. Institutional mechanism is in place to deal with garbage collection, segregation and safe disposal
3. The context:
The college campus is considered to be the second home to the students and the employees and thus they need to be motivated to keep it clean and green. Instead of administrative regulations, the Institution encourages self-regulation to address the challenges of maintaining an eco-friendly behavioral attitude. Regular awareness drives and collective efforts are the key ingredients of the exercise.
4. The practice:
The practice of maintaining a clean and green campus at Gurucharan College involves active participation of the college fraternity instead of solely depending on the paid services for collecting garbage. Plantation drive is a regular exercise while garbage collection is carried out on a day-to-day basis. Garbage is segregated and kept in prescribed bins meant for different types of waste. The Silchar municipal authority collects the waste from the campus and disposes them in designated landfills. The litter and paper waste are dumped in waste pits in the college premises which are properly covered once filled. However, concern remains about disposal of hazardous chemicals, bio-wastes and e- wastes in the campus.
5. Evidence of success:
Over the years, increasing student enrolment numbers and consequent infrastructural development have created a burgeoning problem of garbage and swelling of built up area. However, after the implementation of the clean and green campus initiative, we were able to address the precarious problems of waste burden and their proper handling. Planned landscaping of the college premise and intensive plantation have qualitatively increased the green cover. Enhanced awareness level among the students in particular has made significant behavioral change and positively addressed the menace of garbage. Being located amidst an urban crowd, the ambient air quality and scenic beauty of the campus is encouraging.
6. Problems Encountered and Resources Required:
The Institution requires an incinerator for perishing the growing burden of garbage, particularly the plastics. Irregular services of the local Municipal Board sometimes lead to overflowing waste and foul smell. The natural uneven topography of the campus creates a serious problem of water logging in low lying open areas where waste pits are commonly excavated. Alternative materials for serving in the cafeteria and during mass-gathering need to be promoted.
7. Notes (Optional):
Concepts like Waste Credit Service may be introduced as part of waste management practices in the college besides incentivizing less garbage production initiatives. In view of depleting open areas for further plantation, innovative methods like rooftop gardening, vertical gardening, etc. may be adopted to increase the campus greenery.
Second practice
1. Title of the practice:
Providing self-financing, job-oriented and skill-based courses.
2. Objective of the practice:
The objective of running these courses is to provide value addition to the regular undergraduate courses. The courses intend to enhance the skill of the students to face the challenges of the contemporary career avenues. At an affordable fee structure and flexible time schedule, these courses boast the employability.
3. The context:
The Institution as a policy initiative, focuses on integrated development of the students rather than providing mere degrees. The primary objective behind the course curriculum design is to make them affordable, feasible, valuable and relevant to the present day job market. Managing resource persons, necessary office staff and availability of classrooms are prior concerns for successful implementation of the courses. Emphasis is given to develop interest among the students through information dissemination and advertisement.
4. The practice:
Self-financing, skill-based, professional courses offered at G.C. College include Diploma in Computer Application, Certificate in Spoken Sanskrit, Bengali Recitation, Office Automation, Diploma in Library Science, Creative Writing, Bioinformatics in English besides some other short term courses. The curriculum for these courses are designed by the concerned departments, endorsed by the college authority and implemented through faculty members of the department. Services of guest teachers are also availed occasionally. Physical infrastructure and supporting staff are provided by the college. Information on commencement of any course, fee structure, mode of payment, course duration, class routine etc. are generally published at the college website. A flexible class schedule is followed which attracts learners other than students of the college. To make the courses relevant to the current job market, the course contents emphasize more on the practicability rather than the theoretical aspects only. All these courses are run on the working principle of nominal profit keeping it affordable to common students.
5. Evidence of success:
The job-oriented professional courses introduced by various departments have been functioning well with ever increasing enrolment numbers, barring the crisis period of pandemic. Passed out students from these courses found easy career avenues. Promising outcome of the courses has motivated other departments to plan for such short term courses of practical value. Originally, these courses began with the primary objective of value addition to the undergraduate courses and giving exposure to our students to the dynamic career options. Of late, it has been observed that outside students are also opting these courses for the enhancement of their present qualification.
6. Problems Encountered and Resources Required:
To impart quality training through these courses, services of external resource persons need to be availed that require funds for their remuneration. This creates extra financial liability as the course fee is maintained at an affordable level for low-income groups. Lack of adequate classroom space makes it difficult to accommodate large groups of students in some of these courses. The problem will be more acute if other academic departments intend to introduce short term value added courses in near future.
7. Notes (Optional):
The short-term courses run by the college need to be certified by the affiliating university for wider acceptability. Similar courses may also be available in other colleges of the same university; hence, to maintain uniformity of course structure, course content, fees levied and such other issues, the affiliating university should come forward with appropriate plans and programs about value added courses.