BEST PRACTICE NO. 1

1. Title of the Practice

Installment facilities to the students on payment of college fees

1. Goal

To facilitate higher educational opportunities to the underprivileged classes and serving students to bring social reformation

1. The Context

• A majority of our students are from very economically poor background.
•  Mostly, they are the children (first generation learners) of slum dwellers, daily workers, house maids and the people doing odd jobs.
• The annual college fees of the aided programs are around Rs. 5000 and of the unaided programs are around Rs. 20000, which is beyond their capacity to pay at a time.
• Though the college is not financially rich to provide financial concession to them, has planned to help them in the form of encouraging them to continue higher education by paying annual college fees in easy instalments.

1. The Practice

• Usually a notice is displayed at the main gate to inform the students that they may approach the Principal along with their parent, for instalment payment facility.
• On meeting the students and the parent, the Principal judge and takes the decision on case–to–case basis.
• Applications of students are considered and they are allowed to pay the fees in planned and easy instalments.
• The college borrows the required fund from the College Management to pay the share of fees of the said students to different agencies concerned.
• On collection of the instalments from the students, the college refunds the amount borrowed to the management.
•  
• 5. Evidence of Success

During the following academic years, number of student benefited from this practice is as:

2017-182018-192019-202020-212021-222022-23624566223365302

1. Problems Encountered and Resources Required

• In some cases, the college faced problems on recovery of instalments.
•  Limitation of the financial resources of the college is a matter of limitation to enhance the coverage of the system.

1. Notice (Optional)

The Management of the college is strongly supporting the practice and has assured to enhance its support to achieve the goal.

BEST PRACTICE NO. 2

1. Title of the Practice

GROUP BOOK BANK SCHEME

2. Goal

To extent support to economically poor students for higher education

3. The Context

• The Group Book Bank Scheme is a special book bank scheme of the college to provide books and study materials to economically poor students, on annual lending basis, at free of cost.
• The scheme functions along with the regular University Book Bank scheme.
• The books under this scheme are purchased from the special funds sanctioned by the Management and books donated by the teachers and well-wishers.

4. The Practice

• At the beginning of the academic year, a notice is circulated to invite applications from the groups of two economically poor students, those who want to avail the benefits of the scheme.
• Applications are scrutinized on the basis of need of the group and availability of books.
• The selected groups are allowed to borrow a full set of books, as per their curriculum, for a period of full term for home study.
• Both the partners of a group have to exchange the book among each other mutually, as per their requirements.
• They have to return the books at the end of the term.
•  5. Evidence of Success

During the following academic years, the total number of student benefited from this scheme are:

  2017-182018-192019-202020-212022-232023-241No. of students benefited38228484—228362No. of books issued1162755174—–655532

6. Problems Encounter and Resources Required

Financial constraint is a factor of limitation to expand the coverage of this scheme.

7. Notice (Optional)

The college is association with same selected Alumni to enhance their support to the scheme.

BEST PRACTICE NO – 3

1. Title of the Practice:

FUNCTIONING OF STAFF ACADEMY

1. Goal:

To encourage an exchange of interdisciplinary ideas among the faculty members

1. The Context:

• The college offers various multidisciplinary courses/programmes under Arts, Science and Commerce faculty.
• Faculty members, being experts in their specific area of knowledge, can enlighten their fellow colleagues on various matters from their field of expertise.
• By encouraging such practice among faculty members, it also attempts to enhance their research aptitude.

1. The Practice:

• The members of Staff Academy meet every last Saturday of the month.
• The topic and Resource Person and the schedule of the session are pre-planned and are notified to all teaching and non-teaching staff before one week.
• The Resource person is from among the faculty members.
• Generally, the members are encouraged to spare time in addition to their regular working hour for this activity.
• The concerned Resource person is allotted with two hours for presentation followed by question-answer session.

1. Evidence of Success:

During the following academic years, the total number of such programmes and the number of Faculty and students benefited are as follows.

  2018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-241Total number of programs0405040904042No. of Faculty /students benefited246236287478233284

1. Problems Encounter and Resources required:

• Some members find difficult to attend the session because of their regular class room lecture and practical.
• Time constraint is a limitation to enhance the coverage of the activity.

1. Notice (Optional)

The Management of the college is strongly supporting the practice and has assured to enhance its support to achieve the goal.

BEST PRACTICE NO – 4

1. Title of the Practice:

MENTORING SYSTEM

1. Goal:

To ensure an all-round personality development of the students by providing them with   guidance, counselling and psychological support in addition to the academics

1. Context:

• Maximum of students belong to the under-privileged sections of society.
• Being the first generation learners, they need personal counselling, guidance as well as motivation as regards their curricular, extra-curricular and career growth.
• The Faculty members allotted to a specific division of class, can act as a mentor to these students in terms of their overall personality development.

1. The Practice:

• Considering the maximum coverage of subjects being taught by a faculty member in a particular division, she/he is allotted a division of a class as the mentor.
• The concerned member takes care of general attendance, personal counselling of the students relating to their problems as well as their participation in various curricular and co-curricular activities.
• Every mentor conducts a meeting with the parents of the students from his/her class wherein parents are informed about overall progress / attendance of their ward.
• Whenever necessary, the students are guided to consult the counsellor appointed by the college.

1. Evidence of Success:

Maximum of the students are benefited by this practice throughout the academic year.

1. Problems Encountered and Resonances required:

In some cases, students find it difficult to express their difficulties to the teachers Students’ inability to express themselves is a limitation to enhance the coverage of thispractice

1. Notice (Optional)

The college is associating some selected Alumni to enhance their support tothe scheme.

BEST PRACTICE No.5

1. Title of the Practice

DUAL DEGREE CAMPUS

1. Goal

To encourage the in-house students to enrol and continue an additional job oriented programme along with their regular degree for immediate employment.

1. The Context

• The College offers various multidisciplinary courses/programmes under Arts, Science and Commerce faculty affiliated to University of Mumbai.
• The College is a distance learning centre for

1. Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University offering UG programmes such as B.A., B.Com. B.Sc. (MLT) and professional courses such as MBA.
2. Tilak Maharashtra University offering UG programmes such as BBA, BCA, and Post Graduate Professional Courses such as MCA and MBA

• The college also provides UGC approved Vocational programmes such as –

1. Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology
2. Advance Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology
3. Voc. Degree in Medical Laboratory Technology
4. Diploma in Media Production
5. Advance Diploma in Media Production
6. Voc. Degree in Media Production

• As the facility is available within the campus, within the framework of University of Mumbai, students can continue the above programmes along with the regular programmes of Mumbai University.

1. The Practice

• The concept of dual degree is publicized in the campus through pamphlets and also through college prospectus.
• A Professional Counsellor is appointed to properly guide students of regular programmesto help them to select their additional programmesdepending on their interest and time slot.
• The college conducts regular classroom lectures for Vocational programmesin morning hours and enables students of every session to attend it regularly.
• Similarly, the class room lectures of distance learning programme are conducted in evening hours and on weekends.
• Skill based practical are conducted on Sundays.
• This makes possible for the students to learn and acquire dual degree/diploma within the same campus.
• Students use all common facilities of the college for both the programmes.

1. Evidence of Success

During the following academic years, the total number of student benefited is as follows:

  2018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-241Total Number of Students benefited scheme172922180700

1. Problems Encountered and Resources Required

Sometime the examination schedule of both the courses clashes.

1. Notice (Optional):

The Management of the college is strongly supporting the practice and has assured to enhance its support to achieve the goal.

BEST PRACTICE No.6

1. Title of the Practice

eco-friendly campus

1. Goal

To ensure clean, green and plastic free Campus

1. The Context

• Use of bio-degradable stationery for all purpose particularly during functions and activities
• No use of plastic on campus
• Segregation of Dry and Wet garbage

1. The Practice

• “Save environment” messages are displayed in the campus, especially in every class room.
• Use of plastic in the campus is strictly prohibited.
• Use of paper sheets, newspaper and cotton for preparing examination and other packets
• Use of eco-friendly, bio-degradable material such as conference folders, stationery, eatable wrappers etc. during seminars and conferences.
• Conducting at least one conference every year on sustainability and environmental issues

1. Evidence of Success

• Never purchase any plastic bags, folders etc..
• All conference stationery is made up of either paper or jute.
• Colours symbolising environment like “Green and Blue” are used in all functions, seminars and conferences.
• Organised two international conference on “Sustainability and the Society”

1. Problems Encountered and Resources Required

Sometime it is found costly to execute the programmes within the budget.

1. Notice (Optional):

The Management of the college is strongly supporting the practice and has assured to enhance its support to achieve the goal.

BEST PRACTICE – 7

1. Title:

REWARD FOR ENHANCEMENT OF QUALIFICATION

1. Objectives:

To motivate the faculty members to upgrade themselves with research qualifications.

1. The Context:

Considering the need for research in the field of higher education in India, faculties need to update themselves with research in their respective area of specialization which will also help them to inculcate a culture of research among the students.

1. The Practice:

Every year, the faculties are felicitated in public ceremony on 1st May on the occasion of Maharashtra Day and International Labourer’s Day, for being conferred Ph.D.

1. Evidence of Success:

During the following academic years, the total number of faculties benefited is as follows

 2018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-24Total Number of beneficiaries241209001511

1. Problem: Encountered and Resources required:

In case of excess of workload or inability to fulfil their daily routine commitments, due to their Ph.D. work, care is taken at the departmental level to mutually adjust the workload amicably.

BEST PRACTICE – 8

1. Title:

COUNSELLING TO STUDENTS

1. Objectives:

To help students in resolving their personal, psychological problems which otherwise hinder their academic performance.

1. The Context:

The College aims at providing higher educational opportunities to the underprivileged classes of society. Students from such background do face personal problems leading to absenteeism and lack of attention in the classroom.

1. The Practice:

The professional counsellor appointed by the college conducts sessions separately for different classes wherein she guides them on career related issues as well as confidence building. She has designed a syllabus for students as a methodology to overcome stress.

1. Evidence of Success:

Students found these sessions very helpful to overcome their personal problems hindering academics.

1. ProblemEncountered and Resources required:

Students find it difficult to express their problems due to fear, shy and hesitating nature. Members of the counselling cell motivate them to express through awareness sessions and act as mediators between the students and the counsellor.

BEST PRACTICE – 9

1. Title:

CREDIT CO-OP SOCIETY IN THE PREMISES

1. Objectives:

To extend a helping hand to employees in their times of need

1. The Context:

Considering the financial requirements of employees, the management has provided them the facility of credit co-op society. Maximum of the employees are members and avail the facility of loan when required.

1. The Practice:

Membership of the credit co-op society in the premises helps the employees in the form of loan when they are in need of money. The idea of co-operation is then promoted among them.

1. Evidence of Success:

Almost all the employee members of the credit co-op. society have availed the loans and the practice has continued till date since the inception.

1. Problem Encountered and Resources required:

In some cases, where the employees due to shortage of fund are not able to pay their instalments towards repayment of loan, the office bearers speak to them and resolving the issues in an amicable manner, encourage them to abide by their commitment to pay.

BEST PRACTICE 10

1. Title:

SKILL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS

1. Objectives:

To develop various career related and life skills among the students

1. The Context:

Considering the need of skill development at the college level and to reflect the national objective of skill development, the skill development committee of the college organizes skill based sessions for different classes. e.g. soft skills, computer skills, communication skills etc.

1. The Practice:

As an inter-departmental activity, faculty members in the Dept. of English, IT, Computer Science, Biotechnology engage sessions for the students from other departments on communication skills, soft skills etc.

1. Evidence of Success:

During the following academic years, the total number of students benefited is as follows

 2018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-24Total Number of beneficiaries24430387458213387

1. Problem Encountered and Resources required:

The main problem was relating to the clashes in time table and schedule of regular lectures. During the HOD meetings, Heads coordinate with each other and resort to the best possible solutions to adjust the time table for these sessions.

BEST PRACTICE – 11

1. Title:

CELEBRATION OF MARATHI BHASHA DIWAS

1. Objectives:

To develop taste among students for Marathi language and literature

1. Context:

Advent of globalization and resultant spread of English across the nation has influenced Indian mind on a greater scale. Mushrooming of English medium schools has led to reduction in strength of students enrolling in Marathi medium schools. Marathi, one of the rich Indian state languages, thus seems to be facing a major setback due to this encroachment and also due to the advent of technology. In order to promote use of this rich language, Government of Maharashtra has announced 27th February, the birthday of late Gyanpeeth awardee Marathi poetKusumagraj as Marathi BhashaDiwas.

1. Practice:

Marathi Wangmay Mandal in the college celebrates the day with activities like book exhibition and organization of interactive session by an expert in the field.

1. Evidence of Success:

Students from different faculties found the session very interesting.

1. Problems Encountered:

The day being close to examination period; problems are faced while adjusting the time schedule as the students are generally in the mood to prepare for examination. * The day being celebrated all over the state, finding a good resource person is a challenge faced every year.

BEST PRACTICE – 12

1. Title:

EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS TRAINING FOR FINAL YEAR GIRLS STUDENTS.

1. Objectives:

To empower the Girl students with Employability

1. The Context:

The College caters to underprivileged social strata wherein girls are mostly marginalized. Though good in academics, their socio-cultural background doesn’t allow them an access to an environment conducive to the development of employability skills.

1. The Practice:

In association with American India Foundation, girl students are trained with necessary employability skills.

1. Evidence of Success:

Total 83 girl students attended and were certified for the training programme.

1. Problem Encountered:

Students, due to lack of motivation, tend not to attend all the sessions.