Best Practices

Best Practice : I

1. Title: Skill based training

2. Objectives of the Practice
i. To identify various passions and skills among students.
ii. To segregate quick learners and slow learners.
iii. To cater the needs of the students.
iv. To train the students in all possible aspects to be readily employable.
v. To make the students to get pass marks and get degree comfortably

3. The Context
Students admitted in our College are heterogeneous, in which some students could grasp the lessons easily while others lag behind in their understanding the subjects. In order to treat all the students uniformly, if we start giving co-curricular aspects of training along with curriculum, the slow learners will struggle. If we revision and coaching, the quick learners may feel underestimated. So, in order to cater the needs of the students, it is mandatory to segregate students into quick learners and slow learners to given what they require. At any point of time, if a slow learner starts performing in the tests, the student may be allowed to be in quick learners’ group.

4. The Practice
The students are segregated into quick learners and slow learners based on the results of previous end semester examination. A student failed even in one subject will be grouped in slow learners while other will be grouped in quick learners. Normally, classes gets over by 4.00 pm and the time between 4.00 pm and 5.00 pm is termed as SCC/CCA session. SCC is Special Coaching Class and CCA is Co-Curricular Activities. SCC/CCA will be conducted on all working days between 4.00 pm and 5.00 pm. Slow learners will be one 13 marks question and two 2 marks questions to study for first half-an hour and allowed to write the same answer as test during the next half-an hour. By this way, slow learners will be trained to study the subject little by little in each subject and paves way to get pass mark in the ensuing end semester examination, which is their primary target.

At the same time, quick learners will be assembled in a separate class room or lab, where they will be trained in aptitude, group discussion, interview practice, GATE coaching, English proficiency, Communication skills, certificate course, and other requirements of students’ choice. Those talents are allowed to develop after 5.00 pm. Apart from this, in order to train the students of SCC with CCA, a special session called 'TATS' (Technical Aptitude Training Session) is incorporated in the time table itself for the benefit of the slow learners. This session will be handled by a teacher unlike CCA.

5. Evidence of Success
At present, students are not showing that much interest in studying. They are heavily deviated by the use of mobile phones and its social media. Parents of such students are also not forcing them to concentrate on studies. This is the main reason for their lack of interest in their studies. This mentality is gradually changed during SCC class and made them to understand the importance of studies and students has changed from adapting to studies rather being idle.

On the other hand, students who underwent CCA are trained well and could able to face society with clear mind. Now the students could fetch job in top companies like TCS, CTS, INFOSYS in the pooled off-campus drive conducted by Anna University. Evidence is that more number of our college students gets placed in off-campus interview process conducted by other colleges in recent years.

Inclusion of TATS in the regular time table has changed the slow learners to get placements in small companies, for which they are happy about that. Parents also felt happy about their son/ daughter who rose up to better position when compared to how they are when they are admitted in the first year.

6. Problems Encountered and Resources Required
The main problem encountered in implementing the SCC/CCA scheme is possibilities of demotivation among slow learners that they are separated from other. Even though faculty members explain the importance attending SCC for slow learners, still the problem persists. In order to overcome this issue, a provision is given for slow learners to move to CCA classes, if they get pass marks in all the courses in their ensuing test conducted by the exam cell.

On the other hand, the resources required to conduct CCA classes for quick learners is the availability of class rooms. Since the entire college strength is divided into two groups, there is scarcity in class rooms. But this deficiency is easily sort out by utilizing the labs and seminar halls to conduct CCA classes. In some cases, while teaching communications skills and English, instead of students, it is felt that teachers may handle such classes. So teachers have to prepare themselves to teach English and communication skills.

Best Practice : II

1. Title of the Practice:  Standard formats for all requirements

2. Objectives of the Practice
1. To maintain uniform format and procedure
2. To develop discipline in record maintenance
3. To inculcate the habit of following a standard procedure
4. To educate the way of creating a format for any requirement
5. To indirectly educate the practice of writing in good English

3. The Context
Before the introduction of standard formats for all requirements four years ago, students and faculty members submit their request letter for their various requirements in the paper torn from their notebook. The English was very poor and sometimes mislead their request. Similarly, faculty members prepared result analysis in different format, which cannot be understood uniformly. Considering all these difficulties of the students and faculty members, the Principal prepared standard formats for all the requirements. Most of the formats are made available in the website for easy download and also made available in the College Stationery.

4. The Practice
The following formats were prepared for use of students and faculty members.
1. Own Vehicle Permission letter
2. I Year Scholarship
3. Attendance Shortage intimation & Undertaking
4. Coaching Class undertaking
5. Joining Report (for staff members)
6. Job Placement Requisition
7. Industrial Visit permission letter
8. Scholarship Cancel undertaking
9. Company training Undertaking
10. Day Scholar Out Pass
11. College Bus Rules and application
12. College Hostel Rules and application
13. Hostel Out Pass
14. Progress Report-Students
15. No Dues Certificate (for staff members)
16. College Bus: Instruction to staff members
17. Security person: Instructions
18. Deputy Warden Instructions
19. House Keeping Monthly Report
20. Alumni Registration
21. T.C. Request Letter
22. Passport verification Letter
23. Education loan letter
24. Symposium/Seminar/Workshop OD letter
25. Survey Camp letter
26. Industrial Visit permission letter
27. First Generation Graduate letter
28. Fees Letter & mobile phone disaster reminder to parents
29. IQAC permission requisition
30. Result analysis format
31. Self-Appraisal Report
32. Students’ feedback
33. Parents’ meeting format
34. Committee format
35. Minutes of the meeting format
36. Monthly Progress Report-Faculty members
37. Teacher’s profile for recruitment

Writing an official letter is an art and that should claim what is required directly in a polite manner. Our students studied their schooling in Tamil and mostly first graduates coming from rural areas. Most of the letters written by students conveys information to the higher authority rather than request for permission and most of the time the content mislead their request. If it is allowed at this stage, then they may continue the same in their career which may go wrong. In order to curtail this and to educate the way of writing letter, formats are prepared and given to students to train them in writing letter in good English. This is our first attempt and got success in that. Secondly, the information required to consider a request for approval is lacking. Hence, formats are prepared for various requirements and the details requested are preprinted. Now by answering those demand, one can easily get approval for what the student wants. For example, if a student wants college bus pass, the student need to give certain details like boarding place, address, route number, fee prescribed, fee paid, parent’s acceptance etc. This is formatted in a simple application and some instructions to be followed while travelling in the college bus are given on the reverse side of the application. The second success is that our students are educated to prepare format.

5. Evidence of Success
The purpose of introducing various formats (nearly 37 formats) is to learn the art of writing letters to higher officials to achieve what they want and providing sufficient information for approval in a standard format. In order to achieve the said objectives, 37 formats are made available in the website for easy download and also made available in the College stationery. Now the students write request letters in good English. Even though they are copying the letter contents from the given format, the practice of writing the formatted letter again and again will enable them to write other letters in the same manner without any mistakes which was done earlier. Secondly, the contents required to consider for approval a request is also educated through various formats.

The evidence of success is that, now our students are following a uniform format and procedure, developed the discipline of record maintenance, developed the habit of following a uniform standard procedure, learnt the way of creating a format for any requirements, and also practiced writing in good English. These evidences are clearly seen in the students while they organise symposium, workshops, various events like Independence Day, Republic day, Annual day and other events.

6. Problems encountered and Resources required
If any new procedure is implemented in the College, it will be difficult to reach all the students and faculty members, even though circulars are sent. Though formats are available, there are few who still follow their own style neglecting the current procedure. Second thing is that formats should be always available in stationery to avoid deviation in our attempts. Particularly, teachers knowingly or unknowingly change the format which initiates deviation and finally reaches an entirely different format when compared to the original format. In such cases, pdf files are uploaded in the website instead of word file.

The resource required to create formats is the time for the Principal to create various formats. Second, system administrator is required to upload all the given formats in the suitable space in the website. Third is to ensure the availability of the formats in the stationery whenever required for the students and faculty members.