Best Practices

Best Practice: I

Title: Students’ Engagements in Volunteering Activities for Nature Sustainability (SEVANS) 

The institution is at the forefront of conserving nature and promoting sustainable living. Being a higher education institution, its responsibility towards stakeholders is fulfilled through continuous initiatives in conserving and preserving nature.

1. Objective: 

  • To Motivate, Prepare and develop students by involving them in nature conservation and sustainable living
  • To encourage students’ active participation in sustainable living practices.

2. Context:

The College has emphasised the overall development of students, including their active and voluntary engagements in curricular and co-curricular activities. In this context, in 2018, the College initiated a tagline initiative called “SEVANS”, a noble practice of encouraging and empowering the maximum possible number of students to engage in various activities for nature sustainability and conservation.

3. Practice:

Various cells and forums are formed which promote volunteering activities of the students for sustainable living and nature conservation. The students are encouraged to engage in initiatives under the cells: ECC, NSS, and ED Club. Also, students are given support, motivation, and encouragement for activities towards nature sustainability at the Department level. To train students to engage in eco-friendly practices institution collaborates with voluntary organisations such as Rural Science Centre, Mulanthuruthy, and KITES etc. The most notable actions taken as part of this initiative, “SEVANS,” are listed below

  1. Environment Awareness Talks
  2. Environmental Audit
  3. Conferences with Green Protocol
  4. World Environmental Day Celebration
  5. Organic Farming
  6. Bee Keeping
  7. E-Waste, Paper and Fabric Upcycling
  8. Note Book Making
  9. LED Lights (Bulb, Tube & Star) Making
  10. Toiletries (Soap & Handwash) Making
  11. Tree Planting
  12. Aquaponics
  13. Local Cuisine Festival
  14. Open Air Class
  15. Solid Waste Segregation and Disposal
  16. Campus Cleaning Drives
  17. Seating and Landscape Around Trees

4. Evidence of Success:

The SEVANS have inculcated an eco-friendly attitude and awareness of nature preservation and environmental protection activities among the students. The community and the local bodies wholeheartedly support our students in initiating actions towards nature sustainability. As envisaged in the vision and mission statement of the institution, this flagship practice is on its successful path.

5. Problems Encountered and Resources Required

The students come from relatively remote locations; therefore, they need more time on campus to undertake many environmental conservation activities. As a self-financing institution, the college management has to support students’ activities and programmes towards nature sustainability financially.

Best Practice II:

The Social Welfare Activities of Nirmala (SWAN) 

The institution always keeps social transformation and justice above individual prosperity and success. One of the core aspects of the institution’s vision is “social responsibility”. Social responsibility among students towards various stakeholders can be fulfilled through continuous community engagement and fostering the social responsibility of the students and teachers.

1. Objectives 

The practice has the following objectives.

  1. To catalyse new initiatives of community engagement to help the local community.
  2. To contribute to the socio-economic development of the rural community.
  3. To appreciate local knowledge and wisdom.
  4. To help people in need during natural calamities.

2. The Context

The College has a tradition of community service and has always committed to the progress and development of the local community. The College has organised several programmes for neighbourhood society and helping the downtrodden. In 2018, the College institutionalised these initiatives under a flagship practice, “SWAN”. The programme’s objectives were in tune with the vision of the College, “Fostering Social Responsibility”.

3. The Practice:

The College has organised/undertaken several initiatives to educate and help society through continuous community engagement and extended support. The practices followed under the acronym” SWAN” are given below.

  1. Free medical camps, Eye and Dental Camps, Early Cancer Detection and Awareness Talks are conducted with organisations like the Rotary Club, Lotus Eye Hospital, Aster Medicity, Welcare Hospital, Karkinos etc.
  2. The students and teachers often visit orphanages to interact with the inmates and celebrate important events with the members of the orphanages.
  3. Organises blood donation camps every year in association with various organisations such as IMA, Red Cross etc.
  4. The College observes Road Safety Week with NATPAC and Kerala Road Safety Authority.
  5. The college students have actively participated in Anti-Drug campaign programmes in association with Mulanthuruthy Panchayath.
  6. The students of the College undertook cleaning camps in the nearby hospitals.
  7. The college students have initiated beach cleaning in a plastic waste removal camp at Fort Kochi Beach.
  8. The College set up a flood relief camp for over 350 people in 2018. The management, teachers and students wholeheartedly donated cloth, groceries and study materials to flood-affected families in the panchayath.
  9. The College’s students and teachers served as volunteers during the flood rescue operations. They are actively involved in shifting people from flood-affected areas to rescue camps and also actively involved in the cleaning process and making the homes ready for living.
  10. The students of BBA provided noon meals for about 50 physically and mentally challenged orphans during festivals.
  11. The College has distributed awareness materials among selected households of nearby Panchayats to educate them on E-payment methods and online financial transactions.
  12. The College has conducted a webinar for the families on ‘Social Security Schemes for Differently Abled.’
  13. The College has facilities for surface rainwater harvesting, which is very helpful in preserving groundwater levels in the neighbourhood areas.
  14. The College has bought a tiny piece of land (2 cents) 100 metres away from the campus solely to preserve a conventional well that serves as an additional source of water to campus and to help the poor people in the surrounding community.
  15. The College sells the products such as Vegetables, Christmas stars, LED bulbs and Soaps produced by the students to nearby residents at subsidised rates.

4. Evidence of Success

The ‘SWAN’ initiatives have inculcated a social commitment among the students. It was noticed during the floods and COVID-19 pandemic when the students volunteered to render service in collaboration with the College’s local governments and other agencies.

5. Problems Encountered and Resources Required

Being a self-financing institution, financial support to students’ social work activities and programmes is provided by management. The period of covid it adversely affected the College in undertaking social activities and education classes offline.

IQAC