Best Practice 1: Environment Conscious Campus

1. Title of the Practice:

Environmentally Conscious Campus

2. Objective of the Practice:

The primary objective of the practice is to remain environmentally conscious in our everyday life. The college is situated in a green landscape, hence, within our limited capacity we want to impart environmental values in the minds of our students.

3. The Context

We try to transform our college into an eco-friendly campus. The issue of climate change is a matter of concern. It is high time to pay due care to environmental concerns for their scientific mitigation unless it is too late.

4. The Practice:

We prescribe positive practice in our list. We aim to educate our students and make every stakeholder of the college conscious of the environment.

1. The college campus is a plastic free zone.
2. Every year we plant saplings of many trees to make the college greener.
3. We have a Rainwater Harvesting System.
4. We have a Flower Garden for beautification of the campus. It has some medicinal plants which have a salutary impact on the environment.
5. We have a Bio-Degradable Compost Pit.
6. We have converted to 100% LED tubes and bulbs for lighting purposes.
7. We are using solar energy from Solar Panels installed on the rooftop of the academic building.
8. Most of our students and faculties use bicycles or public transport.
9. We have a storeroom for e-waste materials.
10. We have installed several dustbins at different points of the campus to collect solid waste and liquid waste.
11. The bio-degradable items and non-biodegradable items are collected separately.

5. Evidence of Success:

1. We stopped using plastic in our college. We use paper cups for taking tea.
2. Rainwater is used in toilets and for cleaning purposes.
3. We keep our campus clean by collecting garbage systematically. Flower gardens cause a soothing effect on our eyes and create a proper mood of learning.
4. We have replaced our all lights with LED tubes and bulbs.
5. We have installed Sensor System in Principal’s chamber, teachers’ room and in one of the offices in the ground floor of annexe building to save energy and t increase more in the future.

6. Problems Encountered and Resource Required:

1. The college is located in a lowland area which often creates a flood-like situation during rainy seasons. It acts as a hindrance in realizing the full potential of a green campus.
2. College is taken during election. Consequently, the greenery in the campus gets affected.

7. Notes Optional:

We work with NGOs working in the field of environment, like “Paribesh Bandhab of Krishnanagar for keeping us updated.

Best Practice: 2: Women Empowerment

1. Title of the Practice:

Women Empowerment

2. Objectives of the Practice:

Empowerment includes elevating the status of women through education, awareness camps, and training programs. It depends on the policies adopted by the institution to ensure its actualization. Women empowerment is about equipping women to assert their agency. The objective is to educate the girls through various activities by imparting knowledge and instilling leadership in them.

3. The Context:

The college has served as a platform in providing education mostly to first-generation learners. It is situated in a rural area with students from poor economic backgrounds. Since the number of girl students is more, women empowerment is of utmost importance.

4. The Practice:

The college has taken several initiatives to educate the girl students by bringing them to the mainstream. lectures and discussion indeed can’t solve their problems. So, the college has implemented various initiatives in empowering women.

1. The inclusion of women centric topics in the curriculum and their delivery is important from a theoretical perspective which will ensure steps to be taken on the ground to resolve the problem.
2. The college has a common room for the girls. In the Girls’ Common Room there are provisions of carom board for their leisure.
3. The college has installed two sanitary napkin vending machines in the girls’ common room.
4. In the girls’ common room a breastfeeding corner is established.
5. The college has a Grievance Redressal Committee to investigate sexual harassment cases. The Women Cell of the college counsels the girls about the importance to continue study.
6. The college level Kanyashree Club is a forum to discuss various socio-economic problems encountered by the girls. Kanyashree Club is an exclusive female club.
7. The issue of third gender enriches gender discourse. The Bengali Department, IQAC and Women Cell of the college organized a Gender Sensitization Campaign through a seminar on ‘The Position of Third Gender in Literature and Society’ in which the keynote speaker was Dr. Manabi Bandopadhyay, India’s first transgender college principal.
8. The college celebrates International Women’s’ Day on 8th March each year by organizing seminar on gender issues.

5. Evidence of success:

1. The number of girl students’ enrollment has increased.
2. The girl students have performed considerably well in university examination.
3. They are performing well in the various cultural and sports activities.
4. Kanyashree Club is a sub-committee consisting of several girl representatives.
5. The number of girl volunteers in the NSS Unit has increased. Girls take part in various community outreach programs.

6. Problem Encountered and the Resources Required:

1. lack of experience on ground to come out of the problem.
2. Despite arranging several programs on ‘Women Empowerment’ the problem continues to persist.
3. During Covid Pandemic, it was observed that several girl students got married off at an early age even before they could graduate. Consequently, many of the girl students dropped out because of early marriage.

7. Notes (Optional)

To implement this best practice the following resources are required by the college:

1. NCC Unit with substantial presence of girl students.
2. More involvement of girl students in Karate, Yoga courses run by the college at free of cost. This will shape their personality and will instill a sense of confidence in them.