I. REWARDING THE READERS
Objectives of the Practice
• To make the students understand the significance of reading in learning
• To train the students to make use of Library Resources for learning
• To emphasize the role of Library in enriching knowledge and life
The Context
Reading is a great hobby and stress reliever for a student. Reading helps in learning different new things and a mixture of experiences in life and this reading is also an important aspect in the formation of various leaders. It gives a range of benefits like imagination, patience, creativity and better cognitive skills. Reading moulds a student into a great person.
Today's modernized society has many distractions which result in lack of reading habit among the student community. So if we want to improve our society and develop the personality of our students, especially college students, we need to re-practice the habit of reading. Inspiring and motivating the college students to visit and read books and to use various resources in the library is a great way of enriching their knowledge.
The Practice
To address these challenges our college library has taken many outreach efforts like conduct of orientation programme for library users, publication and free distribution of library user manual, award for best library users. The most successful step which increased the volume of library users manifold was “rewarding the readers”. Readers are rewarded with a maximum of five internal assessment marks in each course for using library resources based on their Library attendance. Students are motivated to visit the library and read books of their choice. Adequate number of support staff guide and monitor the readers so that their library time is spent in the most effective way.
Entry and exit of students to the library is recorded digitally. The time spent by the students in the library is properly accounted. At the end of each semester, internal assessment marks in each course is provided in proportion to their library usage time.
Evidence of Success
Rewarding the readers practice has resulted in increase in the number of footfalls in the library. The evidence of success is the significant increase in the number of students visiting the library. The number of footfalls in the library increased by 200% when compared to the data of 2021-22 with 2018-19.
The number of participants in the programmes conducted by the Department of Library has also increased significantly. This indicates that the practice of rewarding the library users has motivated the users to a great extent. This has contributed for the enrichment of knowledge base of the students of Islamiah College.
Problems Encountered and Resources Required
Challenges of bringing the students to Library: The time for reading is reduced and students spend their time in many other new ways. Especially young people are absorbed in the internet and spend their valuable time online. Addiction to use of digital tools poses a great challenge in bringing back the students to the library. College students have very less time to devote for the library due to routine classes and involvement in extra-curricular activities.
Islamiah College Library has encountered a problem of sudden increase in the number of students visiting the library which was immediately sorted out by providing adequate reading space and allocating the resources by the Management.
II. FREE SEED BALL DISTRIBUTION TO FOREST DEPARTMENT
Objectives of the Practice
• To create awareness on the importance of forest conservation
• To train the students to make seed balls
• To motivate the students to throw seed balls in their villages / nearby forest area
The Context
Forests play a significant role in supporting human life around the world. Forests are important part of the environment. They provide shelter to many tribes of people, animals, other creatures and serve as a source of energy in various ways. They provide livelihood to a significant size of the population. We get clean air, drinking water and numerous produce which we rely on every day. Reserve forests are created to protect the environment, get good quantity of rain and to protect biodiversity.
The Practice
To address these challenges Islamiah College Enviro Club along with NSS volunteers took initiative of providing free seed balls to the students and forest department. The students were trained by the Enviro Club to make seed balls with different type of seeds. Accordingly the students prepared several hundred seed balls with seeds of vengai, rosewood, red sandal, vagai etc. The forest department officers were given these seed balls made by the students. The forest officers during the rainy season threw these seed balls in the vacant lands of reserve forest of Agaramcheri Red Sandal forest where common people are not permitted to enter.
Evidence of Success:
Islamiah College (Autonomous) has received several Awards and Recognitions for various initiatives of the College to protect and conserve the Environment including the GREEN CHAMPION AWARD 2022 with a cash award of ₹ 1,00,000/- by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, through the Tirupattur District Collector Mr. D. Baskara Pandian I.A.S., for exemplary contribution in the field of Environmental Protection and Awareness.
Students are able to identify seeds which have germinating capacity. They have made seed balls with available seeds in their locality and have thrown the same in their villages and adjoining forest lands. They are contributing for forest conservation and most importantly, this practice has enlightened the significance of protection and conservation of natural resources.
Problems Encountered and Resources Required
Deforestation is rampant in all the regions. It occurs due to urbanization, forest fires, human intervention, destruction of forests for ornamental, timber, furniture and firewood etc. The destroyed plantations are not replaced due to shortage of manpower in the forest department. Islamiah College has supported the forest department in planting more trees in remote areas.
Islamiah College (Autonomous) Enviro Club members encountered some problems in the form of difficulty in getting good quality tree seeds from local shops. So, seeds were gathered from various villages and forest areas in and around Vaniyambadi. Non-conducive weather prevailing in this region destroyed seedlings, saplings. The seed balls were distributed only during the winter and rainy seasons. In order to distribute quality seed balls, it should be procured which needs funding from Government/Non-Government Agencies. This practice can be extended to the neighboring Districts/States with the support of NGOs.
III. SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL
Objectives of the Practice:
•To provide additional skill to every UG student of the college through Add on Courses
•To develop Employability/Entrepreneurship Skills among the students
•To provide Hands on Training in their respective fields
Context:
The liberal and Arts Education focuses on theoretical knowledge. There is a great need of skilled manpower in view of the changing scenario of technical society. So, the students are imparted skills in different fields so as to enhance their employability/entrepreneurship skills.
Practice:
Skill Development Programmes are offered by different departments.
i) Department of Commerce offers a One Year Certificate Course in ‘E-Commerce & Footwear Technology’ to students pursuing different UG Programmes. The students pursuing this course are also trained in FDDI / Operator Training Centre of FDDI / Central Footwear Training Institute (CFTI), Chennai . Every Year, at least two Industrial Visits are organized for the students enrolling in this course for Industrial Exposure and for comprehending Shoe Making process. Industrial Visits are organized to Mohib Shoes (P) Ltd., Farida Shoes (P) Ltd., and NAPS (India) Pvt. Ltd., Ambur. Students pursuing this certificate course get an opportunity to participate in the Indian International Leather Fairs held at Trade Centre, Chennai.
ii) Department of Biochemistry offers a Certificate Course in Mushroom Cultivation Techniques. In this Certificate Course, Hands on Training in Mushroom Cultivation/Production is provided to the students, farmers and Women SHGs . This training greatly helps in improving Employability and Self-Employment Opportunities not only to the students but also to the farmers and Self Help Groups residing nearby villages of Islamiah College.
iii) Department of Physics offers Two Certificate Courses viz.,
a) Certificate Course in Basic Electronics and Servicing of Home Appliances
b) Certificate Course in Television & Troubleshooting
iv) Department of Chemistry offers Two Certificate Courses viz.,
a) Certificate Course in Preparation of Domestic Products
b) Certificate Course in Testing and Analysis of Industrial Products
v) Department of English offers a Certificate Course in Spoken English
vi) Department of Urdu & Arabic offers a Certificate Course in Arabic in collaboration with National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL), New Delhi.
vii) Department of Commerce offers a course on ‘Tally’ for enhancing accounting skills among the Commerce graduates.
Apart from the above, Computer Courses for Non-Computer Science students, Training Research Scholars in handling sophisticated instruments and equipments of Science Laboratories, e-Resources, Online Courses etc., are all arranged with a view to enhance the skill and abilities of students of the college.
Evidence of Success:
During the Academic Year 2016-17, 36 students underwent One Month Free Short Term Training Programme in Footwear Stitching and Designing in FDDI Campus, Chennai, a Central Government Institute. During the Academic Year 2017-18, 33 students of this course successfully underwent Free Training Programme held at Vaniyambadi Operator Training Centre (OTC) of FDDI.
Department of Commerce has signed two MoUs for Industrial Visits and Hands on Training with NAPS (India) Shoes Pvt. Ltd., Ambur and Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI), Chennai.
Current batch of this course is getting trained in the Central Footwear Training Institute (CFTI), located in our campus, a Central Government Institute under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India in collaboration with Tamil Nadu Skill Development Centre.
Department of Biochemistry in collaboration with Bhoomi Trust and NABARD, Thekkupattu Village, organized a programme on Mushroom Cultivation Techniques for Farmers and public in and around Vaniyambadi which was telecasted in the Makkal TV, by name ‘Malarum Bhoomi’, received good response from Tamil Nadu and Kerala as well. This course has a very good scope for Self-Employment. Two batches of students and farmers from Self Help Groups have successfully completed this course. Students and Trainees who have undergone this training programme have started their own Startup/Venture in Mushroom Cultivation.
Our College introduced the Certificate Course in Spoken English in 2017-18. Since then, this certificate course has overwhelming response among the students. So far, three batches have been successfully completed.
Department of Chemistry offered a Certificate Course on Testing and Analysis of Industrial Products during 2017-18 and 39 students successfully completed the course. The department also offered another Certificate Course on Preparation of Domestic Products during 2018-19 and 29 students successfully completed the course.
Department of Physics offered a Certificate Course on Basic Electronics and Servicing of Home Appliances and 38 students have successfully completed the course.
Department of Urdu & Arabic offers a Certificate Course in Arabic sponsored by NCPUL, Ministry of HRD, New Delhi. 110 students have successfully completed the course during the last three years.
Problems Encountered and Resources Required:
The time availability for conducting Skill Development Programmes in addition to the regular programmes of the college is very limited. When we prolong the programme to late evening, the students from remote villages and tribal areas find it very difficult to attend during late hours as they do not have bus/transportation facilities.
Resources: Thanks to the support of the management, we get the required resources for all the programmes.
IV. TRAINING STUDENTS & STAFF TO USE LIBRARY RESOURCES
Objectives of the Practice:
To acquaint the students and staff with the availability of library resources especially e-resources, D-Space, Digital Library, Virtual Library, SWAYAM , SWAYAM PRABHA and its services
Context:
The students of the college hail from villages and tribal areas. The library resources are available at present in e-mode. Therefore, they need guidance regarding the availability and training to make use of various type of facilities available such as e-resources, D-Space, Digital Library, Virtual Library, etc.
Practice:
•In the beginning of the academic year, the Research Scholars and staff members are given orientation / training towards effective utilization of Library Resources such as Open Access Resources, DELNET, INFLIBNET and also about the Plagiarism.
•A Library Manual is exclusively published by our College and circulated to all students and staff.
•Research Scholars and staff members are also given training about the SWAYAM MOOC Courses, SWAYAM PRABHA (Higher Education Channel) and use of e-resources of National Digital Library of India. (http://islamiahcollege.edu.in/download/downloads/1708201757189298.pdf)
•Hands on training to staff members is given regarding D-Space, a College Repository Software.
•The Department of Library Science organizes Book Exhibitions periodically.
- Online Question Bank for all Programmes is made available in the D-Space Link
•Best Library User Award is given annually during the Fresher’s Day so as to motivate the new comers.
Evidence of Success:
i. The number of visitors to the library has increased tremendously.
ii. Students and Research Scholars utilize e-Resources regularly.
iii. The Library Handbook published by the Department of Library Science is very helpful to staff and students.
iv. Scholars from nearby colleges do visit our library and make use of the resources.
v. Students and staff registering for online courses has increased substantially.
Problems Encountered and Resources Required:
The great challenge is to mould and train the rural folk to visit the library and utilize e-resources to the optimum level.
Adequate resources are available as per the standard norms and we do not face any problem at present.
IV. SOLAR GREEN ENERGY SCHEME: INSTALLATION OF ON-GRID 25 KW SOLAR POWER PLANT
Objectives:
The objective of installing Solar Green Energy is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions especially CO2 and to control pollution, to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, to improve Quality of Life, to promote the use of sustainable source of electrification, etc. It leads to clean and green environment.
Context:
Our college is very particular about taking initiatives to have cleaner and greener environment. In pursuant to the above, an initiative to reduce pollution and make the campus green was taken. Hence, under Solar Green Energy Scheme, the On-Grid 25 Kw Solar Power Plant was installed on the Roof top of the Administrative Building at the cost of Rs 15 lakhs (including Rs 5 lakh Government Subsidy).
Practice:
The On-Grid 25 Kw Solar Power Plant was installed on the roof top of the Administrative Building during June 2018 and since then it is in effective use. It generates on an average 80-140 units of power depending upon climate.
Evidence of Success:
The power generated by the Solar Power Plant is 80-140 units per day depending upon the climate and thereby reducing Electricity Bill by significant amount. During holidays, excess supply is sent to the Grid and it further reduces Electricity Bill of the college.
V. FACILITY TO STAFF AND STUDENTS: INSTALLATION OF LIFT
Objectives:
To facilitate the differently-abled students and staff members to go to their class rooms, exam halls and departments.
Context:
It is the tradition of our college that every year significant portion of amount is spent by the management to develop infrastructure facilities of the college. In pursuant of this tradition, lift was installed in the main block. Our college is very keen on providing all types of physical facilities to both staff and students to make teaching and learning easy, convenient and strain less.
Practice:
Lift was installed during the Academic Year 2018-19 in the main block. It provides connectivity to all the rooms of main block, old block, library block and computer science block. Students and staff members have started using this lift to reach their class rooms, exam halls and departments quite easily.
Evidence of Success:
All the physically-challenged students and staff make use of the lift.
VI. LIBRARY RESOURCES ACCESSIBILITY TO ALL, INCLUDING OUTSIDERS, FOR RESEARCH PROMOTION
Objectives:
• To provide accessibility to knowledge and information to the Academic Fraternity and Community
• To promote and support the Research Scholars within and outside the college to carryout Research Activities
Context:
College Library provides an excellent platform to the knowledge seekers, especially the students, scholars and teaching faculty, to seek knowledge. Libraries provide plenty of resources to its users. Library resources include books, journals, news papers, magazines, various other resources.
Practice:
The College Library provides plenty of scope and opportunity for reading, teaching, learning and for research, not only for the Students, Staff and Research Scholars of the College but also for the Students and Research Scholars of other Colleges and to the community at large. The College has a Video Library with Video Cassettes and CDs relevant to curriculum. The Library has Reprographic Facility for Research Scholars. A Library Hand Book on ‘How to make use of Library Resources including e-Resources’ has also been published to facilitate the Students, Staff and Research Scholars in utilizing the Library Resources.
Evidence of Success:
Presently, the Central Library of the College has 80,000+ Books and also has subscribed to 30,00,000 e-Books and 5000+ e-Journals through INFLIBNET DELNET. The Library has NPTEL e-learning video courses and also provides D-Space for Institutional Repository System. The Reference Section of the Library quenches the scientific thirst of the scholars of host and surrounding institutions. The Library houses not only the subject books but also rare collections of philosophy, logic, politics and languages. The Library functions on the basis of Open Access System in which the students, research scholars and staff have facilities for unlimited usage of the treasure trove. The Library has Reprographic facility which is an additional bonanza for the research scholars. The library is Wi-Fi enabled and fully automated by SOUL 2.0 software and all books are bar-coded. Ever increasing library accessibility, by the Students, Research Scholars and Faculty Members of Islamiah College and other Institutions, shows the efficacy of the Library and its resources.
VII. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO POOR & DESERVING STUDENTS THROUGH STUDENTS’ AID FUND
Objective:
To provide financial assistance to the poor and deserving students in order to uplift the downtrodden and weaker section of the society
Context:
Financial Assistance to students, especially poor, deserving and downtrodden, is very much essential for the upliftment of poor, downtrodden, marginalized and weaker section of the society. Financial Assistance to deserving poor students provides access to education especially higher education. It increases the opportunities for higher learning. It boosts the confidence and morale of the students.
Practice:
Islamiah College (Autonomous), with the vision and mission to provide more and better opportunities for higher learning, has the tradition of providing Financial Assistance to deserving poor students since long time. Financial Assistance is provided to deserving poor students with good grades. Financial Support is also provided by the local NGOs for the poor students.
Evidence of Success:
During the five Academic Years, commencing from 2014-15 to 2018-19, 230 deserving poor and minority students were provided with the Financial Assistance of Rs 3,68,800/- through Students’ Aid Fund and 160 deserving poor and minority students were given scholarship to the tune of Rs 8,53,980/- by the local NGOs. During the Academic Year 2019-20, 42 deserving poor minority students were provided with the Financial Support of Rs 40,000/- and during the same year, Rs 69,875/- worth Financial Assistance has been provided by the local NGOs.