COOCH BEHAR COLLEGE
NAAC Accredited at B++ Grade (2.78 Scale) College
ESTD.: 1970 | COOCHBEHAR PANCHANAN BARMA UNIVERSITY

Student Satisfaction Survey

Institutional Distinctiveness

Title of the practice Faculty and Staff Development Through Modern Technological Applications and Awareness Goal

• To create awareness among the faculty members about the e - Learning content management systems. • To create awareness among the faculty members about application of various technology in online teaching methods for serving the needs of the students during COVID 19 pandemic lockdown. • To share the knowledge among not only between the faculty members of the college but also the faculty members of different institutions of the district. • To enhance the technological awareness among the non-teaching staff of the college. Context Like other parts of rural India, a section of students of our college come from such background where higher education is not only a luxury but also remains untouchable due to financial impediments. Majority of the students are merely first generation learners who have little scope for running and maintenance of their study during prolonged lockdown due to attack of COVID 19 at their home. Thus online teaching was the only solution for maintenance of their study during stoppage of classroom teaching. Thus it became essential to aware the faculty members about various techniques of online teaching and e-learning content generation to serve the needs of the students and to prepare them for their examinations. The Practice • The college organized a Week Long National Level Workshop:Topic: “Learning Content Management System” and “Learning Content Management System” Organizer: PG Dept. of Geography English, Cooch Behar College, Dept. of Geography, Ramakrishna Sarada Mission Vivekananda Vidya bhavan from 02/09/2020 to 8/09/2020. • A Week Long National Level Faculty Development Programme (Online) on “Empowerment in Online Teaching, Learning Evaluation for Combating Covid-19 Pandemic Situation” The Programme was approved by Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University.: Cooch Behar College in collaboration with National Service Scheme, Cooch Behar District IQAC, Cooch Behar College approved by Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University from 2nd - 8th June, 2020. Evidence of success • The impact of the programme has been very encouraging. • Students’ attachment with the institution and teachers faster. • The students took active part in online classes and could maintain their study during lockdown. • They do not feel like aliens. • Nearly 100 students got passed in their final examination after unlocking. Notes The college has in its credit a number of activities aimed at student’s welfare and benefit. As the students are vulnerable to dropouts, irregular attendance and poor educational resources it becomes a responsibility of the parental institution to extend assistance of every possibility in order to lend a hand of support to the talents. The first and foremost challenge before the college is to resist the dropout rate. As more than 65 of the students come from a rural and poor socio- economic background it becomes increasingly difficult for them to continue their studies uninterrupted. To check this circumstances the college has come out with effective measures to start online teaching and supply of e-resources to cater the needs of students.

Institutional Best Practices

Two Institutional Best Practices

Best Practices I

Title of the practice

Felicitation of Students and Teachers for excellence. 

Goal 

•    To ensure better academic performance of students.

•    To involve the teachers in research oriented activity.

•    To develop confidence in students to face the examinations.   To boost up the academic vision of the major stakeholders.

•    To encourage students for Co-curricular / curricular activities.

•    To encourage students in general to be involved in such activities that can lead them to the path of success.

Context 

Cooch Behar district is one of the most backward districts of West Bengal. Majority of the total population of the district are belongs to SC category. Besides poor economic conditions, the educational scenario of the district is gloomy. Many social and economic factors are there behind this condition. But instead of these stumbling blocks there are some students who have shown their excellence in different sectors. The college is very sincere in nurturing of such with utmost care. Programmes like remedial coaching, tutorial class and personal discussion are adopted for further improvement of the students. So, the college takes new initiatives ‘Felicitation Activity’ to boost up the merit based performance of the students and augmented research activity of the teachers. The felicitations of such activities are arranged on the foundation day of the college every year. And, it is seen that the feedback of such felicitation activity is very positive.

The Practice

 Students are informed by the faculties, notice board and college websites about the annual felicitation programme. The ‘Teachers’ Council’ with the help of IQAC prepares the list of awardees after checking results details of the students and research publication of the teachers. Then the probable awardees are informed by letter and also by phone. Then in the meeting of ‘Teachers’ Council’ detail schedule and prize items are prepared and some teaching and non-teaching staffs deputed to purchase the prize materials. In that event another retired teacher offers cash of Rs 500 to two students of Chemistry Honours and Chemistry General.

Notes

 This practice can be adopted by other college to help students to excel academically and to develop a sense of confidence in them. In order to encourage the students in their studies the college every year felicitates those students who have shown good academic achievement in different examinations conducted by the affiliated University. Students who get highest mark in every department are felicitated. Students of all the programmes of studies viz. Arts, Commerce and Science are covered. Each year in an annual function the achievers are felicitated in the presence of a distinguished guest along with Principal and other teachers. This annual prize distribution to the topers creates an atmosphere of high interest and enthusiasm among the students. The college honours its teachers every year who have shown significant contribution in research and innovation in order to encourage their further involvement in such practices and develop the overall participation of the college in research related activities. Those faculty members who have participated and presented papers in international seminar and conferences or have contributed papers in international or national journals are felicitated.

Best Practice - II

Title of the practice

Fee Scholarships for Students from College Fund

Goal

•    To provide support to the needy and meritorious students. 

•    To remove financial barrier for the learners on the way of higher education.

•    To identify the students who are not obtaining any Government provided scholarships but actually need some kind of support.  

•    To understand those students expectation and comprehend them about the availabilities.

Context

 Like other parts of rural India, a section of students of our college come from such background where higher education is not only a luxury but also remains untouchable due to financial impediments. Currently, the Government level financial support for reserve categories and minorities become very active in West Bengal and a large section of students are benefitted from such scholarship schemes But we hold that such support from Government level is necessary but not sufficient. Multi-dimensional poverty on the way of higher education may not be eradicated only by such Government level initiatives. Observing that section of students who are not belonging under the umbrella of Government level support mechanism but poor, college made an effort to identify and support them from its own fund in terms of half / full removal of tuition fees. In the programme, we create a friendly democratic space where a free flowing exchange of ideas between teachers and students can happen openly about issues that affect their daily lives.

The Practice  

•    The college put the notice on the notice board seeking the application from students for such fee removal scholarship scheme. 

•    After receiving the application with valid documents the scholarship committee shortlisted the students. 

•    During screening, the committee remain very much careful about the norms that any students received any kind of Government level support remain out of such screening list. 

•    The list of valid students eligible for such scholarships is published in the college notice board. 

•    The date of reimbursement is also published on the notice board.

•    The college office disburses the fees on the stipulated dates.

Evidence of success 

•    The impact of the programme has been very encouraging.

•    Students’ attachment with the institution and teachers faster.

•    They do not feel like aliens.

•    Nearly 20 students received such scholarships during 2014-15 sessions and the percentage has some upward strength over the year.  

•    College become proud about such utilisation of fund for helping the alienated students. 

•    They face their new life more easily.

Notes 

The college has in its credit a number of activities aimed at student’s welfare and benefit. As the students are vulnerable to dropouts, irregular attendance and poor educational resources it becomes a responsibility of the parental institution to extend assistance of every possibility in order to lend a hand of support to the talents. The first and foremost challenge before the college is to resist the dropout rate. As more than 65 of the students come from a rural and poor socio- economic background it becomes increasingly difficult for them to continue their studies uninterrupted. To check this circumstances the college has come out with effective measures the foremost among which is a scheme of free studentship to the student’s not availing benefit of any other scholarship. It will be appropriate to mention here that this is a unique initiative on behalf of any college or educational institution of the entire vicinity and has earned praise and appreciation from students, parents and local population. The relaxation in fees has been offered in two major categories namely complete free studentship and relaxation of upto 50 . It has to be mentioned here that many students in the college receive benefit of Government scholarships and aids. Regular Government scholarships have been offered to SC/ST/OBC and minority students under schemes. Apart from this a few nongovernmental organizations such as Jhindal, Mahindra etc also offer scholarships to selected students of our college. But in spite of these a major population of students remains uncovered by these aids. Again, there is also a large population of students who miss the BPL list by a thin margin. These students who do not receive any financial aid from Government and are also not covered by BPL traditionally constitute the population which is prone to dropouts and abrupt disruption in studies. Hence, the college has come out with this concept of free studentship which has been offered only to those students who do not come under BPL list and also do not receive benefit of any other scholarship governmental or nongovernmental. The effect of this free studentship is one year. In completion of one year students need to apply as fresh candidates. This concept of free studentship has been received with very favorable response and proved as an effective measure in curving the predicaments of students in carrying out their studies uninterruptedly.