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Self Study Report - Cycle I
Cycle 1 Peer Team Report
Cycle 2 Peer Team Report
Self Study Report Cycle III (2020 - 2021) - Click Here to View
Self Study Report Cycle 3
Best Practice
I. Enhance Career Prospects and Ensure Holistic Development
Objective
The prime objective of the institution is to educate, empower and ensure the socio- economic well-being of its students. The college has been striving to provide access to quality education, keeping in mind the emerging trends and making the curriculum contemporary and relevant. The institution also focuses on the holistic development of the students along with knowledge acquisition and skill development. In its pursuit of excellence the college has been adopting a policy of periodic introduction of new courses that would equip students with knowledge specific to the discipline and at the same time impart skills to enhance their career prospects. This has culminated in an increase in the number of programmes and value added and skill development courses introduced, that have enriched the existing talent pool. In the past five years 5 new programmes and 144 value added courses were introduced.
The Context
Institutions of higher learning deem it their responsibility to impart quality education to the youth, groom them to be self-reliant, resourceful and assist them realise their potential. These institutions are the creators of future scientists, economists, entrepreneurs, mathematicians, managers, psychologists and software professionals. In tune with this vision, our institution offers a wide range of programmes and courses that are relevant and cotemporary and impart knowledge and skills that would enable the students to be well-equipped to face the challenges in life. The design, flexibility and the multiplicity of the courses offered facilitate the first step towards fulfilling this responsibility. Adequate emphasis is given to development of the overall personality of the students by instilling values and principles, giving opportunity to the students to participate in co-curricular activities and nurture a sense of compassion for the others.
The Practice
The college has seen a remarkable growth in the number of programmes offered availing every opportunity that has risen in the past five decades. An array of new programmes and courses were introduced with the sole purpose of disseminating and advancing knowledge in the emerging fields across all disciplines. Our institution offers a wide band of B.Com Programmes with specialisations in Corporate Secretaryship, Accounting & Finance, Finance and Taxation, Bank Management and Marketing management to cater to the needs of the secondary and tertiary sectors. The commerce programmes have also included the recent taxation policy of the government, the GST as part of the curriculum. The Computer Science programmes like B.C.A., B.Sc. Computer Science, M.C.A., M.Sc. IT, M.Sc. Computer Science offer courses on Java, C++, PHP and DOT Net Programming so as to keep pace with the on-going digital revolution. Also, in recent years the higher education scenario has witnessed a drift towards STEM courses. The college which has been offering a spectrum of physical and biological sciences programmes has absorbed the changes in the discipline and accommodated the fresh perspectives by constantly revamping and updating the syllabus. In recognition of the outstanding performance of the science departments of the college, the DBT Star College status was conferred upon the institution. The B.Sc. Visual Communication programme prepares the youth to meet the challenges in the ever-changing field of media and communication. The B.A. Criminology Programme with its courses on cyber-crime, forensic sciences, vigilance and security management addresses and trains students to resolve issues in this area. The programmes on language and literature are intended to revive interest in the great works of yester years and cherish the underlying principles of humanism and universal values really needed in a world which is increasingly materialistic. These are a few of the numerous changes brought in to enable students acquire the necessary skill sets to enhance their career choices.
Apart from these there has been a spectacular increase in the number of Value-Added Courses which aim at
- Developing technical know-how among the youth
- Making graduates employable through necessary skill development
Today, the college offers around thirty-five value added courses to develop skills and enrich the career opportunities that can be explored by the students. In addition, the institution also endeavours to help students develop scholastic abilities to enable them to successfully perform in various competitive examinations. The college has signed MoUs with institutions and organisations to impart training and help students hone their skills and prepare them for their professional lives.
Apart from the mandatory course on Value Education, the students are actively involved in programmes and events intended to impart life skills, communication skills and confidence building, which ensures the holistic development of the students. On completion of their programmes, the students are moulded to possess a good personality with a humane perspective of life.
Evidence of Success
The efforts taken by the institution in terms of expansion and introduction of new courses have widened the scope and opportunities for the students to explore and benefit, apart from shaping their characters and enhancing their overall personalities. The introduction of 5 new programmes and 144 value added courses has resulted in 12,177 students being benefitted. The BBA programme has been recognised as the best in Chennai city and ranked as number 5 in the South as per the Times BBA Education Ranking Survey 2021. The MBA programme offered by the School of Management has been ranked B2 by the Business Standard Survey of 2020. The enrolment and the demand ratio for the courses serve as a marker reflecting the efficacy of the strategy to offer a broader span and wider range of career options for the students. Incidentally, these courses open up avenues in the service sector that directly impacts the development of the nation.
Problems Encountered
The inevitable consequence of this practice is lack of prior knowledge of the scope and outcome of these programmes as students and parents by extension, the society lean toward the conventional programmes like commerce. As these new programmes are offered under the self-financing stream, the operating costs may be high and in turn makes it less affordable to the students from disadvantaged sections of the society.
II. Institution as a Social Crusader
To dedicate itself to the cause of education and to transform society were the foundations on which the institution was built over the years. The institution has tirelessly worked right from its inception till today, to ensure that education, opportunities and empowerment become every student’s right. The college takes all efforts to inculcate in the students a sense of social responsibility so that they would go on to be change-makers and model citizens.
Context
The institution always reaches out to those in need within and outside to alleviate the burdens of the underprivileged sections of the society, through its various initiatives and outreach programmes. In essence, Dwaraka Doss Goverdhan Doss Vaishnav College believes that an educational institution’s remit extends beyond the classroom, it can be a vehicle for change, strengthen the downtrodden and transform the society for the better. The sense of social responsibility is deeply ingrained in the very ethos of the institution.
Practice
Students from underprivileged backgrounds
Providing ample opportunities to students from underprivileged backgrounds, the college has become an institution that offers an inclusive atmosphere for students to learn, acquire knowledge and skills and empower themselves. The college offers government as well as management scholarships for students who are underprivileged. Sports scholarships are also offered to achievers who are from disadvantaged backgrounds. The college has provided endowment, sports and private scholarships to students amounting to Rs. 29,19,175 in 2020-2021. The staff are also encouraged to look into the needs of such students with extra attention and offer remedial teaching and counselling if required. The college has really gone the extra mile to ensure that the students from all walks of life get quality education and contribute substantially to the society. The institution serves as a beacon of hope for those students who need the platform of education to empower themselves.
Community initiatives
The various clubs and forums namely, the NSS, NCC, CCC and Rotaract have been doing a stellar job of fulfilling the institution’s social responsibility through its various initiatives and programmes that are solely aimed at emancipation, empowerment and creating awareness by reaching out to the disadvantaged and the marginalised sections of the society. Blood donation camps, awareness campaigns on social and environmental issues, talks and lectures, human chains, rallies, cleanliness drives and distribution of relief and other materials are some of the initiatives that are regular features of the college calendar. The NSS of the college has been regularly involved in village adoption programmes in which they work for the welfare of a village. Even individual departments have been periodically involved in neighbourhood and community outreach initiatives. These social initiatives have helped shape the character of the students and sensitise them by giving them a glimpse of the realities of the world around them and encouraging them to give a helping hand to the underprivileged.
Extending support to health and educational initiatives
The Edifice for Service block within the campus reflects the institution’s commitment to serving the society. The Swami Vivekananda Diagnostic Centre is a low-cost, affordable, quality testing lab which caters to a wide range of population. The space to run this diagnostic centre has been provided by the college so that it can benefit the society at large in the field of health care. The centre was set up by the Lion’s Club to help the underprivileged sections of the society have access to expensive diagnostic tests at affordable rates. The centre, which was established in the year 1998, serves 7000 people every month and continues in its noble efforts to help a vast number of people. The college has also broadened its vision for education by giving a dedicated space for the IGNOU study centre, the largest in Tamilnadu, to be established in its premises since the year 1987. This extraordinary gesture by the college has provided a platform for enthusiastic learners to acquire degrees and diplomas.
Responding to calamities and crises
In times of crises, the management, staff and students come together with a singular purpose of helping alleviate the suffering of the people who are affected. The Vallabhacharya Vidya Sabha, the managing body of the college, donated Rs. 1 crore to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for Covid relief. Monetary help is also extended by the members of the faculty by way of donating a day’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund during times of natural calamities such as floods and the ongoing pandemic. In the year 2020, a few blocks in the college premises were allowed to be used as quarantine facilities to house 14,000 Covid patients for a period of six months. Organised by the NSS unit, provision kits were distributed to daily wage workers, amounting to Rs.2,50,000 during the pandemic. The college has also organised Covid vaccination camps in which 350 people benefitted.
Evidence of success
A number of underprivileged students who have studied in the institution have been empowered to create a distinct identity for themselves. Over the years, the various community initiatives have yielded substantial returns in terms of benefit to the society such as the development programmes initiated in the Arikkambedu, Kandigai, Kollumedu and Kattur Villages, Vellanur Panchayat which were adopted by the NSS unit of the college. The annual blood donation camps have been life-saving initiatives which have been successful and in the year 2019-2020, an impressive number of 2020 units of blood were collected. Despite the Covid situation, in 2020-2021, 2025 students participated in community outreach programmes, awareness campaigns, cleanliness drives, Covid care initiatives and events with gender and women as focus.
Problems encountered
Funding for the social and community initiatives become a constraint. Since students can only devote a certain number of hours for these programmes, the number of events organised may be limited. The pandemic has severely hampered the community initiatives that are regularly undertaken by the college, in spite of which the students have reached out to the society through various awareness programmes and services.
Institutional Distinctiveness
Excellence in Entrepreneurship
The college has a rich tradition and culture of inculcating in the young minds a strong sense of self-reliance and resourcefulness. The institution, true to its vision, imparts not just skill-sets but also ensures holistic development and grooms the students to be self-confident and independent. It has also instilled in them an undying quest for knowledge and a penchant to create new and innovative ideas. This has enabled them to groom themselves into successful entrepreneurs. Adequate training is given to help students develop entrepreneurial traits such as leadership, perseverance, creativity, passion, values and ethics. Over the years, the institution has moulded generations of graduates, given shape to their aspirations and have created numerous entrepreneurs who in turn have become job providers. In the past five years, of the 12,177 students who graduated, 2,240 have become successful entrepreneurs. The year 2019-2020 saw an impressive 32.35% of the graduates emerge as entrepreneurs. Despite the pandemic 31.31% of the outgoing students have ventured into businesses of their own.
Curriculum
The introduction of new programmes in the past decade has widened the scope of possibilities of venturing into businesses in tune with the emerging trends. The programmes and courses offered by the institution such as marketing, business administration, finance and entrepreneurship development have provided the necessary impetus to the students to take up new initiatives and set up their own businesses. Students belonging to the disciplines of commerce and allied subjects, have as part of their curriculum, case-studies, project work and compulsory internships which have enabled them gain exposure and learn through hands-on training the various aspects of running a business right from ideation to manufacturing, marketing, sales, finance, IT, advertising and public relations. The postgraduate programmes go a step further in educating the students through their collaborations with industry, equipping them with the knowhow in establishing businesses and consultancy services. These programmes motivate students to go beyond economic concerns and to be service oriented.
Entrepreneurship Development Cell
The prime objective of the ED Cell of the college is to identify, encourage and motivate students to become job providers rather than job seekers. The latent talents possessed by a segment of the student community is honed and fine-tuned by the initiatives taken by the ED Cell. The ED Cell has an impressive number of student enrolment and participation as students are given ample exposure to the world of business. The various programmes organised by the ED Cell aims at grooming the students to set up micro and small business enterprises. The ED Cell invites successful entrepreneurs to deliver talks to students in order to inspire and educate them.
The flagship event organised by the ED Cell is the annual Vaishnav Bazaar, an entrepreneurship venture meant for students. They are given a platform to explore and exhibit their abilities as entrepreneurs. The students are given a free hand to try their business acumen by setting up stalls to sell an array of products ranging from food to accessories, clothing, electronic goods and many more. Students learn the nuances of planning, budgeting, forecasting, marketing, logistics and customer service which have given them the exposure to explore possibilities of entrepreneurship in their future. The success of the event has been phenomenal, and a sizeable income generated over the three editions of the bazaar. In the year 2018-19, Rs.1,84,358 was generated, out of which Rs. 1,00,000 was donated to the NGO, Friends of Tribal Society. In 2019-20, Rs.6,24,032 was the amount generated
The self-reliance and the enterprising skills that the students develop through entrepreneurship, aligns with the national objectives of Athmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India. The entrepreneurship initiatives give students economic independence and sense of pride to not only sustain oneself but also provide job opportunities to others. Entrepreneurship also lends itself to community building by job creation and income generation. Research & development and innovations are the outcomes of entrepreneurship ventures and the institution rightly guides the students towards these goals. As entrepreneurs, the former students of the college contribute immensely to the economy of the country, providing job opportunities and livelihoods to many.
Notable alumni of the college who are successful entrepreneurs:
- Dinesh Kumar – SRV Oil Mill
- Joshua Madan – Covenant Group
- P. Dinesh – Roda Notes
- Dhanush – Studio M
- Sanjay Goel – Goel Steel
- K.N. Karthikeyan – Kay Media
- Sreyans Bardia – BOT VFX
- Yameen S – Bluemount Premium Tea
- Akaash Anandhkumar – OKOS Consultancy
- N. Pritesh - Ambalal Electronics
- Siddharth Surana - Infinite Creations
- Akash Surana – Parampra
- Pradeep – Bhikshu Marble and Granite
- Nirmal – Sree Karni Plywoods
- Arihant Bohara – Sridevi Motors
An analysis of the past five years reveals that the number of students who have chosen to become entrepreneurs have steadily risen. This is reflective of the institution’s focus on grooming students to become confident and successful entrepreneurs. The institution places significant importance on this aspect as it is in tune with the vision of the college, which is to nurture self-confidence, ensure holistic development and broaden their vision towards nation-building.
Dr. S. Santhosh Baboo, M.Sc. Ph.D.,
Principal & Chairperson
- Dwaraka Doss Goverdhan Doss Vaishnav College
- #833, E.V.R. Periyar High Road, Arumbakkam, Chennai – 600 106, Tamilnadu.
- +91-44-2363 5101 , + 91 94440 63888
- [email protected]
Dr.T. S. Prema
Convenor
- Dwaraka Doss Goverdhan Doss Vaishnav College
- #833, E.V.R. Periyar High Road, Arumbakkam, Chennai – 600 106, Tamilnadu.
- + 91 98841 01739
- [email protected]
Dr.T.Augustine Arul Prasad
Co - Convenor
- Dwaraka Doss Goverdhan Doss Vaishnav College
- #833, E.V.R. Periyar High Road, Arumbakkam, Chennai – 600 106, Tamilnadu.
- + 91 94442 78265
- [email protected]