Best Practices - An overview

1. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS

There are several ways of contributing to environmental conservation in the community. The most notable methods include reducing consumption at source, reusing, and recycling of the materials. Our institution is upholding the values of social and environmental consciousness and aims to inculcate these values in the minds of students, staff, all stakeholders of the college so as to create socially and environmentally responsible work culture.

• To Increase environmental awareness among all the stakeholders
• To promote the Green policies among the students and faculties
• To disseminate environmental literacy to motivate students, teachers and supporting staff
• To establish an efficient way for waste management and recycling systems
• To optimize energy utilization in the campus
• To transform the campus into a pollution free and environmentally friendly zone
• To impart knowledge of green thinking as a lifestyle among all students, staff, all stakeholders of the college
• To promote values of social consciousness and community welfare among all the stakeholders

Context:

The institution has its own Green Policy Document since the year 2020 for inculcating environmental awareness among all the stakeholders, conscious use of energy and water resources and conducting audits for the same. Waste segregation at the institutional level helps to contribute towards environmental sustainability and cleaning of the surroundings. Recycling is also one of the most effective ways that has been adopted to reuse our waste resources into new products and spread awareness about sustainability.Recycling is important for the environment because it reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill and reduces the need to use new raw materials. Being a design institute, we motivate our students to reuse their old fabrics/ materials to make new garments or products to promote the sustainable approach of product development.

The Practice

Various awareness drives, brainstorming sessions, and plantation drives are organized for society, stakeholders and students. The following initiatives have been taken in the campus to contribute to the noble cause of Social & Environmental consciousness in the year 2021-22:

Tree plantation drive: The college initiated a tree plantation drive inside and outside the campus. It is a regular activity to motivate our students towards a green and clean environment. Every year a fund is allocated to maintain the greenery of the college. The gardener has been employed for the maintenance of gardens and plants.

E-waste management: Discarded electronic devices such as old desktops, printers, mobiles & machines are sold to the govt. authorized recycling vendors. Hierarchical approach is adapted for waste by Reducing, Reusing & Recycling.

Energy Optimization: The institute has taken conscious efforts to save energy resources. A Solar Panel system is installed in the campus since 2018 to harness the renewable energy of 40 KW. The institute utilizes the solar energy on campus. Apart from that we have installed LED lights in the campus. Students are guided and motivated by teachers to switch off the lights, machines and equipment when they are not in use.

Indoor and outdoor recycling practices: Being a design institute, our students are encouraged to adopt green design thinking and use various sustainable materials like fabric, yarns, wood, canvas, earthen clay pots, iron etc. to make their products. All the faculty members guide students to use waste material or old fabrics to make new products by following recycling or upcycling. They used old denims to make bags, old muslin toils are converted into new garments by using surface exploration techniques, old tyres are converted into new furniture, and used plastic bottles are used for plantation after beautification.

Social Engagements: The institute regularly been indulged in the social welfare activities by providing various facilities to the underprivileged under the working of its Extension Cell. We have provided the financial benefit as well the materialistic help which includes the donation of Clothes and Almirah to the Gharonda Bal Ashram through Bharatpuria Education Society. An official MOU signed with Bharatpuria Education Society for conducting these continuing welfare activities. Also the water pots installed outside the campus for the passing by people to get relief of their thirst. Supporting Indian Craft and their artisan by felicitating them through awards and recognitions in our numerous events corresponds the institute efforts toward the promotion of Indian craft.

Evidence of Success- The institution is able to educate students about Social & Environmental consciousness.

• Energy saving became a habit for the entire staff and students.
• Due to the green initiative our campus is almost environment friendly and has lush green surroundings.
• It has become quite appreciable that our students used eco-friendly, waste and old products to complete their assignments. Due to this practice their creativity level is enhanced and this practice is quite economical for them and their parents
• The institute is also carrying out regular donation drives and community service activities wherein our students and staff members actively participate

Problems Encountered and Resources Required

2.ENTREPRENEURIAL AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES

Entrepreneurship and Skill development activities are organized in the institute to nurture the talent of students by enlightening them on various aspects of industrial/entrepreneurial activity required for setting up their job or startups. For this, the institute took initiatives and introduced key activities like Earn While You Learn opportunities, expert lectures and workshops etc. for skilling the students towards their regular participation in entrepreneurial and productive activities.

Objective:

• To give platform to the students for earning during their learning in the Campus
• To provide opportunity to get work experience and hands-on training while studying
• To promote skill and knowledge on application of new technologies on Design thinking and media initiatives through educational training
• To expose the students to the world of work before actual employment
• To Involve the students in management and development of the institution by skilling them

Context:

The idea behind this initiative is to provide a platform to students under the “Earn While You Learn” programme to earn while they are studying in the college. ‘Learning by doing’ and ‘earning by learning’ serve as the building blocks for preparing students for future career opportunities. In our institution, we provide opportunities to our students through counseling and mentoring new students every year, conducting social media campaigns for the college by handling our social media platforms, graphic designing, product development activities etc. This helps the students to gain first-hand experience of the industry and thereby boosting their self-confidence through gaining personality traits. Accordingly, the students are encouraged to take up training or part-time jobs, free-lance work, on-site projects after completing their regular classes or during holidays which would enhance their experience at the time of the final placements. Other than that, students also organize and participate in the Exhibitions of the products according to their syllabi or in extracurricular activities. Technology and communications are some of the most advanced developments in this modern digital world. To cope up with these advancements, mastering entrepreneurial skills has become a necessity to everyone. It is important to possess entrepreneurial skills to stay on top. Training students in entrepreneurial skills from a young age can be advantageous.

The Practice

This scheme was proposed in the Academic Committee meeting and the same was approved by the Vice Principal & Principal. After the approval, the scheme was announced to the students in the year 2020. Since then, the interested students give their names under the various academic cells which are formed in the institution. This system helps in managing all day to day college activities, events, competitions, workshops and exhibitions. The college is pretty active on various social media platforms and utilizes these platforms for disseminating information to all the stakeholders and gathering their feedback. The college maintains separate WhatsApp groups as well make use of official modes like email and notices for students, teachers, administrative staff, non-teaching staff and alumni.

Evidence of Success

• The institute is able to provide opportunities to students to motivate and earn while learning to meet their expenses. The number of enrollments is increasing every year.
• The students are exposed to the world of work before actual employment and gain productive experience.
• These opportunities enhance the hands-on experience and confidence level of the students thereby prepares them better for taking up jobs in future.
• It adds value to the resume of the students.
• It enables the students to explore their career preferences in terms of activities chosen and develop them into a career.
• It helps to nurture the immense potential of students as a valuable human resource.
• It promotes a sense of belongingness and encourages involvement of the students in management and development of the College.
• It helps to channelize the tremendous energy of the young students in positive and productive activities.
• The students participated in national and international exhibition platforms like HGH India, Couture Runway Week, Sowtex Mill Meet etc. wherein they showcased their products and represented their creativity. They received order on the basis of their work samples which were undertaken during the product development policy of the college
• It has become a benchmark for the faculty to monitor student performance effectively.
• It also improves the interpersonal skills of the students’ like team building, work spirit, communication skills and time management etc.
• Overall it’s a win-win situation for the institute and the students both to bridge the gap between industry need and student’s efficiency and their working skills.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required