Best Practices and Distinctiveness
Best Practices
1. TITLE OF THE PRACTICE: Career Guidance and Placement of Students
OBJECTIVE OF THE PRACTICE: To Provide career counselling and employment opportunity to the Final Year students of our college as well as of other colleges.
THE CONTEXT: We believe that the ultimate Goal of Education is not just gaining degrees and Mark sheets, it is for sure more than this. The basic objective of Education is to make students better, rational and responsible citizen. It is by their productive employment. Every parent wishes to see his ward progressing and when a student in his/her final year of graduation gets Job Opportunity, the happiness of their parents is unmatched. This is the dream of every parent and we help them fulfil this dream. The Career Guidance and Placement Cell of the college is constantly working hard to provide Employment Opportunities to the final year students of not only of our college but of other colleges of nearby places.
THE PRACTICE: The cell functions in the following manner.
The Academic Year is basically divided into 2 semesters- even and odd. Most of the companies are invited for the campus placements in the even semester while the odd semester is used to mentor students . The months of August-November are used to Polish the students where we organize activities which will shape them into a better Human Resource. Session related to the Personality Development, Communication skills, Resume Writing, Group Discussions, Typing Tests, Mock tests, Skill to face Interviews etc. are organized. And after their odd semester exams are over, companies start approaching the college and campus drives are organized.
EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS: In the year 2022-23 placement drives were organized with Companies like Coronis IT Systems Pvt. Ltd. Mohali, Fusion BPO Services Mohali, Tech Mahindra, Chandigarh. More than 750 students participated in these placement drives and 248 students were selected. In the year 2021-22 placement drives were organized with Multi-National Companies like eClerx Services, Chandigarh, Coronis IT Systems Pvt. Ltd. Mohali, Nouveu Medicament, Chennai, Bajaj Capital etc. We conducted drives with Coronis IT Systems twice in that year. More than 1000 students participated in these placement drives and 146 students were selected in total. In the session 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21, respectively 32,15 and 2 students in total were placed in Touchstone and Genpact companies in campus placement drives. Out of these the number of students of our college were 67,51,02, o5 and 22 in the sessions2022-23,2021-22,2020-21,2019-20 and 2018-19 respectively. This practice gives us a sense of satisfaction too and this way we share our responsiveness and togetherness with the fellow colleges and the society.
PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED AND RESOURCES REQUIRED: No financial or any other resource problem is faced by the college in planning, preparation and execution of the placement drives.
2. TITLE OF THE PRACTICE: Digitalization, Automation and E-resources
OBJECTIVE OF THE PRACTICE: Improvement in efficiency & governance, reducing cost, eco-friendly services and e-content development.
THE CONTEXT: To keep with the pace of digitalization our institution has digitalized its administrative work with our own designed and developed ERP System with the following modules: Admin Module, Master Module, Subject Module, Registration Module, Admission Module, Exam Module, Attendance Module, Identity card module, SMS/Email Module, Result Module, Report Module, Student portal, Parents portal, Staff portal, Website Module and Library Module.
The campus is fully WiFi enabled with ERP system and we have in-house maintenance system of computer hardware, software, CCTVs and other IT infrastructure. We have good Communication lab, Computer lab, Physics lab, Chemistry lab, automated library with barcode technology and biometric enabled facility, big auditorium and seminar room with audio-visual facility and 25 classrooms equipped with projector facility and two smart classrooms.
THE PRACTICE: Every year an Orientation Programme is organized at the beginning of the new session to make the students aware of the rules, regulations and different digital facilities. They are also made aware about the library portal of the college. The institution has Central Library which is fully automated using self-designed and developed integrated ILMS (Integrated Library Management Software). It consists of 14 modules. Each module has further been divided into sub modules to cater to its functional requirements. Through Web-OPAC users can check the availability of particular document. Users can check the list of new addition of the books through library software. Users have the facility to reserve the particular book. Through Web-OPAC they are able to search the library document via any angle like: title of the books, author, publisher, accession number, language and almirah rack number/classification number for location.
The users can access the digital library collection using library portal via any devices like mobile, tablet, computer system etc. Students and teachers get a notification through SMS and email regarding the latest status of issue and return of the particular book and periodicals etc. Users can check every detail regarding the books on their membership ID.
Every effort is done to keep library and college office fully automated in the best interest of college students, staff and administration.
EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS: The students can access the College Portal and check the record of their attendance in classes, the status of College dues paid, result sheet of previous semester exam, lesson plan, study material and video lectures prepared by the faculty members, previous year question papers, all student circulars, and College Magazine Nawaldeep. The College Office is fully equipped with the Office modules which helps them to operate more efficiently and effectively. The faculty of the college can easily access e-learning resources through INFLIBNET. The college has its own youtube channel where faculty members uploaded videos of their recorded lectures which the students could take advantage of during Covid lockdown period. Online end-semester exams of Kurukshetra University for 4 semesters were handled through ERP with efficiency and transparency during the Covid emergency period when offline examinations were held at bay
PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED AND RESOURCES REQUIRED: Sufficient Financial resources are required to update the digital resources and network issues. Problems are faced sometimes.
Distinctiveness of the Institution
CAPACITY BUILDING FOR STUDENTS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC WEAKER SECTIONS
INTRODUCTION: Maharaja Agrasen College Jagadhri stands as a beacon of transformation for socio-economically weaker and marginalized sections of society through education. With a rich legacy spanning 52 years, our institution was founded with a noble mission to provide education to the children of migrant laborers and nearby rural areas in the industrial town of Jagadhri. This commitment to inclusive education has been the cornerstone of our ethos, driving our efforts towards the holistic development and empowerment of the excluded sections of society.
ENROLLMENT AND REPRESENTATION: The college's dedication to inclusivity is reflected in the enrollment statistics of students from Scheduled Castes (SC) and Backward Classes (BC). Over the past five years, the representation of SC and BC students has consistently been at the forefront, comprising 65%, 62%, 61%, 62%, and 62% of the total student population in the sessions 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21, 2019-20, and 2018-19, respectively.
SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT: Recognizing the financial barriers faced by students, we actively facilitate various government and non-government scholarship schemes. The Haryana Government SC/BC scholarships and the Sita Ram Jindal Foundation Scholarship have provided substantial financial assistance to students, totalling amounts ranging from Rs. 623,858 to Rs. 1,759,700. This support has enabled 129 to 155 students each year to pursue their education without the burden of tuition fees.
ADMISSION ON ZERO FEE: In line with our commitment to breaking down economic barriers, SC students are granted admission to the college on a zero fee basis, ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder their pursuit of education.
PHILANTHROPY BY THE FACULTY: The college community, particularly the faculty, actively engages in philanthropic efforts to support economically disadvantaged students. Faculty members extend financial assistance, cover college dues, provide books, and offer physical and emotional support during times of family problems or health issues. Notably, Dr. Seema Gupta, Associate Professor in the Department of Commerce, has personally sponsored scholarships for five needy students.
EXTRA/REMEDIAL CLASSES: Recognizing the diverse learning needs of students, extra and remedial classes are conducted, addressing individual challenges on a one-to-one basis. Faculty members generously invest their time to ensure that no student is left behind, going beyond the traditional classroom setup.
ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND MENTORING: Continuous academic support and mentoring are integral components of our approach. Special emphasis is placed on guiding students, especially those from marginalized sections, towards clearing competitive exams. Two SC students from the M.Com. program successfully qualified the NET exam for Assistant Professor in the academic year 2020-21.
ALL-ROUND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT: The college's holistic approach to education goes beyond academics, focusing on the all-round personality development of students. Through student support services, skill development programs, and mentoring, we witness students from socio-economically weaker sections transform into confident, positive individuals who contribute meaningfully to society.
ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS: The success stories of our alumni, particularly those from SC and BC categories, attest to the effectiveness of our capacity-building initiatives. Alumni holding prominent positions in academia, law, government, banking, and various sectors stand as living proof of the transformative power of education provided by Maharaja Agrasen College.
PRE-ADMISSION COUNSELING AND PLACEMENTS: Our commitment to empowerment begins even before admission, with pre-admission counseling specifically targeting SC, OBC, and girl candidates. Furthermore, the college actively supports students in placement-related activities, facilitating mock interviews, resume writing, and personality development sessions, resulting in numerous students securing positions in MNCs and reputed organizations.
VALUES AND ETHICS BASED EDUCATION: Conscious efforts are made to instill values and ethics through various clubs and societies. Celebrating the anniversaries of great saints and freedom fighters, organizing declamation contests and essay writing competitions, and hosting guest lectures contribute to the moral and intellectual development of our students.
BOOK SUPPORT FOR MERITORIOUS AND NEEDY STUDENTS: To further alleviate the financial burden, meritorious and needy students are provided with a full set of books for the entire duration of their course, ensuring that educational resources are accessible to all.
CONCLUSION: Maharaja Agrasen College Jagadhri's commitment to capacity-building initiatives for students from socio-economic weaker sections is not just a policy but a lived reality. As we celebrate our achievements in this distinctive area, we stand poised to embrace future academic challenges, becoming the epitome of inclusive and transformative higher education. Through our unwavering commitment, we are confident in our journey towards becoming the most sought-after institution for those seeking empowerment through education.