Institutional Distinctiveness

LINK: Institutional Distinctiveness

Distinctiveness of the Institution: Reaching out to the unprivileged: From Individual to Community

 

Nahata Jogendranath  Mondal Smriti Mahavidyalaya is located in a remote area near the Indo-Bangladesh border. The nearest railway station is at a distance of 11 kms from Nahata; the nearest Hospital is at Bongaon (17 kms). Majority of the population belong to socially and financially depressed class - landless labourers, daily wage earners, small time business owners - in short the hewers of wood and the drawers of water. Most of our students belong to such economically depressed families.

Under such circumstances, it was the aim of the founders of the College to empower the students, to give them first a stable economic toe hold through education so that they can free themselves from all kinds of inequalities. 

Our College is named after Mahapran Jogendranath Mondal, a famous Dalit leader of Bengal who dedicated his life to the cause of the unprivileged. The Mission and Vision of our College is to empower the neighbouring community through a holistic development of the individual student. 

 

Reaching out to the Individual 

• Many of our students come from extremely poor families. After the pandemic the financial condition has deteriorated considerably.
• A majority of students come from far interiors. The only mode of transportation is bus, auto rickshaw or toto rickshaw. In many cases, on showing their Identity Cards issued by the College Authority, students get concession in bus.
•  Many of the students are engaged in part time jobs beyond the College hours to compensate their family income and bear their College expenses. 
• Under the above circumstances, the College, true to its Vision and Mission of serving both the individual and community (families of the students), has taken the decision to keep the admission fees to the minimum compared to other neighbouring Colleges. This has helped our students to continue their higher studies.
• Besides, the Institution, through the mentor-mentee system, provides information regarding scholarship and freeships (from both Government and Non-Government sources) to the students which further helps them to continue their studies. On an average, around 73 percent students are benefited by scholarships and free ships from the Academic Session 2018-19 to 2022-23. In the Academic Year 2022-23, 53 percent of students have received OASIS scholarships, 33 percent SVMCM scholarship and 5 percent Aikyashree scholarship. 
• The Department of Geography take the bare minimum amount for Educational Tours which is a part of the curriculum. 
• The College has a tie up with Students' Health Home, Kolkata where students can have medical treatment at free of cost. 
• College also arranges Competitive Examination Coaching classes and free Career Counselling for the final semester students. This is a routine activity and classes are allotted in the Master Routine for this purpose. This helps the poor meritorious students.
• The College encourages students to take active part in the cultural programmes and sports activities that helps holistic development.
• The College has more than 50% of girl students. There is a Day Care Centre apart from a Girls' Common Room. There are sanitary napkin vending machines and means of regular disposal of bio waste. 
• To address the problems of girl students, Internal Complaints Cell (ICC) has been formed. ICC conducts Gender Audit in association with IQAC at regular intervals and also arranges various Gender Sensitization Programmes for girl students.

Reaching out to the Community

• The Vision and Mission statements of the College emphasize on the holistic development of students. But this is not possible without involving the neighbouring community from where the students come.
• The College through its NSS and NCC Cells have undertaken various extension and outreach programmes in collaboration with local NGO and Gram Panchayat, including awareness on environment, safe drinking water, adult literacy, AIDS , family planning, to mention a few, in the Adopted Village. 
• The College has also conducted a Three Stage Programme (under outreach and extension activities) in the Adopted Village, namely ‘Adopt – Aware – Enrich’.

1. In the First Stage,  it includes Selecting a village as per Census 2011 data and conducting pilot survey to examine the socio economic problems of the inhabitants

1. In the Second Stage, the College in collaboration with Local Panchayat and NGO organizes Awareness Programmes on socio-economic problems as identified in the pilot survey 
2. In the Final Stage, the Institution evaluates the awareness level through the villagers’ feedback. The feedback forms are then thoroughly analysed and future plan of action developed

• The extension and outreach programmes help the Villagers to become active and responsible citizens and also the students to develop qualities like Confidence. Leadership, Self-reliance and Fellow feeling.
• Thus, the distinct identity of the Institution is established and the Vision and Mission realised.