St Mary’s College, Thrissur-680020

Best Practices

2018-19


Best Practice-1

The Title of the Practice - Entrepreneurship Development Initiative

Goal

The aim of this initiative is to promote Entrepreneurship skills among student community and also promote gainful employment opportunities.

The Context

Modern day is the day of entrepreneurship. Students after completing their UG and PG programmes go in search of employment, but only a few could get employment they prefer or desire. Considering this and keeping in tune with the vision of the Institution of empowering women, College has devised various Entrepreneurship Development Initiatives so that the students can utilise their talent and skills to make a better living. These students groups from the College level can join together to form their own units and become successful entrepreneurs of tomorrow

The Practice College has been imparting various programmes for skill development of students since 2009. Exhibitions cum sale of handworks and vegetables by students has been organised annually. In 2014, Marian Monsoon Fest was started as a fest For Entrepreneurship and Student Welfare. The Fest was held under initiative of IQAC with the support of all stakeholders each year. The students could present their own made products – ornaments, stitched dress, floral decors, Bouquets and home decors. Vegetables grown by students at home was also put for sale. The revenue from the fest were allotted for student welfare. Incubation Centres were started to nurture the skills of students with the support of faculty.

PG students of Biotechnology and Microbiology won second place in Yuva Mastermind Programme conducted by ‘Malayala Manorama’ daily for their product Herbal Mosquito Repellent. Based on the information from newspapers lots of queries and demand was there from the public for the product. Emergency Water Purification Cartridge- another initiative of students won Third place Yuva Mastermind Programme.

Nisarga Incubation Centre is an initiative of Bhoomithrasena Club to develop and promote an eco-friendly life style among students. The centre mainly focuses on the making of paper files and paper pens thereby reducing the use of plastic files and pen from the campus. Marian Agri Nursery, of Department of Botany was established with an intention to encourage gardening and family farming. With the notion of imparting knowledge of developing aquariums and culture ornamental fishes, the Department of Zoology has initiated an Ornamental Fish Culture Unit, Alankara. Department of Microbiology has initiated an Incubation Centre for Mushroom Cultivation- Sampoorna, and extends the services to public through training and guidance. Shalabha Centre for Butterfly Gardening, an initiative of Department of Zoology and Botany intends popularising conservation of butterflies and setting up of butterfly gardens in institutions. Under the Udhyammithra Centre of Entrepreneurship Development Club and Department of Economics, Bhumika Bags (Cloth bags) were launched. Samridhi Fish Culture Unit under Department of Zoology produces food Fish and supplies to the public. All the activities are run by students mentored by faculty.

Evidence of Success The grand success of Monsoon Fest year after year shows the interest of the students in Entrepreneurship and this is a new beginning. The Incubation centres and the participation of the students in the initiatives is the indicator of its success. The training students get on campus is utilised effectively. They become the agents to train the women from the community also

Problems Encountered and Resources required

Funding is a problem for Arts and Science Colleges. There is time constraint for students to pursue these activities. However faculty and students tries their best to overcome the hurdles and to bring in positive results.

Notes

Educational institutions can help students develop their skills by merging theory to practice. The students can get a base with the support of faculty and peers. This is to be looked into by the educational institutions.

Best Practice-2

The Title of the Practice- Swastha Sudhdhi: Solid Waste Management

Goal

Swastha Sudhdhi aims to create awareness among general public on the importance of effective solid waste management through promoting private sector participation and encouraging reuse of non-biodegradable wastes.

The Context

Waste Management is widely discussed in the present day. There are several issues related to in effective management of solid wastes. Keeping this mind an effort was taken create an awareness on the issue to prevent adverse impacts on man and other living organisms.

The Practice

Under Swastha Shudhi, various awareness talks on effective solid waste management was organized Booklets on the usage of bio-bin and vermi- compost pots were distributed among the Kudumbashree members and inmates of Apartments in the City. Exhibitions on various types of solid waste management methods was conducted in collaboration with “Clean City Group- Thrissur” at Punkunnam for creating awareness among the residents. Distribution of Bio-bins and demonstration on its usage to students of various schools and private organizations were conducted. Routine monitoring on the effective use of bio-bins and vermi compost pots distributed to various places were conducted.

Students and staff collected the plastics and other e-wastes from the college campus and houses and handed over it to various agencies for recycling. Training was given to produce decors and other articles of use from discarded plastics. A short film was also created to impart awareness to the public about the necessity of effective solid waste management.

Evidence of Success

The booklets on vermi composting and use of bio-bins provided step-by-step guidance for the public. The distributed vermi compost pots as well the bio-bins have been effectively utilized by the Kudumbashree members and the residents of nearby apartments. The compost produced was utilized for organic farming. The effective management of solid waste using vermi compost pots and bio-bins were routinely monitored by the concerned teachers. Exploitation of Bio-bins by the schools were also monitored. The school management and the teachers have reported they have advised the student community to deposit their food waste into the bio-bins and waste food management was thus effectively carried out in especially those schools where space is a limiting factor. The plastic and e-wastes that are quite difficult to be managed were collected and distributed to agencies that deal with e-waste management. The skill enhancement course on plastic reuse has enabled the student community to make beautiful products out of worn out plastics thus promoting plastic recycling.

Problems Encountered and Resources required

Though a major share of people were interested in effective solid waste management, there are some who neglect the aftermath of inefficient management practices. Hence, creating awareness to those people was a challenge. The residents of apartments were bio-bin was distributed were confused as to how the compost can be used as they have no space to carry out organic farming.

Notes

Though the initiative is a just a beginning it can bring in remarkable changes especially in an urban locality. An educational institution with a large number of students can play a significant role in preventing unethical waste disposal strategies.