Best Practices
Innovative and Smart Teaching:
The main objective of the practice was: To provide financial, material, physical and moral assistance to administration for the management of the Covid-19 pandemic, to create awareness regarding Covid-19 management, to provide psychological support to staff, students and community and to facilitate vaccination of staff, students and community.
The college employs various ICT-based tools in day-to-day learning and all the classrooms have been modernized with IFPDs. Besides, with the onset of the covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, the ICT has come to the rescue of the students as well as the teachers and as a result, has now a wider acceptance and use in the college. Conventional classroom teaching is aided with use of ICT to make the teaching/learning process more interesting, effective and learner-centered. Some of the prominent ICT based tools used are as under: Online Video Lectures/Classes, PowerPoint presentations, E-Content, Interactive Flat Panel Display (IFPD), Online assessments, Online Quizzes & Competitions, Webinars. Besides, whatsapp and emails have been utilized as an efficient tool for circulation of information among the different stakeholders.
Skill Development Initiative:
The college has created a Skill Development Cell of its own named as Gosha-i-Hunar. To revive the tradition of knitting and to inculcate the art of knitting among the young generation, the club imparts certificate course in machine knitting under Garment Technology with certification from Govt. Polytechnic for Women, Bemina, Srinagar. Kashmir being a cold place has tremendous market for woolen clothes and production and marketing of machine knit woolens can definitely help the students to earn while they learn in the college. The course is thus expected to bridge the gap between education and employment. The college also aims at broadening the opportunities by way of offering more such modernized heritage craft courses.
Assistance in Covid-19 Management:
The main objective of the practice was: To provide financial, material, physical and moral assistance to administration for the management of the Covid-19 pandemic, to create awareness regarding Covid-19 management, to provide psychological support to staff, students and community and to facilitate vaccination of staff, students and community.
In order to provide assistance to students, staff, administration and community during the Covid-19 pandemic following measures were undertaken by the institution: The College was designated as Covid -19 quarantine facility centre, College staff (teaching and non-teaching) sacrificed their ‘one day salary’, and it was credited to the ‘Prime Minister’s Covid Relief Fund’, College Staff numbering seven members were deputed on Covid related duties, the teaching faculty members who were deputed on covid related duties in Covid Control Room Srinagar participated in generating digital information and awareness regarding covid management; These staff members were also instrumental in organizing a book review competition for students of all age groups in the valley, NSS volunteers took a responsibility in sensitizing the general public regarding the precautionary measures to be taken to contain the Covid-19, Social distancing, hand washing at regular interval, staying at home during lockdown period, wearing face mask and other precautionary measures are always encouraged among the people, Information regarding these precautions is disseminated through placard and posters, The college in collaboration with Department of Health Services Kashmir organized multiple vaccination drives for students, staff and community, NSS unit and Psychological Counseling Cell played a vital role in motivating students and community for vaccination.
Extension Activities:
Extension activities have always been an integral part of the institution to create a holistic learning environment conducive for developing socially responsible citizens with a strong sense of social and civic duties. Through the activities carried out in and around the neighborhood communities and villages, students are sensitized towards important social issues like cleanliness, climate change, economic disparities, drug abuse etc. Engaging students in community-based activities and service-learning projects- Projects and internships help students to see their important role in the larger world. They are given the chance to learn how valuable and fulfilling it can be to give back to others. . Students also learn the importance of teamwork, co- operation, social harmony and community participation among many other things thereby ensuring their favorable development into good and responsible citizens. Students actively involve themselves in numerous environment-related activities with the objective of sensitizing the students with the prevailing environmental issues and their respective remedies thereby instilling in them a sense of responsibility and protective attitude towards nature in general and to their environment in particular. Swatch Baharat Mission, Swacchta Pakwada and Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav programmes have been such cases wherein many students of the college had a first-hand experience in community-based activities. Some of the clubs and organizations instated in the college are: NSS and NCC, ECO Club, Red Ribbon Club, Skill Development Cell: and Fitness Club.
Maintenance of Water Bodies:
The main objective of this practice is to maintain and conserve the water resources which include lakes, rivers, springs, etc. It is pertinent to mention here that springs near Chinars have a special significance in cultural history of Kashmir. Our college possesses one such spring inside the campus. In this connection, an initiative was taken by the college for the revival of the dead spring of the college by organizing cleanliness drives for cleaning and removing the debris in and around the spring. Also, cleanliness drives outside the college campus are organized by the NSS unit of the college.
Marching towards Paperless Governance:
Our institution is taking steps towards achieving paperless governance. In this connection, staff attendance register is being replaced by biometric attendance. Whatsapp groups, emails, etc. are used to circulate important messages, notices, etc. amongst the staff and students. Digital teaching is also one such step towards the same. Making use of Google forms for generating various data from students and faculty also forms a part of this initiative. Moreover, Our College has been releasing e-prospectus since last 2 years.
Help Fund:
The motive of this practice is to provide financial support to the needy students belonging to the weaker sections of the society, or with poor economic background/ poor educational background. For such marginalized students, the staff has created its own ‘Help Fund’ in order to help them continue their studies. At the same time, it is ensured that the self-esteem and respect of the beneficiary is not hurt.
Institutional Distinctiveness
Since its inception in 2008, Srinagar Women’s College Srinagar, Batpora, Zakura has been working vigorously towards realizing its vision of making it a centre of excellence for women. The institution upholds the purpose of its establishment and derives vigor, motivation and inspiration from its vision and mission. The institution has built up an atmosphere of teaching-learning in a student friendly environment blending conventional methods of teaching with modern ICT based tools making them student centric. Our prime aim is to create an egalitarian society devoid of bias and discrimination. To shape and empower students, we ensure that ample guidance is provided to students in order to help them accomplish excellence in various fields not only with regard to their studies and other academic pursuits but also in various walks of life in general, thus preparing them to be well-equipped to face all sorts of daily and global challenges. The institution is sensitive to the fact that the societies which failed to adapt themselves to emerging technologies lagged behind in their march to progress. Technology essentially brings about a smart way of living and thus, raising the overall standard of people’s lives. However, in the course of making a transition from traditional to tech-savvy lifestyle, communities are giving up their golden crafts. Therefore, the prime endeavour of the institution has been to blend and synthesize the tradition and technology.
The college is located in sub-urban outskirts of Srinagar and most of the students are first generation learners belonging to labour class or agricultural families. Women of such families have traditionally been economically supporting the families by keeping themselves engaged with traditional handicrafts of Kashmir like embroidery, needle work (sozni) and knitting. Knitting was one of the specialties of Kashmiri culture and women never missed to utilize this craft particularly during winters. It was a cherishing and stress busting activity. Undoubtedly, the advancement in technology has replaced many activities and knitting being one among them. Knitting has been a cultural heritage of Kashmir and was considered as a symbol of love. But, the fall of knitting culture has led the loss of warmth in relations these days. Knitting and other craft activities have confirmed the health benefits, both physical and mental supported by different studies. It reduces the symptoms of anxiety and depression, delay the onset of dementia and help distract from chronic pain. Taking into account all this, the college has made a contribution by way of initiating a Craft Club ‘Gosha i Hunar’ in the college. To revive the tradition of knitting and to inculcate the art of knitting among the young generation a course in Machine Knitting has been started in the college since 2021. Kashmir being a cold place has tremendous market for woollen clothes and production and marketing of machine knit woollens can definitely help the students to earn while they learn in the college. The course is thus expected to bridge the gap between education and employment. The college also aims at broadening the opportunities by way of offering more such modernized heritage craft courses.