Student Mentoring
Mentoring system was being followed in our department since the inception of the college. Initially each class (60 students) was divided into two and each half was assigned to a mentor, one of whom was the class in charge and the other assistant class in charge (30 students under each mentor). The students who had academic difficulties were handled by them in consultation with the respective HOD’s. The students having emotional and family problems or learning disabilities were referred to the psychology department. The counselors (one male and one female), would discuss the cases and provide psychological counseling and provide the feedback to the respective HOD’s and Head of the Institution. The counselors also provided referral services. If more expertise was needed in handling the students, they were referred to the Director in the management team who is a senior counselor (with above 40 yrs of experience in counseling). If the student was in need of psychiatric help he was referred to the psychiatrist.
From the academic year 2014-15, the Mentoring system was improvised. A form was developed by the counselors in consultation with the Head of the institution HOD’s, class in charges and the HOD’s. To start with, the mentor form was given to the students from third semester to eighth semester in all departments. The students of each class were divided into groups of 15 and assigned a mentor for each group.
From 2015-16 onwards, mentor forms were given to all mentors which consist of personal details of the students such as address, whether a hostler/day scholar, academic details, attendance, academic difficulties, if any professional help is needed, whether an active or indifferent to mentoring , all round development of the student, vulnerability to drug/alcohol abuse.
In addition to this form, each mentor maintains a separate individual mentor form for each student, in which details of the mentoring sessions would be entered. Ideally the mentor should meet the student thrice in each semester, the first session preferably two weeks after the commencement of the new semester, the second after the first IA and the third after the model examinations.
The consolidated mentor forms are passed on to the psychology department in each semester for professional counseling, remedial action, follow up and analysis. A separate file is maintained in the department with the details of the student needing professional help. Regarding the remedial action, the mentor arranges special academic help for students who need help. The counselors maintain follow-ups by regularly reviewing the mentor forms. Counselors have developed a mentor analysis form and based on the analyzed data feedback is given to the HOD’s and the Head of the Institution. The HOD’s then have a personal discussion with the mentors on the areas that can be focused into and if need the Head of the Institution have an interaction with the mentors.
