The college has implemented the following best practices:
1. Prajyoti
In keeping with the spirit of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection for Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995, the college assumes a compassionate approach to students with disabilities, assimilating and accommodating such students into the academic and non academic activities of the college. The college has constituted a Scribe Bank named “Prajyoti”, comprising student volunteers from our college, to enable students with disabilities to write their examinations. Ramps have been constructed in all buildings of the college and wheel chairs are also provided. Books in Braille script has been made available in the college library.
2. Go Green Movement
This movement envisages an eco-friendly campus which inculcates a culture of living in amity with nature. The campus is a plastic-free area, where cloth banners and steel utensils have been substituted for those made with plastic and paper in all functions and programmes of the college. Organic waste generated in the campus as well as the solid waste from laboratories is managed and recycled into manure which is used in the organic farm run by the college. The college canteen has a bio-gas unit that makes use of the food waste generated in the campus, making it a smoke-free environment. A solar panel having a capacity of 10KV has been installed in the seminar hall, which meets the power requirements of the seminar hall, auditorium and the college office.
The two organic vegetable farms, maintained in the men’s and women’s hostels, serve to inculcate love for nature, knowledge of farming and the principles of self reliance in the students. The vegetables produced in the farms are used in the hostel.
The college, established in lands used for agricultural purposes in the colonial times, has a pond that was dug centuries ago. This 8000 sq. feet pond is used for the purpose of rain water harvesting. The institution, with the support of government and PTA funds, has been in a position to maintain the pond in its natural settings. The pond, which has acts as a water catchment area and sustains the water table of the campus and surrounding areas even in the hot summer of an arid zone like Palakkad. In addition to this, the college also has two other rain water harvesting units, one attached to the seminar hall and the other in the computer block.
3. Fostering Social Consciousness:
The college gives paramount importance to moulding students into responsible citizens and humane and empathetic individuals, who are socially conscious. The following programmes have been charted out and executed for this purpose.
(i) Discourses in Democracy:
This talk series touches on socio-political issues of contemporary relevance like constitutional values, gender equality, questions of caste and class and so on. This is an open forum that aims at to conduct deliberations that will help to formulate ideas and sensitize students on major issues. Eminent social scientists, activists, writers and thinkers interact with the students as a part of this programme, which is usually conducted in the open stage, “Vineetha Garden” that is located at the heart of the college.
(ii) Outreach programmes:
Student volunteers have enlisted in the panel of palliative care and collaborate with the palliative care unit of the Govt. District Hospital, Palakkad in offering palliative care to patients at their homes. Student volunteers also visit old age homes and institutions for the deprived to interact with the inmates and conduct cultural programmes for them. Students and teachers also engage classes for the economically and socially deprived children of Sabari Ashram, run by Gandhi Seva Sadan, Palakkad and Scheduled Caste Development Board.
(iii) Field Trip:
Field trip was conducted to the tribal area of Attapadi to investigate the reason for the increasing rate of drop-outs among tribal students studying in various institutions in the state.
They visited 21 oorus (hamlets) and interacted with Project Officers, Tribal Extension Officers, students drop outs, college going students, their parents, tribal chieftains and the local people. This visit made great impact on students and parents and encouraged the former to pursue their goals in the field of higher education.
(iv) Breaking Gender Barriers:
The campus promotes gender equality through various awareness programmes, Night Outs and Self-defense classes for girl students. The campus also fosters awareness about LGBT rights and the dignity of transgender people. Prominent transgender activists and persons have been invited to interact with the faculty and students. The first ever Queer Pride March in the history of Palakkad, which was organized by the Women’s Cell of the college, was a public event in which students, transgender people and the general public participated.
(v) Chembarathi:
This is an artistic and cultural collective of students, teachers and artists that stands across divides of religion, caste, creed, colour or nationality. It aims at sensitizing the general public through the media of art and culture.
4. Campus Friend:
The college constantly strives to create a student-friendly campus by bridging the gap between teachers and students and creating a platform where students can voice their apprehensions and grievances. “Jeevani”, the counselling centre of the college provides guidance and help to the students in solving the challenges they encounter in their day to day lives. It helps in boosting their confidence and performing well in both academic and non academic fields.