Prof. Dinesh Punjwani, Principal, R. D. National College, talks to Shraddha Kamdar about doing things slightly differently to achieve goals.
He seems to be the epitome of patience when he suggests that anyone who feels that the syllabus is quite old-fashioned, should write to the University letting the authorities know about it. Moreover, he says, “At the most you will not get a response in the first instance, but you should not get dejected. Write, write, write, till they respond.” In fact, that very morning he had held a meeting with his staff members regarding the same aspect, and they had brainstormed for a while for ways and methods in which this problem can be addressed within the college. And that’s why Prof. Dinesh Punjwani, Principal of R. D. National College, is popular with his students and staff alike. Excerpts from the interview:
Should students have a say in what they are being taught?
The exercise for setting the curriculum should be carried out in a structured manner. A few current students, some toppers of previous years, teachers and specialists should put their heads together to determine what should be done. Every aspect needs to be given due attention. We also need to look into whether the skills learnt by today’s generation are relevant for the future or not.
How can we determine whether the skills are relevant?
You see, the system today lacks regular interaction between the students, the industry experts and the teacher. All three parties need come together on the same platform. There are many instances where two of these three come together, but rarely do all meet on a serious basis with this agenda in mind.
Can teachers play an active role beyond the syllabus?
Yes, of course, and they should. In fact, I think most teachers at National College do. Technology offers us teachers a lot to go by. In fact, it has cut down the time required for many tedious tasks, and freed up more time for advancing the pedagogy. Teachers play a vital role in guiding students, and that has nothing to do with the prescribed syllabus. If the teacher is the motivating force for a student, a far larger goal will be achieved, where marks will not be the only thing that matters.
In fact, our teachers are always on the look out for opportunities for students to work on things apart from the syllabus. Recently, our botany teacher led a team of students to a national level conference, where they present papers. After that success, we did this in my department as well – statistics.
Working on projects, research, presentations and other such activities prove to be very motivating for our students. They go much beyond merely studying for the exams. They are also exposed to platforms where academicians are part of the audience. Their level of knowledge is much higher than the students, so they become aware as to how to carry out a presentation for such an audience.
At National, we also have a tutor system in place, where for every 40 students, one teacher holds mentor meetings and interactions.
What happens at these meetings?
Usually, one is held at the beginning of the semester where the teacher and students can get into a comfort zone with each other, and then the teacher can start marking the progress of the students. It is difficult to do this within the classroom during regular lectures since there are certain communication barriers between them.
To ensure that they attend these sessions, we always integrate it with an important activity such as filling in a mandatory form, or taking the hall tickets for an exam. That way, a student cannot skip a tutor meeting.
How important are marks for today’s college student?
Well, everthing works on marks, but students need to realise that the learning they have should be applicable in real life. Relevance is important. With our experience at several conferences, I can say that students came back confident with the skills they developed.
On the other hand, we also need to understand that students are young and discipline is important at that age, even if it is forced discipline. And that’s where the attendance comes in. If the students are not in class, there will be no point in advancing the pedagogy. The primary objective of any college is that the students attend classes, so that learning can happen. This becomes essential in aided colleges, where education is subsidised. This is because resources are wasted, and they could have been used for other purposes. I will go a step further and say that as a punitive measure, this subsidy should be recovered from the defaulters.
Why is classroom attendance so important?
You see, exam papers only test theoretical knowledge. The questions are predictable and it’s often a test of memory. But when you go into a classroom, it is not only for knowledge. That can be gained through self study. You build other skills in the process, like the patience for listening. Without listening, the brain cannot react appropriately. In class, you have instant feedback for your queries and curious questions and you also come to know how your peers think and react. The classroom can also be a place for exact comprehension, which enables you to understand how to learn tomorrow in other places. Finally, again it boils down to how confident you are, rather than how many marks you scored.
What should proactive students with limited means do to equip themselves better?
Those who want to improve their knowledge and experience need only determination. Knowledge is actually available easily with the accessibility the Internet has created. Students can go to libraries also. The best way would be to keep up with developments across the world via the Internet through continuous research and reading. Connectivity is great across the country, only if the electricity issues are solved. Those who are knowledge hungry have it much easier than their predecessors.
Also, I think students should become more teacher friendly, and talk to teachers without hesitation. This opens up the opportunities for conversation and discussion. If a student does not talk, he will lose out on the knowledge. You must realise that for gaining knowledge, one must go after the knowledge.
