Assessment Report on
Institutional Accreditation of
Mumbai, Maharashtra
The Lala Lajpat Rai College
of Commerce and Economics, Mahalaxmi, Mumbai volunteered to be assessed by the
National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). It conducted the preliminary self-study and submitted the
self-study report to NAAC in December, 1999.
The Peer Team was constituted by the Council to visit and validate the
self-study report. The Peer Team
consisting of Prof. Ramdass, Professor of economics of the Pondicherry
University as Chairman and Prof. Mayank Dholakiya, Professor of Management
Studies of the MS University, Baroda as member visited the institution for two
days on February 24 and 25, 2000.
The Lala Lajpat Rai College
of Commerce and Economics, affiliated to the University of Mumbai as a
Grant-in-Aid college, is situated in Central Mumbai in an area of 1.25 acres in an eight-storey building
with a total constructed area of 77,131 sq.feet. The college was set up by the Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Trust in
1972. It was a symbolic initiative to
realise the vision of Lala Lajpat Rai to enrich national and social life
through the cause of education.
Today, the college has a
student strength of 1492, enrolled in its Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of
Management Studies (started in 1999-2000) programmes. It also runs six other diploma and certificate programmes.
The college has a
well-qualified team of 28 faculty members (19 full-time and 9 part-time). There are 17 members on the non-teaching
staff. The college has a well-stocked
library, computer centre, a health centre and two canteens. It has three departments : Commerce, Accountancy and Economics.
The Peer Team carefully
perused and analysed the self-study report submitted by the institution. During
the institutional visit, the team carefully examined all the relevant
documents, visited the facilities and the departments. It interacted with various constituents of
the institution. The academic,
co-curricular, extra-curricular, sports and extension facilities of the
institution were visited. The Peer Team
interacted at length with the Governing Body, the Principal, faculty members,
non-teaching staff, students, parents and alumni of the institution. Based on the above exercise and keeping in
mind the criteria identified by NAAC, the Peer Team has made the following
assessment.
Lala Lajpat Rai College of
Commerce and Economics (LLCCE) is a Grant-in-Aid affiliated college of the
University of Mumbai. It offers two UG
programmes (Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Management Studies) and six
other assorted certificate and diploma programmes.
The college provides
educational service to the local community. There is no stated goal but
educational service seems to be the major focus of academic activity
The college has very limited
freedom to change syllabi. Two faculty
members including the Principal represent the college on the university Board
of Studies. It has introduced vocational and special courses such as portfolio
management, banking practice, taxation.
These have enriched the curriculum in a limited way.
It takes one to two years for the college to introduce a new
programme under the affiliating system.
No new courses have been introduced, except the Bachelor of Management
Studies programme in the year 1999-2000.
Any major effort to enrich the syllabi on a voluntary basis was
not evident.
The college enjoys some
industry and trade interface, mainly through its Alumni Association. Students have been placed in some companies
on vacation jobs for gaining practical training related to vocational subjects. Other than these, the college has limited industry
interface on a sustained basis. No
formal feedback was sought from students or academic peers on curricular
aspects.
As the institution offers
standard undergraduate programmes, there is no scope for programme
options. However, to orient students
towards professional careers, the college runs several certificate and diploma
programmes which provide value addition to students for building their future
career. Curricular support
infrastructure in terms of library facilities, interaction with teachers from
other colleges and audio-visual media, maps etc. is quite good.
Enrichment/supplementary
programmes which help modernization of curriculum in terms of contemporary
needs may be considered even outside the university syllabi.
Admissions to the B.Com.
programme are made directly from the Junior College of the same institute. Students from other institutions are
accepted on a very limited scale on merit plus state / national level participation
track record in sports. Admission to
the BMS programme is based on a central entrance test which judges the
student’s knowledge base and aptitude for the programme. There is no provision for a similar judgment
test after the admission. However, the
college has provided for internal valuation on a continuous basis for the F.Y.
and S.Y. students including Term-End, Preliminary and Mid-Term Examinations as
well as assignments and seminars.
Evaluation of student performance is, therefore, governed largely by university
guidelines or university examinations.
Remedial courses are held in
various subjects such as business economics, maths & stats and business
communications, particularly for reserved category students. Adequate effort is made to help students
overcome subject–specific handicaps.
The teaching-learning
process is confined largely to class-room lectures. There is adequate support in the form of audio-visual equipment
for supplementing the teaching-learning process.
Enrichment and learning enhancement initiatives are taken, particularly in the form of guest lectures by professionals and supporting outstanding achievers through limited encouragement incentives. There is no evidence of a formal mentor-protégé’ arrangement, or to coach students on a sustained basis for improving their exam performance.
Syllabi are unitised and all
teachers prepare teaching plans.
Recruitment of teachers is
according to university norms and system.
There is apparently no formal performance appraisal system. There is a recent practice of filling out
self-appraisal forms as per U.G.C. guidelines.
However, senior teachers guide junior teachers through an
Observation-Feedback-Improvement approach.
Some effort is made through
workshops, conferences, symposia for teacher development. There are no national / international
strategic partnerships with other institutions to facilitate greater
interaction with other institutions on contemporary issues. The institution,
while it does not restrain any teacher from pursuing any programme of
self-development, does not make special efforts to encourage the members of
faculty to develop themselves. one
teacher has a Ph.D. and seven others have M.Phil.
The college may seriously
consider improving upon conventional pedagogy by adopting more learner-centered
instruction besides education technology.
Computer studies have become
indispensable for commerce and management
There is no evidence of
promotion of research and consultancy.
Limited effort is reported in the field of taxation and civil-law for
consultancy services. Some faculty
members undertake consultancy assignments on an individual basis, but not as
institutional assignments or on behalf of the college.
There is limited effort to encourage teachers to pursue research and consultancy. As the college is essentially a UG institution funded by the university, research culture and consequent research output do not form a significant part of its activities. There was no significant evidence of the faculty members proposing to take up specific research projects through well known research funding agencies.
While research and
consultancy are not a major strength of the college, it is quite prominent in
extension activities, specifically social and community development
activities. Through its students,
N.S.S. volunteers and teachers, the following noteworthy initiatives have been
taken by the college in the past:
·
Medical
/ Blood donation camps
·
Career
counselling
·
Health
and hygiene awareness
·
Environment
awareness such as tree plantation
·
Sports
and cultural activities
Internally, the College has
a vibrant Students’ Council. Taking
into account its cosmopolitan student population, several multi-cultural events
and festivals are organised at the college.
The greatest strength of
this institution lies in its physical infrastructure developed over the years
since its inception in 1972. Viewed in
the context of a single programme offered by the college, the facilities
available appear to be more than adequate for a congenial learning climate and
the efforts of the Management in this regard are commendable.
The campus of the college
itself is situated in a prime location of the city in a cool and salubrious
surrounding facing the Arabian Sea on the one side and a small but beautifully
maintained triangular garden on the other side. The college has an eight storeyed building with two lifts, one
generator and a centrally air-conditioned room. The class rooms are fitted with adequate furniture and
blackboards and some of them are equipped with slide projectors and audio
visual equipment. There is a water
cooler and the office is equipped with xerox machines, electronic stencil
cutter and computers. The
infrastructure is fairly well maintained out of the non-salary grant received
from the government (Rs.6 lakhs per year) and the funds provided by the
Management of the college. The
Management of this college also runs a few self financing courses, a PG
programme in management and a junior college (for +2 students) which ensures
optimal utilisation of infrastructure.
Further, the practice of the institution to rent out its facilities to the
public without affecting its academic work also contributes to the fuller
utilisation of its resources besides raising marginally managing additional
funds.
The college has built an
impressive network of library facilities to provide a fairly good environment
of self study and learning. It has a
collection of 31,998 books and 80 periodicals (including the latest books and
journals) and back volumes of journals.
The library offers inter-library borrowing and Book Bank facilities,
internet and reprographic facilities.
The computerisation of the stock of the library is completed and the
plan for the computerisation of other operations of the library is on the
anvil. A software for library
information management has been developed.
There is a library committee and an amount of Rs.1.29 lakhs has been
spent on the purchase of books last year.
However, free access to
books may be given to students with adequate safeguards. Although the college does not have a degree
programme in computer science, it has developed a central computer facility
with 21 systems with Novell Netware and Windows NT platforms, Pentium nodes
with Multimedia. The three departments
of the college do not have separate computer facility but they avail themselves
of this facility through the LAN system.
The centre has developed accounting and examination packages and the
software support is provided by the Lala Lajpat Rai Institute of Management
functioning in the same college. The
computers and their accessories are well maintained through Annual Maintenance
Contract with the suppliers of machines.
Another remarkable facility
could be seen in the health centre consciously developed by the college. The centre has two full time Health
Counsellors and a few visiting specialists in ENT, Dentistry and Cardiology. The centre provides both allopathic and
homeopathic treatment to students, faculty and the general public. The methods of occupressure and occupuncture
and other alternative medicines are practised.
An amount of Rs.2.5 lakhs is spent on medicines alone.
The college has a Gymkhana
Hall where training in indoor games is imparted. It does not have ground facility for practising outdoor games
such as volley ball, basket ball, tennis, ball badminton or cricket. It is understood that these games are
conducted in TMC ground and the Race Course patch adjacent to the college. Student achievement in sports has not been
significant, as only a few students of this college have participated in state,
regional, national or international levels.
There is no faculty of physical education and the need for creating
sports facilities is greatly felt by the team.
There is a well structured
650 seater auditorium with theatre facility and a centrally air-conditioned
conference hall. The auditorium is
rented to the public also whenever it is free.
There are two canteens which provide subsidised catering service. The college does not have a hostel of its
own, since the institution caters mostly for the students of Mumbai and there
may nor be any takers for hostel accommodation.
Optimal utilization of
infrastructure for academic and co-curricular programmes may be planned by the
college community.
Criterion V: Student Support and Progression
The existing support programme for student progression (as measured by percentage of pass, dropout rate, further study and employment) is just satisfactory.
The college, besides
providing a teaching-learning climate, also arranges financial aid to students
through various national and state government scholarships. The college offers its own merit
scholarships and free studentships.
Poor students receive a good deal of financial assistance through the
Welfare Fund created by the college. An
amount of Rs.37.52 lakhs was earmarked for it.
However, it is to be noted that despite a variety of scholarship
schemes, only three students have received freeships last year. Streamlining of procedures and expeditious
action are recommended.
The librarian of the college
acts as the employment and placement officer who maintains liaison with the
university employment cell and provides regular employment guidance service to
students. Many reputed industries /
establishments have requested manpower supply from this institution. The
institution does not document the extent of employment or placement secured by
the college in the recent past nor the success of self-employment among
students. However, our interactions
with the alumni and students revealed that a considerable proportion of
students get jobs or are self employed.
The Alumni Association also assured of placement facilities to students
since most of the members of the Association are engaged in business, industry
and trade. This suggests the effective functioning of the placement cell and
interactions with all concerned and collection and maintenance of data on
placement regularly. The placement
arrangements may be encouraged further.
Although the dropout rate is
as low as 4 percent the pass in B.Com. was just 56% last year. And only 14 percent of those who have passed
have secured first class. This performance,
in the midst of facilities available and the strong faculty position, causes
concern. The college Management make a
self-study to probe into the causes (such as student admission, quantitative
rather than qualitative expansion, admission of its own junior college
students, teaching methods and programmes, faculty improvement, tutorial system
etc.)
In terms of student
progression, students admitted to F.Y.B.Com. classes join professional courses
such as C.A. Foundation Course, Diploma in Business Finance, Diploma in
Computer and Company Secretary and I.C.W.A. Foundation. It is claimed that 60 percent of its
students seek admission in professional courses after their graduation
(although no evidence is available to this effect.)
The college has an Alumni
Association established in 1999 which helps students in placement, summer
training and financial assistance.
Currently it meets the educational expenditure of six students. Other activities organised by the Association are : organisation of
musical concerts and fun fair, celebration of Independence Day and holding of
Guest Lectures on topics of national importance and relevance. Old students of this institution have
excelled in sports and in cultural activities.
The Association has a plan of creating a corpus of Rs.10 lakhs, the
proceeds of which will be used to pay scholarships to 20 students at the rate
of Rs.500/- per month. Some of the
present day, legal luminaries, shares legends, sportsmen, foreign exchange
dealers and stock brokers, solicitors, exporters, T.V. and film stars, film
producers, singers, music directors and directors of dramas are the alumni of
this institution. A positive aspect of
the college is the frequent interaction of the Alumni Association with its Alma
Mater at least once a month. This
Association may be utilised by the college for fund raising for the college in
the future. Among the teachers, one has
become a Vice Chancellor, another Registrar and another Director of DDE.
Fortunately the college has
an enlightened Management comprising industrialists and philanthropists of the
area who are responsive to the educational needs of the emerging society. The interaction of the Peer Team with the
Management of the college was fruitful and it indicated its positive thinking
on the future development of the college.
The Management has an ambition to convert this college into a national
institute. But they lamented that their
efforts for educational diversification and development are scuttled by the
restrictive practices of the university.
The Management of the
college has created a corpus of Rs.2.5 crores, the proceeds of which are used
for the development of the college. The
future goal of the institution is to create manpower to meet the business and
Information Technology needs of the society.
The Management appreciated and accepted the idea of Prof. A. Gnanam Chairman NAAC to introduce a four
year programme in B.Com. with a one year apprenticeship scheme.
The Governing Board is the
executive authority of the college exercising financial, administrative and
expansion powers of the college. The
day to day administration of the college vests in the Local Managing Committee
which has the President of the Governing Board as its Chairman and the
Principal of the college as its Secretary.
Representatives of Teaching, Non-teaching staff are members of this
committee. The members of the committee
can inspect all records and documents of the college.
The Heads of Departments
prepare the academic calendar for their respective departments which in turn
are approved in the meeting of the Principal, Vice Principal and the teacher
representatives of the Local Managing Committee. A committee consisting of three senior faculty members,
co-ordinates and monitors the functioning of the college. A three member committee looks after the
interest of non-teaching staff. Members
of faculty are recruited by a selection committee as per approved rules of
recruitment by the Mumbai University.
The college has made only temporary appointments in recent years.
Non-teaching staff need professional development. The college draws expertise available on hourly basis and this
meets the human resource needs of the college.
The college has a self
appraisal programme for the faculty and a grievance redressal mechanism. The college provides loan facilities to its
teaching and non-teaching staff under the College Welfare Fund and the
Provident Fund Schemes, loans for marriages, sickness and house construction is
also granted. The college also
encourages its faculty to pursue their research interests without any
hardship. The Management has a well
conceived welfare programme for its employees.
The college has shown its
budget for the last two years. There is
an internal audit system as well.
Besides, the accounts of the institution are audited by an external
Audit Agency. The college has incurred
a deficit of about Rs.2.18 lakhs in the last two years which is easily met by
the Management. The quantum of deficit
is not alarming and is indicative of sound financial management by the
college. The efforts of the college to
utilise the infrastructure to raise additional resources are commendable. The proposal of the college to mobilise resources
through launching self-financing courses, organisation of smaller self
financing programmes, establishment of industry linkages and tapping the
resources of the Alumni Association deserve encouragement and appreciation.
While there was not any substantial evidence of innovative & unique practices followed by the college which add to its academic ambience, there were some initiatives observed by the Peer Team, which are noteworthy:
As complementary add-ons,
the college offers several courses / programmes such as:
·
CA
Foundation Course
·
Diploma
in Business Finance (DBF) offered by Institute of chartered Financial Analysts
of India, Hyderabad.
·
Computer
Certificate Course
·
MBA
Foundation Course
These
initiatives are satisfactory. The criterion of offering need-based courses for
the integrated development of students is commendable.
Given
its focus on running a single university controlled B.Com programme,
educational innovations like the Credit System or examination reforms were not
attempted. However, continuous evaluation effort through presentations,
projects & seminars for first year & second year students can be
commended.
The college maintains high
discipline and decorum among students.
Students and parents said that their choice of this college was
influenced by this consideration.
The work experience provided
by the institution and compulsory projects for each paper of the B. Com.
programme enhance skills and competencies of students.
Section 3.
Overall Analysis
The overall impression that
the Peer Team gathered after an analysis of the Self Study Report, a visit to
various academic and physical facilities, and interactions with the students,
faculty, alumni, and parents is that, this single faculty college has made a
reasonable progress towards the achievement of its goal of disseminating
commerce education. The college has
established a reputation for its devotion to the cause of education and
discipline and imparting vocation based education to students. The Peer Team could identify some elements
of quality education and its potential for quality assurance and standards in
the future. The Peer Team would like to
commend the institution for the following aspects:
·
The
college has a well built Management and organisational structure. The management of the institution provides
the needed encouragement and assistance for the present and future development
of the institution.
·
There
is a sense of unity among the faculty, students, non-teaching staff and the
administration, which works under the dynamic leadership of the Principal.
·
There
is a sense of job satisfaction among the teaching and non-teaching staff of the
institution.
·
There
is a congenial atmosphere for effective teaching and learning processes.
·
The
teacher-taught relationship is very cordial, and it promotes good atmosphere of
learning. The alumni of the institution
occupy eminent positions in the fields of
finance, business, industry, exports and judiciary, and this is an
indicator of the quality stamp of the institution.
·
The
infrastructure created is commendable for a single faculty programme.
·
The
remedial instruction system adopted by the college has enhanced skills of poor
and backward learners.
·
The
Health Centre of the college renders commendable services.
However, the Peer Team would
like to offer the following suggestions for the future expansion and
development of the academic activities and student progression:
·
While
the Peer Team appreciates the efforts of the faculty and the institution to
promote better learning processes, the college should step up its efforts to
enhance its performance in terms of higher percentage of passes.
·
The
Management may explore the possibility of offering more self financed relevant courses, which could ensure more
course options for students.
·
The
Placement Cell of the college may be strengthened with the appointment of a
Placement Officer who may maintain and monitor the data on placement, and
foster college-industry linkages.
·
The
counselling and guidance aspects of the college may also be strengthened.
·
The
Research efforts of the faculty must be augmented. The faculty may be encouraged to undertake research projects and
to acquire research degrees such as M.Phil and Ph.D.
·
The
college may initiate effective measures to improve the student performance in
the area of sports.
·
The
benefits of the welfare fund may be extended to more poor students.
·
The
college may also concentrate on the professional development of non-teaching
staff especially in the area of accounting, administration and automation.
·
A
formal system of feedback on the educational efforts of the college from
students and industry may be established.
·
The
college may appoint a faculty in physical education who can take care of the
sports needs of the students.
·
The
college may indicate its mission and goals and translate them into strategic
plans of action.
·
The
future expansion of building should be horizontal rather than vertical.
·
Open
access to library may be provided to students.
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