Assessment Report on
Institutional Accreditation of
K.L.E. Society's
P.C. Jabin Science College, Hubli
Section 1: Preface
K.L.E. Society’s P.C. Jabin Science College Vidyanagar, Hubli volunteered to be assessed by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and submitted its Self-Study Report as required by NAAC, in March 1999.
A Peer Team was constituted by the Council to conduct the site visit in order to validate the Self-Study Report. The Peer Team consisting of Prof. Ramamurthi. Rallapalli (Chairman) Former Vice-Chancellor, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. and Dr. Pawar.S.H. (Member) Prof. of physics, Shivaji University, Kolhapur (Maharastra) visited the institution on August 30 and 31, 1999. Dr. (Mrs.) Latha Pillai. Deputy Advisor, NAAC, Bangalore, co-ordinated the visit.
The P.C.Jabin Science College started in- 1957, affiliated to Karnatak University, Dharwad is located in a sprawling educational complex of K.L.E. Society in Vidyanagar, Hubli. The college offers 14 Science Courses at the UG level and is recognised by UGC under 2f and 12b. There are 560 degree students with a fairly equitable gender ratio. The faculty strength is 65 with 25% of them being Ph.D. holders. The college has buildings for classrooms, laboratories, library, hostels, computer centre, sports complex, bank, canteen, printing press and a store.
The Peer Team carefully scrutinized and analysed the Self-Study Report and other related documents submitted by the institution. It visited all the departments and facilities. Interactive meetings were held with the Management, the Principal, faculty, non-teaching and supporting staff, students, parents and alumni of the college. Based on the site visit and interaction meetings and as per the criteria developed by NAAC the Peer Team has made the assessment. The following pages reflect the assessment criterion-wise describing the strengths of the institution & issues of concern with suggestions for attention.
Criterion I: Curricular Aspects
The college conducts under graduate teaching programmes in 14 science subjects covering both fundamental and applied aspects. The syllabi of these subjects are in tune with the curriculum of Karnataka University Dharwad and meet the goats and objectives of the institution. The college has introduced three innovative vocational courses such as sericulture, computer applications, and rural based domestic animal farming. These courses provide an opportunity for self-employment of students. Teachers have taken active part in redesigning the curriculum of the university and have also taken the lead in updating the syllabi of zoology by conducting a workshop of all UG teachers of the university. Similar initiatives have been taken by other departments in the review of the curriculum.
The college has entered into an MOU with the University of Agricultural Sciences Dharwad, to organise the course in Domestic Animal Farming. The computer science department interacts with banks, farmers, hotel and industrial sectors for project work. The botany and zoology departments have developed linkages with the State Forest department and the sericulture department has viable links with the Karnataka State Sericulture Corporation and the Central Silk Board. These interactions have provided valuable feedback in redesigning the curriculum and introducing teaching innovations
Criterion II: Teaching, Learning and Evaluation
The college provides ample opportunity to students to select different groups of subjects from the university. The college adopts the annual examination system and there is no continuous internal evaluation. However, the college conducts periodic tests and prepares students for the annual exams.
Though there is no formal mechanism for remedial courses students are encouraged to do home assignments and interact with teachers. The personality development programmes offered by the college provide the necessary challenge to interested students. The college also puts in additional efforts during holidays for completion of instruction once in a way disrupted by unforeseen developments. The student teacher interaction currently practised is commendable and facilitates improvement of student performance.
The Time-Table Committee plans the academic activities for the whole year and this has helped teachers in organising their work plans. Teaching aids and models are used to make learning more effective. Students are also exposed to recent developments in science through seminars by outside experts.
Most faculty of the college are very senior and there has been no recruitment during the last ten years. The annual feed back by students has provided the college a good opportunity for initiating changes related to class-room teaching.
The college has encouraged its faculty to acquire higher qualifications under the Faculty Improvement Programme of the UGC. Teachers are given duty leave to attend seminars and conferences. The college has also arranged a regional work shop for UG teachers to discuss revision of syllabi.
As the college offers only under graduate science programmes there is not much visible research activity. About 25% of the teachers have Ph.D. Degrees and only two members have UGC minor research projects. Though the faculty participate regularly in seminars and conferences by presenting papers and making publications research needs strengthening.
The sericulture & computer science department are offering informal consultancy to farmers and industries respectively. The college may consider publicising the expertise among the local industries and the community.
Students have been participating in the NCC, NSS and sports activities at various levels. While some students have the distinction of representing the university in various athletics and games events, others have won individual championships.
The NCC & NSS wings of the college are very active and take part in Clean & Green Campaigns and Pulse Polio Programmes. This has helped sensitise students to community needs.
At the annual day function a scientific exhibition is arranged every year and this has benefited a large number of high school students.
Criterion IV: Infrastructure and Learning Resources
A number of buildings were put up during the last 40 years to house the lecture halls, laboratories, library, various service department facilities, office space and common amenities. The buildings are well kept and the space is found to be adequate. The campus located in an eight acre area also has men & women hostels, canteen, sports, gymkhana and a branch of the Syndicate Bank. Plans are drawn to augment the laboratory facilities. The equipment required for teaching physics, chemistry, mathematics, statistics, computer science, zoology, botany, sericulture, dairy farm animal production and electronics is in good supply and they are well maintained. Teaching aids such as charts, models, herbarium and museum species, calculators, OLIPs and slide projectors are used for instruction. Lecture halls and laboratories are optimally utilised by shift system. Practicals are conducted for a batch of 20 students with two teachers to supervise them.
The library has 41000 volumes and is being computerised. It has the E-Mail and Internet facility, which is made available to enrolled users on a nominal charge. Some departments possess their own library books donated by alumni and parents. The computer science and statistics departments share the same space and it is desirable to provide more space so that they could function independently.
The hostels for men & women are well maintained and the common facilities such as bank, post office, recreation rooms and study rooms are also available.
The faculty are well qualified with 25% of them having acquired Ph.D. Degree through FIP and are found to be co-operative, committed and development oriented, providing leadership to students. The general behaviour of students is found to be good and they help the Management in the upkeep of the campus. The Management has not expressed any resource constraints.
Different types of scholarships are available to students both from the government and from the Management and also from alumni. The infrastructure and learning resources are found to be adequate and the ambience for learning is conducive.
Criterion V: Student support and Progression
Performance of the students in under graduate exams has been consistently good. In the B.Sc. III examination 43 students secured first class & 35 students first class with distinction. During the academic year 1998-99 several poor students received scholarships of the Government of India, the Govt. of Karnataka and also from the Alumni Association. A large number of prizes are awarded every year to students who have distinguished themselves in sports, cultural activities and social work. Over the years the students of the college have made a mark in sports and games getting recognition of being selected for the Karnataka University teams in different events.
A large number of alumni occupy places of distinction in the society as doctors, lawyers, teachers, administrators businessmen and industrialists. The parents and the alumni associations are very active in extending assistance to the college in several ways. The alumni have plans for building an auditorium.
Criterion VI: Organisation and Management
The college is under the umbrella of K.L.E.Society’s educational system. The society operates in Karnataka and partly in Maharastra running a total of 89 institutions. The college has a local governing body and the Principal of the college is its Member-Secretary. The Governing Body meets frequently to assess the requirements of the college and authorises the Principal to take necessary action to implement various - academic programmes efficiently. The annual budget requirements of the college are presented to the society before December of every calendar year and the budget for the next financial year is passed by the Society in January. There are 17 members in the college office to help the administration office procedures regarding salaries, fees and time table are all computerised. The office staff get trained for computer work with the help of the Computer Science Department.
There are 15 committees constituted for various activities such as the College Forum, academic associations, examinations, anti-ragging, library development, hostels and SC & ST cell. Students themselves have various committees advised by faculty members. The non-teaching staff are governed by the state Govt. rules in regard to salaries & retirement benefits. The consumer co-operative operated by the Management has been working satisfactorily. The audited statement of accounts is maintained regularly.
Criterion VII: Healthy Practices
The college offers the following need based courses at the degree level
i) Sericulture
ii) Electronics
iii) Computer Science
iv) BCA
v) Domestic Anima1 Farming
Many of these courses involve inter departmental and inter disciplinary participation in teaching which is being done effectively.
The college encouraged by Karnataka University and UGC-ICAR assistance collaborates with the University of Agricultural Science for teaching the DAF course. Sericulture and Computer Science Departments have tie-ups with industry and govt. departments to augment their teaching resources.
The college publishes a magazine which serves as an outlet for students and faculty who have a penchant for writing poems, articles and for focusing their ideas on contemporary social problems.
Section 3: Overall Analysis
The Peer Team after carefully going through the Self-Study Report, and after visiting the departments and common facilities, is favorably impressed with the progress of P.C.Jabin Science College Hubli, in terms of academic instruction and institutional functioning. Interaction with parents, alumni and representatives of public vindicated the reputation of the college as among the best in this part of Karnataka.
The Peer Team wishes to place on record the following items for special commendation:
· the cohesion with which the Management, the faculty and the non-teaching staff function to impart education and skills to students which is the major objective of the institution.
· the leadership being provided by the Principal and the faculty to promote fellowship, discipline and a sense of belonging in terms of identity in students.
· ideal student- teacher ratio in practical classes.
· participation of students under the close supervision of faculty outside the class hours and on holidays to keep the campus clean and green.
· encouragement given to students to take part in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities like NSS, NCC, sports and games cultural activities etc.
· for achieving good percentage of results in the degree examinations while promoting personality development of students.
· for introducing exit poll on the annual day.
· the Peer Team would like to suggest the following for further improving the efficiency of institutional functioning:
· to start a Hobby Centre in which students could learn. innovate and give expression to their dormant native talents
· to promote the concept of time management among students with short term part time courses in computers, managerial skills, micro level planning, scanning future scenarios etc.
· the Management could explore through the parents and the alumni associations, institution of awards and rewards every year to teachers who provide dedicated service to enable the college live up to its expectations.
· whenever possible students in their respective branches may be encouraged to prepare short project/survey reports outside the curriculum on voluntary basis to sharpen their organisational and analytical skills
· an effort may be made to bring into existence a language laboratory involving language teachers to enable students `acquire communicative skills.