Christ Nagar College

Distinctiveness & Best Practices

Best Practice 1

Title of the Practice: Initiatives for Inclusive and Comprehensive Learning Experience

Objectives of the Practice:

To provide quality education to the student community.
To encourage the students to pursue academic excellence.
To mould national leaders who can impart a positive impact on the nation and the world.
To implement innovative and effective methodology to impart positive change in the academia.

The Context

Traditional teaching methods have long dominated educational systems, but the evolving needs of students and advancements in technology call for a shift toward innovative teaching-learning methodologies. These methodologies aim to create engaging, interactive, and student-centered environments that foster deeper understanding, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration.

The Practice

The institution follows a three-tier interview programme during admissions, interviewing candidates at the class teacher, Head of the Department, and Principal levels to assess their aptitude and provide guidance.

Outcome Based Education (OBE) The institution has adopted OBE to provide clear and explicit expectations of what students should achieve, helping them understand the intended learning outcomes. This clarity helps students focus on the essential knowledge and skills they need to acquire, leading to a more purposeful and efficient learning experience.
Bridge courses aid students in transitioning to their chosen undergraduate programme, with tests at the end to assess progress and identify advanced and slow learners.
Regular module-wise evaluations and feedback are provided by teachers.
Remedial classes are available for academically struggling students.
Collaborative learning through group projects, peer-to-peer learning, and discussions promotes idea sharing and mutual learning. Advanced learners offer peer tutoring to classmates facing challenges.
Technology integration enables dynamic and immersive online learning experiences, personalized learning, and access to abundant resources.
Parent-Teacher meetings address concerns of the parents and students.
Add-on courses, in collaboration with reputed institutions, offer additional knowledge in various disciplines.
Alumni involvement provides mentorship, guest lectures, and workshops. Outcome-based education is adopted to clarify learning expectations and promote purposeful learning.

Evidence of success

The students of Christ Nagar College have shown remarkable success in the university exams surpassing the university pass percentage. The institution’s pass percentage has consistently remained over 90%, thus ushering the students into the world of higher education and laying the foundation for them to choose an employment of their choice.

Result Analysis of Past Five Years (2018-2022)

Problems encountered and Resources required

Teachers, students, and administrators may resist adopting new teaching methods.
Innovative learning methods may not align well with traditional assessment systems.
Christ Nagar College, being an affiliated institution, follows the syllabus framed and prescribed by the University of Kerala. The syllabus and evaluation methods adopted by the college have to conform to the guidelines of the university.

Best Practice 2

Title of the Practice: Promoting Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Objectives of the Practice:

Promote creativity and innovation.
Identify and nurture talented, research-oriented students.
Provide solutions to industry and societal issues.
Conduct programmes to foster entrepreneurship and provide practical industry experience.

The Context

In today's world, a college degree isn't sufficient for employment. Employers seek diverse skills aligned with the evolving job market, including critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and digital literacy. Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship empowers young leaders.

The Practice

Innovation and Incubation Centre, the research wing of Christ Nagar College, was set up in 2018 with a vision to become a national research institute for imparting values as a national leader and working with a mission to find young, talented and research-oriented students in our college to address the contemporary issues of our society.

The centre focuses on creating a sound research-oriented consciousness in the minds of all the students of the institution.
IIC offers courses, workshops and IDEATHON events focused on developing entrepreneurial skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and business acumen.
The centre organizes seminars, guest lectures, and panel discussions to expose students to successful entrepreneurs, innovators, and industry professionals.
Celebrate and showcase successful student-led ventures and innovations to inspire and motivate.
IIC representatives participate in innovation fairs, start-up conclaves or demo days where students can pitch their ideas.
IIC also manifested its environmental consciousness and commitment by initiating the Miyawaki Forest Project in order to create a sustainable ecosystem
Provide media coverage and recognition for student entrepreneurs and innovators, through Instagram, You Tube, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Sl. No.	Successful Initiatives
1	Prototypes of two innovative business ideas were exhibited at the Entrepreneurship Conclave, Enlight 2020. , conducted by the Department of Industries and Commerce, Govt of Kerala
2	Two student start-ups were registered in KUBIIC, receiving an initial grant of Rs 5,000 each.
3	The book Green Banking and Environment was published
4	Student participation in the Young Innovators Programme 2020 led to selection at the state level
5	Miyawaki forest
6	Innovation & Incubation Centre is connected with IEDC, under Kerala Startup Mission, Govt of Kerala.
7	Received a grant of Rs 2,00,000/- from Kerala Startup Mission
8	Pitched startup ideas at IEDC Summit 2023 Ideathon contest.
9	Showcased prototype at IEDC Summit 2023's Kerala Innovator's Technology Expo.
10	Won institutional level challenges at Innovators Premier League 2.0 by IEDC, KSUM
11	Faculty as mentors and facilitators of Startups.
12	Innovators Premier League 2.0- IEDC Christ Nagar 20th position in State Level, 2nd in Arts and Science Colleges (Self-Financing).

Problems encountered

Insufficient external funding.
Time constraints posed by the hectic academic schedule.
Mindset of the parents who are resistant to change.
Unwillingness to take risks.

Resources required

Investors willing to support startup ideas.
Easy availability of grants to scale up the ideas and prototypes

Distinctiveness

Gallery

Founding and Ethos

Christ Nagar College was founded in the year 2012 by CMI Fathers, pioneers in the field of education and social reforms.A conducive atmosphere for the teaching-learning process has been created thanks to the CMI Fathers' dedication, the faculty members' conscientiousness and devotion, and the students' élan and vivacity. The institution has tried to emulate the principles and the path led by our founder St Kuriakose Elias Chavara and has always been committed to the cause of social justice.

The college also aims at creating a just and humane society where the dignity of the human person is respected, where unjust social structures are challenged, where our cultural heritage of ahimsa, religious harmony and national integration are upheld, where the poor and the downtrodden are specially taken care of

Education as a holistic formation

The college considers education as integral to the formation of the human person for the fulfillment of his/her individual and social responsibilities. Education should not be confined to the classrooms alone. The college aims at forming leaders who are intellectually competent, spiritually mature, morally upright, psychologically integrated, physically healthy and socially acceptable, who are open to growth and will champion the cause of justice, love, truth and peace. It is imperative for the progress of any modern society that the youth actively participate in transforming the lives of those who are bereft of the basic amenities.

Sponsor A Home A Year (SAHAAY)

The institution has been proactive in alleviating the plight of those who are bereft of proper housing facilities. The college management with the whole-hearted support of all the stakeholders of the institution has joined hands in constructing houses for the disadvantaged families in the locality. The noble gesture was initiated in the year 2016 and was carried out in the subsequent years as well. In the year 2016, a house was constructed at Kattakkada. A house was built for another deserving family at Ooruttambalam in 2017 and two houses were constructed at Maranalloor in 2020. The initiative has helped in bringing relief to many underprivileged families who had been relegated to the margins of the society because of their financial position. Owning a home has helped these citizens to come to the mainstream of the society.

Humanitarian Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

The institution played an important role in leading the way to provide relief to the community during the zenith of the COVID-19 pandemic. Supplies worth Rs 1 lakh were made available to social workers and community kitchens. 500 food kits were distributed among deserving families across the district and provided medical help for the needy.

‘Kinavukal kandunaraam', a music album to create hope and awareness during the difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic was released on 14 July 2021. The album was the collective effort of the talented artists from among the students, staff and parents of the institution.

‘Chavara Kanivu’, a noble venture, was initiated by the institution to help those who were weighed down by financial constraints owing to the havoc created by the pandemic. Teaching and non-teaching staff, students and parents made voluntary contributions to this initiative which helped to further strengthen the social commitment of the institution.

Ockhi Relief Measures

In the wake of the Ockhi disaster, the student volunteers ran a collection drive with the support of the management and prepared over 150 kits containing basic commodities (each kit being a collection of 5 kg rice, 2 kg green gram, 1 kg sugar, 250g tea powder) to the affected areas around Poovar. The students along with the teachers reached the residents through the support of the Poovar Parish unit. After supplying the kits, the volunteers interacted with the residents of Poovar. They were able to understand the practices involved in relief mechanisms and support systems for coping with disasters.

Flood relief measures

The 2018 floods that devastated many parts of the state of Kerala put the student community and staff fraternity of Christ Nagar College into action. The institution functioned as a collection centre and relief materials were collected to be supplied to the flood affected areas. Sneha Pralayamezhuthu, an initiative was undertaken by Christ Nagar College to support those students who were severely affected by the floods and had lost their study materials. The teachers and students of Christ Nagar college came together in preparing handwritten notes for the students hailing from flood hit areas.

Palliative Care Unit

A palliative care unit was started by Christ Nagar College in association with a hospital to help patients through the early detection, accurate assessment, and treatment of pain to alleviates their suffering.

Karunyasparsham

As part of the humanitarian initiatives of Christ Nagar College, a sewing machine and a tricycle were distributed to two impoverished families in the locality on 25 February 2021. The distribution was done by I.B. Satheesh MLA and Mr Suresh Kumar A, Panchayath President, Maranalloor. Fee concessions, mobile phones and other assistance were provided to necessitous students of our college apart from the regular scholarship.

Educational Outreach: Book Banquet

The International Day of Education was celebrated by the NSS Unit of Christ Nagar College in the form of a novel initiative titled “Book Banquet” on 29 January 2021. The programme aims at distributing books to various schools in Thiruvananthapuram. The formal inauguration of the notebook distribution programme was done by I. B. Satheesh MLA by donating 1050 books to Government High School, Kandala. Mr Suresh Kumar, Panchayath President, Maranalloor also graced the occasion. Twelve schools have become the beneficiaries of the Book Banquet initiative. Over 7000 notebooks were distributed to students from various government schools from across the district.