1. Words can be hurtful as physical abuse. Don’t ever say a student, useless.
2. Overbearing pressure on a student doesn’t improve performance or creativity. Instead, choose to become a part of a student’s learning journey. Think honestly, how can you help, and then help.
3. Discipline, a Big YES. If left completely free of deterrence, expect things going horribly wrong. Access to the ills of social media, illicit materials, drugs, broken families, peer pressure is unlimited. The jobs are few, and everyone can’t be expected to perform at the top. So stay alert to in-disciplinary challenges. Registrars to develop a highly efficient and practical system for the campus and the hostels. Big unpardonable NO to female harassment, caste discrimination and ragging in any form. A caution ! Not to stretch discipline too far that your students struggle to find flavour to life with friends, fans and the loved ones. Let them hangout in beautiful open spaces of your lawns, gardens and eateries. Offer an environment that is ‘lean but not mean’.
4. Clubs excite them. Sports too. Take pride in some girl dribbling football past the boys in a gruelling football match or shoulder out a boy in snatching a rebound of a basketball. The girls are turning smarter.
5. I recall, a big fest and security was tight, but some local ‘gundas’ scaled the high university walls in the darkness and intruded in a graduation breakup dance party of nearly 2000 students. The students quickly threw a ring around girl- students, and protected them from a possible molestation. What a story was this on the Facebook wall of the university, the next day ! Such stories matter. They get etched in the persona of students, lifelong.
6. Never let anyone draw deep lines amongst students in the name of anything. It is critical in the present day grind. Nub it in the bud. Create a nonpartisan and open environment of learning and exploring.
7. Students are in the new era of AI and emerging technologies. Let founders and sponsors of institutions remove all possible stops and open new innovative industry-driven learning schemes. Don’t duck from your responsibilities. Push funds into what students ought to learn and skill.
8. While there is a massive information space for students to explore yet as teachers we should discuss with students multiple possibilities emerging from the cracks in the job markets. Say for example, leveraging Mudra loan schemes, PM Research Fellowship, EduSkills offering virtual internships on stipends, Accelerators where available for those interested to become entrepreneurs, Global Capability Centres and how institutes have tied up collaborations, Competitive examinations and where to join, most relevant micro skilling courses in demand and most appropriate opportunities for higher education etc. It hugely helps if you organise such information brainstorming. Students feel, you care for them.
9. Never ever have your offices so lavishly equipped that your students labs and classrooms get stamped in shame by their low standard. Never mix priorities.
10. Your students look at their teachers for brilliance, empathy, conduct and the quotient of help they can render. Be a role model teacher !
Prof : JR Sharma: The views are personal, and should be disseminated as deemed fit
