Best Practice I

Title of the Practice

Naba Ballygunge Mahavidyalaya – An Emotional Wellbeing Sensitive Campus

Objectives of the Practice

• To raise awareness regarding mental/emotional health and wellbeing amongst students, teaching and non-teaching staff of Naba Ballygunge Mahavidyalaya
• To create opportunities of providing psychological support to NBM students and staff
• To assist students to face and overcome challenges in their daily lives
• To help students to deal with their personal problems
• To motivate students to have positive outlook and optimism in the time of unprecedented challenges such as the pandemic and lockdown of the recent past
• To create opportunities for collaborative activities with other institutions and organizations working in the field of mental health and wellbeing.

The Context

The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in 2020, drastically altered the landscape of education worldwide. Lockdown persisted for nearly two years, until early 2022, leading to unparallel disruptions in educational institutions across the country. Apart from the real threat of the contagion, social isolation, increased screen time, parental fatigue, economic uncertainties and an overwhelming sense of fear and grief had a terrible and cumulative impact on the mental health of our students. The new experimental mode of online teaching/learning also added to their anxiety and apprehension regarding the present as well as the future of education. Evidently, in the wake of these changed circumstances and an increasing global concern over the mental health and wellbeing of young adults in particular, Naba Ballygunge Mahavidyalaya initiated the practice of turning the campus into an emotional wellbeing sensitive space.

The Practice

Describe the practice and its uniqueness in the context of Indian higher education. What were the constraints/limitations, if any, faced?(in about 400words)

Only a few months after the lockdown in March, the Department of English, with the encouragement of the erstwhile principal of NBM, Dr. Sukamal Dutta, organized the first interactive mental health webinar entitled “COVID Pandemic, Lockdown and Mental Health of Young Adults” on July 4, 2020, in collaboration with “Wellbeing and Happiness for You” (WHY), an organization of repute working in the field of mental health in Kolkata. Inspired by the immediate success of this webinar and the enthusiastic response of our students, it was decided that a new add on course on “Psychological Counseling” would be conducted for the benefit of students in the very next academic session. Ms. Pritha Chatterjee, Asst. Prof. in the Department of English and a qualified counselor, chalked out the course modules and the course continued in her coordination from January 22, 2022 to February 2, 2022. These were the stepping stones of an initiative which finally got institutionalized with the formation of the “Psychological Counseling and Wellbeing Cell” (PCWC), NBM, under the patronage and guidance of the current principal, Dr. Ayantika Ghosh, in October, 2023. With the formation of this cell, all informal efforts of our teaching staff to counsel students came under a centralized structure. The journey of this newly founded cell started with a collaborative venture, a lecture demonstration and interactive session by the resource persons from WHY for the students of NBM on October 13, 2023, to celebrate World Mental Health Day, observed every year internationally on October 10.  

On January 3, 2024, during the event of Students’ Week celebration, a talk was held by the convener of the PCWC entitled “Psychological Counseling: What You Think and What It really Is”, with the objective of bursting the myths, misconceptions and taboos around the idea of counseling. This talk was followed by a question- answer session in which the students actively participated.

To promote awareness and sensitization amongst the cell members as well as the teaching staff regarding the basics of offering psychological first-aid to students in need, the PCWC, in collaboration with the IQAC and WHY, organized an online workshop entitled, “Mindful Mind: Psychological Support for Empowering Teachers” on May 9, 2024.

With the purpose of knowing the mental health condition of our students better and to organize future programmers to cater to their specific need the PCWC has conducted a mental health survey during the academic session of 2023-2024. This was an online survey to which 237 students from all the UG and PG departments had responded. This survey has also helped to create a central database of students already interested in and/or in need of psychological support. The individual response and identity of all the students are strictly confidential. Most importantly, along with all these programmers and initiatives, regular counseling sessions of students are being conducted by a group of teachers from the PCWC under the supervision of Ms. Pritha Chatterjee, a certified counselor and convener of PCWC.

Evidence of Success

Provide evidence of success such as performance against targets and benchmarks, review/results. What do these results indicate? Describe in about 200words.

• Positive and enthusiastic response from students to all the mental health awareness initiatives
• Some students attending counseling sessions regularly
• Students verbally reporting improvement in their mental health conditions after a few sessions
• More spontaneous interaction of students with teachers
• Improvement in communication between teachers and students
• Improvement in listening skill of teachers directly associated with this practice
• Improvement in listening and communication abilities among students attending regular sessions
• Creating a central database of students interested in and/or in need of psychological support
• Increased awareness among student to resist existing taboo on mental health
• Increased sensitivity and respect to students coming from different minority communities, ethnic and cultural groups and queer communities.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required

Please identify the problems encountered and resources required to implement the practice (inabout150words).

• Already prevalent societal taboo on mental health
• Limited exposure of a majority of our students and their families with underprivileged background to mental health related issues.
• Difficulties of the post-pandemic batch of students in attending regular offline classes, examinations and other college events and initiatives
• Limitation of the newly formed “Psychological Counselling and Wellbeing Cell” in reaching out maximum number of students
• Limitation of the PCWC in reaching out to the family members of the students
• Lack of college fund to appoint an external psychotherapist or counselor in order to conduct regular counselling sessions for the teaching and non-teaching staff of NBM

Notes(Optional)

Please add any other information that may be relevant for adopting/implementing the Best Practice in other Institutions (in about 150 words).

Any other information regarding Institutional Values and Best Practices which the university would like to include.

Future Plan of Action:

1. To conduct an orientation session with every new batch of UG and PG students on the opportunities of mental health support available within the campus
2. To hold regular counselling sessions for students by internal and external counsellors and psychotherapists
3. To organize awareness programmes, talks and workshops on topics relevant to the need of the students as indicated by the Mental Health Survey Report
4. To organize film/short film/documentary festivals to promote mental health awareness through extra-curricular activities
5. To enhance the scope of collaborative ventures
6. To publish the event calendar of PCWC in the college website

Supporting Documents Uploaded

1. Annual Report of PCWC
2. Webinar Report
3. Acceptance Letter and Feedback from WHY
4. Programme/Event notices
5. Feedback form and analysis of teachers attending training workshop on psychological first-aid
6. Questionnaire of mental health survey of students
7. Outcome and analysis of mental health survey
8. Add On Course on “Psychological Counselling” During the Academic Year 2021-2022

Best Practice II

Title of the Practice

Beyond the Classroom: Cultivating Unity, Celebrating Diversity

Objectives of the Practice

What are the objectives/intended outcomes of this “best practice” and what are the underlying principles or concepts of this practice? (inabout100words)

• Student centric education
• Learning through extra-curricular activities
• To infuse the essence of harmony and tolerance in the minds of students
• To increase cultural consciousness among students and staff
• To raise awareness among students regarding the rich cultural heritage and diversity of India
• To learn the teachings of the great minds of India through cultural activities
• To appreciate the rich history of people’s struggles in the subcontinent
• To practice and develop the creative faculty in students
• To resist communal or any such kind of discord and conflict

The Context

What were the contextual features or challenging issues that needed to be addressed in designing and

A peaceful and harmonious environment is crucial for the growth and prosperity of a society comprising diverse religious, cultural and ethnic adherents. The educational institutions enjoy the privilege of giving young minds the opportunity to collaborate at common academic and cultural projects across class, caste, religious and ethnic lines. Thus, it becomes natural for students to build up bonds with others who are different from their way of thinking and acting. This student centric method of learning also broadens the perspective and liberates the minds of young adults who eventually become responsible citizens of the world’s largest democracy. This idea offers a strong foundation for inculcating a culture of heterogeneity, harmony, tolerance and respect through various extracurricular activities in Naba Ballygunge Mahavidyalaya.

The Practice

Describe the practice and its uniqueness in the context of Indian higher education. What were the constraints/limitations, if any, faced?(in about 400words)

At Naba Ballygunge Mahavidyalaya, our core values revolve around fostering communal harmony, inclusivity, and cultural appreciation. These principles are deeply ingrained in our institutional practices and are reflected in our various programmers and activities. Our commitment to communal harmony is exemplified by the organization of both after Dinner Party and Saraswati Puja in the campus every year. Notably, the Saraswati idol is often brought by the students from the minority community, symbolizing the spirit of cross-communal harmony and mutual respect for one another. We take pride in avoiding any form of discrimination and strive to maintain a harmonious environment within our college. We celebrate Basantotsav and Holi, the festival of colour and music, with the same zeal and enthusiasm every year. Cultural programmes are also organized on these occasions with the aim of broadening the perspective of our students regarding different aspects of life beyond the dry academic syllabi. The International Mother Language Day on February 21 and the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore on May 9, are also celebrated every year with the objective of making our students aware of the rich cultural history of Bengal.

One of the most significant events in our cultural calendar is "Murchona," an annual intercollegiate cultural competition that invites students from various colleges to participate in a range of events. These events encompass folk music, folk dance, classical music, classical dance, Rabindrasangeet, Patriotic songs, Poster making, alpana, photography, essay writing  and the like. By awarding prizes to the winners, we encourage students to explore and celebrate their cultural heritage, extending their learning and appreciation beyond the confines of the campus.

In addition to our cultural festivities, we also offered a 30-hour add-on course on “India: Geography, Recourses and People” during the Academic Year 2018 – 2019. This course is designed to promote a pan-Indian outlook among our students, fostering a broader understanding and appreciation of the country's diverse cultural landscape.

Through these varied efforts, Naba Ballygunge Mahavidyalaya embodies a dedication to inclusivity and harmony, ensuring that our students not only excel academically but also grow as responsible and empathetic members of society.

Evidence of Success

Provide evidence of success such as performance against targets and benchmarks, review/results. What do these results indicate? Describe in about 200words.

• Peaceful environment in the campus
• No recorded conflict between students coming from different communities
• Enthusiastic participation of students in various cultural programmes
• Increased motivation among students to pursue their creative interests
• Increased organizing capacity among students who actively participate in such programmes
• Increased interest in the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of our country
• Increased interest in different religious practices and their inherent values
• Increased interest in the thoughts and works of great minds like Rabindranath Tagore and Swami Vivekananda
• No recorded incidence of abuse or violence on the basis of one’s class, caste, religious, ethnic or any other identity
• Better exposure to other educational institutions through various collaborative and collective cultural activities

Problems Encountered and Resources Required

Please identify the problems encountered and resources required to implement the practice (inabout150words).

• The existing ethos of intolerance in the greater society
• Difficulties faced by the post-pandemic batch of students in attending regular offline classes, examinations and other college events and initiatives
• Ever increasing screen time and a general lack of interest among the young people in physical activities and engagements
• Growing pressure of the curriculum along with continuous assessments, projects and end examinations in every six months
• A general lack of opportunity to pursue creative and artistic skills for the majority of our students coming from the underprivileged section of the society
• The lack of fund and infrastructure to provide necessary support to students with artistic inclination

Notes (Optional)

Please add any other information that may be relevant for adopting/implementing the Best Practice in other Institutions (in about 150 words).

Any other information regarding Institutional Values and Best Practices which the university would like to include.

Supporting Documents Uploaded

1. Photo Album of Students and Staff Participating in Relevant Programmes
2. Summary Report of “Murchhona” from 2018 to 2024
3. Add on Course on “India: Geography, Recourses and People” during the Academic Year 2018 – 2019