Dr. S. Mohan Kumar is the Dean of the Student Affairs Department at MVGR College Of Engineering. He holds a Master’s degree in 20th Century Literature from Andhra University. He is actively engaged in research in Indian Writing in English. He is also an active member of ELTAI. He has around 21 years of experience in the teaching field.

MVGR College of Engineering

What inspired you to pursue a career in higher education administration? Also, what drew you to your current role as a Dean?

In any society, reformation is only possible through education. A teacher can easily bring transformation among the students. If students are nothing but human resources, these human resources are well-trained, and filled with values. So, in any other domain, we could also do it. But preferably more options will be available only in teaching as compared to others because we do not have any pressures. 

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing higher education today and how do you think your institution is addressing those challenges?

The big challenge is transition. So students are in a phase of confusion. They are crossroads. Technology is one way, riding and dominating their lives is the other way. Confusion is there for their life and goals and values and values have different definitions as per the available technology. They are in confusion, about what is right, and what is wrong. They are at a crossroads and that is why whether to follow the parents, whether to follow the media, whether to follow the teachers, whether to follow what, what culture. 

What do you think sets your institution apart from other colleges and universities? And how do you communicate that unique value Proportion of two students and other stakeholders?

See, every institution is unique, no doubt at all. We would like to say that our institution is unique in this way, run that way. But instead of saying that. We thought that if tutors are given a balanced education, that could be the uniqueness of any institution. They are undergoing a lot of stress. So even coming to engineering, if they have an option choice for making their career satisfy the requirements of their parents. Then definitely both parties will be happy. So for that harmonious situation here we would like to promote all the activities. As the first words say avocation, vocation should be one other two eyes make one side similarly their occasion avocation should match. Activities, various clubs, and professional body activities which are interesting to them in balancing their education and we are giving the privilege that if he would like to flourish in sports giving some kind of cooperation what we are doing, we are encouraging them towards sports as well. We are creating such an environment to balance their academics by spending extra time with the teachers, and extra time with the institution. Like that, we are supporting the students to cherish their dreams. Flourish in their interested careers. That is the uniqueness in fact and every institution may do. But we have been doing this successfully for the last few years and most of our students have become very good professionals, professional singers, choreographers, short film directors and actors like that.

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What are your primary responsibilities as a team and how do you balance them with other aspects of your job?

In general, their discipline, their code of conduct, facilities available to them, and schemes and all welfare schemes available by the government should reach them and inculcation service Moto in them. Instilling patriotism for everything and overall holistic development of the student is the major responsibility of this, what we are doing is that we have become those. This we have become those to them, those. That means these students should be the friends of the students. Then only it is possible. We are creating an environment where they can directly approach and talk without any inhibition, express freely their difficulties, and grievances, and like that. We are creating such an environment with a friendly nature-friendly movement. So we are trying to reach out there, reach out to them, and at the same time balance family in the sense normally when we are free with the students, when we give access to the students, they become friends with us. When they are friends, when they become friends, they can easily understand us also and they have their limitations to meet us, reach us etcetera. And definitely, they are expressive so that it is not a difficult thing for us to balance both family as well as profession. This is not, but we can. When we treat students as our family, then no word of our family comes into the matter.

How do you approach decision-making in your role and balance different stakeholders' needs when making difficult decisions?

Yeah, so here empathy matters. We must be concerned. Sometimes, the law says one thing, but emotions say another thing. Law and emotion. From the point of students' careers, we must not be emotional and we must be concerned. We must be empathetic. So for that, we are trying to convince the students that whatever decisions are taken, in what aspect and how they can be helpful and how if they are deviated, how can they be dangerous. Also, that way we are trying to balance because simply attaining balance through care and concern, is the only thing.

Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth and aspiring students?

Yeah, this is very important. The reason is that students today are from the Z category jet generation. As we say they are highly intellectual and highly meritorious, but they are less patient, their patience is very less. Anything should be finished very quickly, OK? And many things should be done at one time. This is the attitude of the people. If they focus on a pointed approach, a pointed approach for their intelligence and the resources available they can create new wonders. But that is missing because of deviations and distortions. So they are a little bit hesitant to take guidance from the seniors as a constraint. Seniors as outdated. That should not be forgotten because experience is experience. Experience never be compensated with any other thing even if you become the district collector. But when you have a difficult situation, you approach only your mother to. Your mother gives the right solution.