Mrs. Vinaya Kashikar is the Vice Principal at Dharampeth MP Deo Memorial Science College. She has received various awards including Late Smt. Vimaltai Tidke Memorial Gold Medal for obtaining the highest number of marks at the Final B. Sc. Home Science Exam, Late Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve Janmashatabdi (Centenary) Prize for obtaining the highest percentage of Marks in B.Sc. Home Science Examination in 1988, Late Smt. Vimaltai Tidke Memorial Gold Medal for obtaining the highest number of marks at the final B. Sc. Home Science Exam in 1988, and Late Smt. Kamlabai Krishnarao Thakur Memorial prize for obtaining the highest percentage of marks in the subject of Marriage and Family Relationships in the final B.Sc. Home Science exam in 1988. She has been a Member of Nagpur University Senate from amongst meritorious students of various faculties in 1988–90.

Dharampeth MP Deo Memorial Science College

Being a faculty member of the department, what are your roles and responsibilities towards the students?

I ensure that students are regulars in the college, they attend all lectures sincerely, they grasp whatever is taught in the class, they complete assignments in time; and they complete formalities related to exams, fees, scholarships, etc. I always strive to develop students not only academically but also from an emotional and social point of view.

How do you tend to establish healthy relationships with the students and fellow faculty?

Periodically, I talk to students, encourage them, and try to resolve any difficulties they face. Some students need counseling even for their problems. I maintain cordial relations with the faculty. I make it a point to discuss issues related to the college, courses, admissions, students’ discipline, timetable, etc. in the staff common room at least once a week. At a personal level, there is daily sharing of views, experiences, and even personal problems.

How do you try to bring a practical approach to subjects and make them industry-oriented?

My subject, Home Science, is application-based. It is related to human health and mind and is closely connected to science and social science faculties in equal measure. I give examples of household common materials while explaining their use in daily life.

How do you help your student cope with the competition being so high in the outside world?

We make the students realize that the inevitability and reality of competition at every level of life are the ultimate truths. For that, we try to make them mentally and emotionally strong through counseling and also advise them to make Yoga and meditation a habit in their daily routine.

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What are the challenges you faced or are facing to uplift the quality of education in your department?

The greatest challenge is the lack of awareness about Home Science as a discipline and its scope. I try to explain its applicability, its utility, and its wide scope.

How does the department/ college/University enhance the skills of the faculty and prepare them according to industry standards?

The concept of learning, unlearning, and relearning needs to be implemented to inculcate good habits among teachers and students. A transition from rote learning conceptual methods is the need of the hour and can keep teachers and students engaged in meaningful exercises of knowledge transmission and acquiring different skills, like marketing skills, entrepreneurship, communication, and managerial skills, as well as leadership qualities. Today demands to create more job-givers than job-seekers. Our faculty of Home science, being interdisciplinary, is always helpful for students to get jobs in different fields of society.

What are the interventions and approaches you bring in apart from the curriculum to train/teach the students?

Improving the quality of education in the college will create a healthy environment, which will help the students in their learning process. The students will remain enrolled in the college, learn different skills, and become constructive citizens whereby they can participate in nation-building.

What valuable advice would you like to give the students for a prosperous career ahead?

Today’s education system is more concerned with imparting knowledge alone, which needs to be changed and expanded in modern times. In the New Education Policy, a new curriculum is prepared for the students that is more student-centric. This curriculum assists students in gaining opportunities in various fields not only in rural and underserved areas, but it also assists urban students in sharpening their skills. It is up to the students to strive not only for academic knowledge but also to take care of their overall personality development. The students should also look for new avenues of career development in society rather than pursuing the same old career options.