Dr. S. R Sharma is the Director of Management at GRD College. Starting with a PG degree in Finance, and a PhD in Finance from the University of Jammu, he has since garnered over two decades' worth of work experience. Dr. Sharma has previously worked at Doon Business School, Mahadevi Institute of Technology, Nimbus Group of Institutions, and Swami Rama Himalayan University. For his efforts, he was awarded the Best Director of Academics award.

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Being a professor at GRD College in the Management department, what are your roles and responsibilities towards the students?

Being a professor here in the management department, there are quite a few roles and responsibilities that I need to take care of. Some of them are providing lectures and classes to my students, making sure that they understand the concepts clearly, providing guidance on academic content and facilitating learning. I also work at providing guidance and advice to students on academic and career matters, providing guidance related to internships and jobs and participating in community activities that promote the department and college.

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

Establishing good relationships with your colleagues is important in every occupation but when it comes to being a teacher or a professor. It is important for you to have a good and healthy relationship with the students because they are the main reason for this college to exist. I usually encourage my students to ask questions and take guidance whenever needed, be it related to studies or any personal suggestion. I mostly try to offer constructive feedback on assignments and assessments, acknowledge the efforts of my students and provide encouragement to boost their confidence. Further, when it comes to my fellow faculty, I actively get involved with them in college activities, lectures and other official work. Also, it is important to maintain open communication with the faculty and discuss any departmental matters, updates, or suggestions if needed.

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

My first piece of advice to all the students is to always have a mindset of lifelong learning. They should not have the thought process that only schooling and college are important and after that, they need to work. They should have the practice of grasping knowledge from wherever possible. Also, to have a good career, they should start building and maintaining professional networks and gain knowledge of different industries. The students should have the ability to adapt to new situations and work environments. They should also have clear and effective communication, as it is important for collaboration, leadership, and overall success in the coming future. The students should also have clear and achievable career goals. It is not bad to have big dreams for yourself but I always advise my students to make plans for their careers.

What is the latest program that you are offering in your institute/dept. which will help students outperform and stand apart from the crowd?

If I talk about my department, management has three main courses BBA, B.Com. and MBA. Here at GRD, we have specialised curricula and subject wise teaching for all these courses, which include Business Analytics, Supply Chain Management, Digital Marketing, and Sustainable Business. The faculties here are all well qualified and most of them hold a Ph.D. degree, which makes it even more interesting for the students to gain knowledge and learn from the experiences of the professors. Every mid-semester we also organise programs that focus on providing entrepreneurship skills, innovation, and startup management skills to prepare students for their careers and for entrepreneurship. We also provide workshops to develop leadership skills, strategic thinking and management skills.

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How do you tend to build an industry connect with this program?

Many universities in Uttarakhand provide the same courses and programs that we do but the way my department invests their time and knowledge with the students is different. We invite industry experts to deliver guest lectures, workshops and seminars. This allows students to interact with professionals and learn about the real world while building essential connections with the industry. We also try to establish partnerships with companies for internships and job placements. The college also hosts meetings, conferences and business forums. These meetings allow students to interact with professionals, network, and learn about the business. Establishing industry connections is an ongoing process that requires dedication, commitment and an understanding of the nature of the business.

What are the benefits and career options after pursuing this course?

Pursuing this course can provide individuals with a diverse set of skills and knowledge that are applicable across various industries. The students can develop leadership and decision-making skills, which prepare them for managerial roles. Graduates from our college gain a deep understanding of business concepts, strategies, and operations, which enhances their business mindset. Management programs also incorporate a global perspective, preparing graduates for international business and industry. Also, they can opt for specialised courses like general management, marketing management, Human resource management, Hospitality, International business, etc.

What would you like people to know about your university they may not know?

GRD University is more like a family than an educational body. The relations between our students and faculty are good and stable and the environment of the college is surely fruitful for all our students. Along with studies, we have sports, inter-college meets, annual functions, talent showcase events and many other fun programs that make it interesting for students to choose our college. Additionally, the atmosphere here is pleasant, being surrounded by the mountains and the campus is surely an attraction point for the students as well as the parents. Discipline is well followed in the entire college amongst the students as well as our faculty. Our students themselves feel a sense of commitment to the college after spending a few years here and will surely take away tonnes of memories while graduating.

What are your views on the placements and higher education of the students from your department or How does your department prepare students for Higher education?

In the management department, we do try to emphasise the importance of placements and jobs, so that if a student does not want to pursue higher education, they can still have a job and start making a living for themselves. In terms of placements, the college offers internship opportunities to provide students with real-world experience and exposure to the industry. Our department conducts placement training programs that cover resume building, interview skills, and personality development to help our students gain extra hands-on skills. We teach our students how to build strong ties with industries and companies to facilitate placement opportunities. For higher education, we offer counselling services for students who are interested in pursuing higher education, including assistance with the field they should choose or in whichever field they are strong in. We encourage our students to be involved in research activities and provide them with opportunities to collaborate with the faculty on their research projects.

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

Although it hasn’t been long since I joined GRD College, I have seen it grow tremendously in the past few years. Be it in terms of education or infrastructure, there is a lot of progress and improvement, especially when it comes to talking about academics and curriculum. The faculty needs to make sure that the curriculum and subjects are relevant for the students and are based on the industry knowledge they require for their careers. It is also important to minimise the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Students need hands-on experience to understand real-world business challenges. Also, attracting and hiring well-qualified faculty is important so that students may get a quality education, which in turn will help increase college standards.