With a teaching experience of 27 years, Dr. Vanjani has been with PMB Gujarati Science College since 1998. She is a registered Ph.D. guide with DAVV, Indore and has also been a freelance part-time journalist with Times of India and Hindustan Times for a few years. Having published two books, she has presented papers in national and international seminars and conferences, has published 30 research papers, has been a keynote speaker at conferences, and has been invited as a judge by schools and colleges across the city. She founded and runs a literature group 'Shabd Shilp' which has seen some fruitful creative and intellectual activities. She has also served as Master Trainer in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. At present she contributes features on art and culture to Confluence South Asian Perspectives published from London.

PMB Gujarati Science College

What is the latest program that you are offering in your department which will help students outperform and stand part?

The department runs a certificate program, Finesse, which aims at enhancing the communication skills of students, while also building their personality. The objective is to boost the confidence of students and make them aware of the strengths of their personalities.

What are the factors that make this program the best for the students to opt?

Our program involves the students in activities so that they are active participants and learners. We invite resource persons, who are asked to design their sessions in such a way, that it is not just one-way learning, but an interactive platform, where students get an opportunity to express themselves.

What are the best practices you are offering?

In terms of best practices, we focus on group discussions in class and developing interview skills. We also have classroom tests based on MCQs as per NEP guidelines and we provide guidance to students who come to prepare for competitive exams. Our department has taken the initiative of registering the college in the India reads movement of the English Language Teachers Association of India which has a local chapter. Our students have been added to this to access the online resources. The department allows students to borrow books from its departmental library.

What are some valuable insights of the program that your offering at your department?

Our college is affiliated with DAVV. Our syllabus is prescribed by the Higher Education department. At the departmental level, we prepare the module of the certificate courses we run. We also conduct activities for UG subjects for vocational subjects like Personality Development, apart from Finesse. Our responsibility is to work towards developing the emotional and spiritual intelligence of students. building communication skills, inculcating confidence and team spirit by working in groups and educating about career opportunities.

How does the program ensure that students are being prepared for the future?

Keeping in mind the need of the present scenario, students are guided to be aware citizens. We make them confident human resources with a mindset to build their lives. We not only provide knowledge related to subject, but also to teach them skills, technical and interpersonal, to succeed in the workplace and in life.

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How did you train faculty and yourself to deliver this program to students?

We upgrade ourselves by attending and presenting papers at seminars and conferences. We also attend workshops and faculty development programs. Reading and preparing lectures helps a lot. We also use online resources available. We have also done online courses in the last three years.

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

Expert lectures are arranged for students which focus on the subjects we teach. We also create awareness about the trending subjects and their utility from employment perspetive. The speakers and resource persons invited are from universities, colleges, industries and NGOs. This helps in building a connection among the students and faculty with the industry. The certificate course we run also has resource persons from across academia.

What were the challenges you faced while including this program in your curriculum?

Our biggest challenge is having an appropriate place or infrastructure. Since we have a small room allotted to us with no lab or facility for running audio- visual modes, it is difficult for us to conduct activities. It is also difficult to motivate students to participate and coordinate with other departments regarding events and more. We need to work considerably every year when designing the appropriate modules.

What are the types of projects students are working on through this program?

This is a tough question to answer because our students have the freedom to choose their own projects. For instance, the participants of Finesse in the past few years have been working on digital platforms. One student started their own YouTube channel based on vocabulary and another is doing writing on Instagram apart from teaching.

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

Science stream students can look for jobs in the IT sector, pharma industry, pathology and defence services. Many of our past students have opted for teaching or started their businesses. Our courses and subjects help students develop their communication skills for better employment opportunities. Finesse boosts confidence level of students, helps them improve their communication skills and learn team work.