Mrs. Ankita Singh has been working as the Head of Department at Faculty of Medical Science & Research (Pharmacy) - Sai Nath University, Ranchi, Jharkhand. She has done B.Pharma and M.Pharm as part of her education and is associated with Sai Nath University from 8th September 2016.

Sai Nath University

Being the Department Head, what are your key roles and responsibilities towards the college and students?

As a Head of Department, my prime responsibility is to supervise and ensure smooth functioning of our department and maintain a disciplined environment between faculty and students. 

Additionally, I am involved in syllabus designing of our department's courses, to make sure content is relevant and up-to-date in accordance with industrial demands and educational goals of both University as well as students. 

Apart from all this, I have the responsibility of arranging different kinds of co-curricular activities for enhancing the overall learning experience of students and providing them much needed opportunities of development. And we as a team regularly encourage students to engage themselves in research activities by creating a culture of innovation and advancement in the field of Pharmacy.

How do you bring in a practical and industry oriented approach towards subjects?

Being an educational institution, our focus has always been more on providing best practical exposure to students instead of teaching them through traditional methods only. Hence to make subject industry relevant and more practical, we provide them dedicated training sessions in hospitals like CCL, RIMS and others, where they get to interact with patients, offer counseling and gain hands-on experience along with a better understanding of Pharmacy practices and their future responsibilities. In addition to this, our laboratories are always open for them to learn, experiment with their thoughts and ideas and innovate new things.

On what kinds of projects your students usually work on under their respective courses?

The Pharmacy sector basically comprises 4-5 streams including Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacognosy, BioPharmaceutics and Clinical Pharmacy and students have the complete freedom to choose any of these specializations as per their choice. And we have special mentors to help them choose a proper subject and course. And if I talk about the projects they usually do, again it depends on the stream they choose to pursue. Last but not the least, under each project, it's mandatory for students to carry out rigorous experiments, research or data analysis and then present their findings to us.

How do you prepare your students to deal with the outside competitive world?

The faculty members of our college regularly assign projects, PPTs and assignments to students to help them understand the changing market conditions and skills they need to develop before stepping into the corporate world. Along with this, we train students in Modern Drug Delivery Systems, Drug Regulatory Affairs and Conventional Drug Doses as per market demands. 

Workshops are also organized by our institution from time to time to make students aware about the actual working conditions, dynamic scenarios and how to deal differently with different patients.

Check Sai Nath University Faculty

How do you establish healthy relations with the students and fellow faculty of your institute?

With the objective to maintain a good and healthy relationship with the faculty members and students of my institution, I follow the approach of regular, transparent, trustworthy and respectful communication. And we also held faculty-student meetings as and when needed so that students can discuss their academic and non-academic issues freely and we can address and resolve their concerns on time.

Apart from this, we conduct informal gatherings to interact with students after classes, participate in students' activities and try to be available for one-on-one discussion with them, because we believe a supportive environment is a must for young students to grow on a personal and professional level.

How did you train faculty to effectively deliver the programs to students?

I always make sure that our faculty members always remain motivated and deliver the best quality education to students. But it's also well known that along with a motivated attitude, upgradation of knowledge and skills is equally important to keep pace with the changing world, its demands and technologies. Hence I always discuss recent advancements of the medical field with them during our meetings, so that they stay updated with the latest tools and techniques. 

Additionally, to encourage open communication between faculty members and students, we use feedback forms, where students are asked to express their thoughts and concerns. And the sole motive here is to create a healthy growth environment not for students, but for teachers too.

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

I have observed that the lack of brain application among students is becoming a hindrance for research and development in India, as it prevents innovative thinking and problem-solving skills from being utilized effectively. 

So I would suggest to my dear students to carefully choose their field of study after analyzing their interests and strengths, because it will not only allow them to pursue their goals but would also open gates to engage themselves in research activities. Also, be open minded and stay dedicated towards your work, because then only you will be able to enhance your knowledge and contribute to Research and Innovation.