Dr. M.S. Mehta is a Professor and the Head of the Physics Department at Rayat Bahra University. He has pursued an MSc. (Honours School) and a PhD (Nuclear Physics) from Panjab University, Chandigarh. His areas of research are Nuclear Structure (Drip lines and Super-heavy mass region of nuclear landscape) and Astronomy and Astrophysics (Neutron stars, Dark matter, and Dark Energy). He has supervised 5 PhD, 01 MPhil, and 35 PG Scholars for their Thesis/Dissertation Work. He is the editor of the Rayat Bahra International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research. He has 35+ Research publications in International Journals of high repute. Additionally, he has presented scientific papers at 20+ national and international conferences. He has also chaired sessions at national & international conferences.
Dr. MS Mehta

What is your philosophy of leadership? How would you describe your leadership style?

According to me, effective leadership is about empowering others to reach their full potential through continuous growth. Leadership guides and inspires a team toward a common vision and goal.

How does your college curriculum teach the best industry practices?

The department ensures that the curriculum teaches best practices and industry demands to students. The curriculum is designed after a meeting of the Board of Studies under the chairmanship of the Dean of Academic Affairs. The Board consists of at least two expert members from industries, in addition to all the Professors and one Assistant Professor of the Department. The curriculum is approved by the Academic Council of the University. The following components are addressed while designing all curricula:

  • Skill enhancement Course
  • Ability Enhancement Course
  • Value-added Course
  • Internship/Training
  • Industry/ Field Project work
  • Expert Lectures
  • Feedback mechanism (from Alumni and Employers).

Any insights into how your institute could be more welcoming to students of different races or economic backgrounds?

Comprehensive Admission Policy: Rayat Bahra University, Mohali has an inclusive admission policy that considers a wide range of factors beyond standard parameters adopted by other Institutes. The University offers scholarships and fellowships to students on academic grounds. This aid varies from 20% to 100% of the tuition fee and benefits students from various sections (like economically weaker, fatherless, single girl child, single parent, etc.). Additionally, scholarships are provided for excellent achievers like the candidates of NCC and NSS, bravery award holders, National-level sports players, etc.

Good Curriculum Design and Pedagogy: The Department designs the curricula while ensuring that the course materials reflect a wide range of cultures, skills, and experiences. This makes the education more inclusive. The staff and faculty are provided with quality training on all aspects of academic and cultural competence.

Outreach Programs: The University engages in different outreach programs in schools to address the racially and economically under-represented students and communities. Promoting Dialogue and Understanding: The University hosts workshops, lectures, conferences, and events to promote cross-cultural understanding and dialogue among students.

Community Engagement: The Department connects with local communities and organizations that support under-represented groups. This is to create awareness and in turn, lessen the gap between people from different communities. The Department also encourages students to participate in service-learning projects in diverse communities so that they develop empathy and understanding for people from different backgrounds.

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What do you think your roles and responsibilities to the Institution and the students are?

As a Head of the Department, my roles and responsibilities consist of several key areas. I must contribute to the overall success and well-being of both the educational environment and the individuals within it. My responsibilities can be summed up into two broad categories: (i) Institutional Development and (ii) Students’ Development.

What do you think should be the Institution’s top priority over the next 10 years?

In the coming 10 years, the Department has planned to make the running programs more industry-oriented so that a skilled workforce may be produced. For this, it is important to improve the students’ skills as per new industry demands. Curriculum Innovation: Our department has been continually updating and innovating the curriculum to meet the demands of the future workforce. These changes include incorporating technology, interdisciplinary studies, and experiential learning opportunities into the curriculum.

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

Yes, people may visit our website which contains all information related to academics, culture, and facilities in the University.

What do you see as your college’s greatest strengths?

Research work is the strength of the Physics Department at Rayat Bahra University. The faculty members in the Department are working on Nuclear Science, Astrophysics, Astronomy and Cosmology, Condensed Matter Physics, Materials and Nano-technology, Computational Physics, and non-linear Optics. The students are introduced to research through projects and Dissertation work.

What are some of the biggest challenges you see, both for higher education in general and for your college specifically?

There are several challenges faced by higher education, from infrastructure to producing skilled manpower. The most important issue to be addressed is the industry-academia partnership that may reduce the gap between old and new technology. Very recently, the implemented National Education Policy (NEP2020) has great potential, and for the youth, this policy provides multifaceted opportunities.

Adapting to Technological Change: Today, higher education faces several challenges, both globally as well as locally, which impact the institutions and students. The biggest challenge is the rapidly changing technology which makes adaptability more difficult, and the institutions face increased risks to infrastructure, equipment, and cyberattacks. This has created the need for significant investments in all these departments. Our department has good provisions to train faculty for these changes.

Changing Workforce Demands: The rapid technology change creates a gap between the skills that employers need and the graduates possess. To cope with this scenario, the Department has designed the curricula to make the students industry-ready as per the requirements of the job market.

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Any suggestions you would like to give to the present youth?

In today’s era of fast-changing technology, the youth must prepare themselves for the technological advancements of the coming 10-15 years. They must develop quick adaptability towards change.

How do you tend to establish a healthy relationship and environment in the institute?

A successful institute always emphasizes teamwork for which good coordination is very much required. The coordination goes twofold; one, the quality of patience, and two, the skills in the field in which one is working.