Neha Mahendra is the Dean of Academics and a HOD at Study Hall College, Lucknow. She holds a B.Sc. degree in Physics along with an MCA. Moreover, she also holds a PhD in Computer Application. She has previously worked at the Azad Institute of Engineering and Technology and Jordan Academy. Neha won the Best Faculty Award by the Azadi IET, Lucknow, in 2012 and the Mahila Shakti Samman by Bharat Vikas Samiti in 2021.

Study Hall College

What inspired you to pursue a career in higher education administration, and what drew you to your current role as an assistant Dean? 

I didn’t have the objective of pursuing an administrative role initially. I just had a passion for higher education, according to which I kept working. I have worked at different levels as an assistant professor and then as an associate professor for over 20 years now. This has provided me with the right experience for my current role.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing higher education today, and how do you think your institution is addressing those challenges?

From the students’ point of view, I think the biggest challenge today is getting them to be serious with their studies and their careers. The biggest reason why this is so is because of the multitude of options available today. As they are preparing for graduation, they can also prepare for competitive examinations. On the other hand, students with financial issues apply for jobs. Our institution is trying to involve the students in as many activities as possible. Besides the traditional pathology of teaching through lecture delivery, we are also following an interactive pedagogy full of activities through co-curricular, extracurricular and maybe competitions. This will motivate the students and inculcate in them interpersonal skills as well.

What are your primary responsibilities as Dean/ Assistant Dean and how do you balance them with other aspects of your job? 

I work as the dean of academics, so my primary responsibilities include handling all academic activities. Within the departments, there’s proper running of the classes, how to frame the timetable, examinations, marks and everything else concerning the academics and curriculum. We are also trying to do many different extracurricular activities to stand apart from the other colleges. My basic responsibility is to make our program as interactive and truthful as possible. At the present time, I am handling two positions, the head of the BCA department and dean of academics. As the department in charge, I just manage the things inside the BCA department.

How do you approach decision-making in your role and how do you balance the needs of different stakeholders when making difficult decisions?

As I have previous work experience, I am aware of how and what to do within my job role. However, sometimes we need to make decisions in consultation with all stakeholders, which can be tough. In some situations, I make decisions on my own, for others I take the help of our director and from the different units as well.

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

I would like to suggest that the current youth, be serious about whatever they are doing. Focus on skills and life outcomes. Do not be a student only for the sake of the degree. Students should be putting in the effort to make their lives better. I would advise them to build good moral values and conduct themselves for the betterment of society. At last, I would like to quote our vision by our respected founder, Dr. Rushi Sahani, “Everyone is educated for gender equality, social justice, personal flourishing and active democratic citizenship.” These are four critical words that we are discussing through critical dialogue with the students.

Can you describe any specific measures or programs that your institution has implemented to address the rising mental health issues and stress among students in India?

We have a critical dialogue with our students. We also have advisors for different batches who act as students’ mentors. They coordinate the academic activities and focus on the student’s mental health and their personal issues. In addition to other activities, we also help our students manage their stress through dedicated workshops. Additionally, we hold gender equality workshops and sexuality workshops where we address pressing and current issues.

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in pursuing a career in higher education administration and how do you see the field evolving in the years to come? 

If someone wants to pursue a career in higher education administration, they must be aware of everything happening in an organisation. If you are working, you must start by working at ground level so that you get to know all the pros and cons of work. One must also start by observing the authority to help them gain experience.

What new initiatives and collaborations has the University established with Industry Leaders to promote industry-specific courses?

We have numerous collaborations, one of which is with TCS. They have a student employment program which provides placement opportunities. In this program, they train student after which they are placed in different positions within the organization according to their specialization. We also have a CCIP program which is a community college initiative program. Here, students who wish to go abroad for training or placement opportunities receive the right foundation.