Dr. B. Raj Kamal has been working as the Principal of Malla Reddy Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Hyderabad, Telangana. MRIPS which was established by Sri. Ch. Malla Reddy in 2005, is a constituent college of Chandramma Educational Society. The institute is an abode for those ambitious youths who aspire to learn and excel in the field of Pharmacy. 

Malla Reddy Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Which latest programs are you offering in your college to help students be exceptional from the crowd?

For the purpose of helping students stand apart from the crowd, our college is offering a 4-years duration Bachelor of Pharmacy course at Undergraduate level followed by 2-years Master of Pharmacy in specializations like Pharmaceutical Analysis And Quality Assurance, Hospital & Clinical Pharmacy, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Management and Regulatory Affairs along with 3-years Pharm.D at Postgraduate level. 

And admission to all these courses happens based on merit of students in the previous year qualifying exam, while final selection happens based on their score in TS EAMCET, TS PGECET or GPAT like entrance exam.

In what ways, programs of your college are beneficial for ambitious students and future Pharmacists?

We have adopted the approach of experiential learning and project and research based learning to impart finest quality knowledge to students. Apart from this, hands-on training sessions in leading Industries and Hospitals are organized in collaboration with corporate experts and people dedicatedly working in Pharmacy domain, so that students can be made aware about how people and processes work together on a ground level.

Our college also has a dedicated Training and Placement Cell, whose primary responsibility is to provide 100% placement assistance to students, bridge gaps between their skills and industry demands, conduct in-house training programs for both UG and PG students and take care of Telangana Academic Skill & Knowledge drives and regular recruitment drives.

Last but not the least, we don't limit our students to acquire academic knowledge only and also encourage them to participate in various Inter and Intra College Co-Curricular activities, seminars and conferences. Hence these aspects make programs of our college worth pursuing and a best fit for students.

Which best practices your institution has adopted for courses they are offering to students at present?

Our institution regularly organizes technical and non-technical seminars, placement-specific and company specific training programs followed by industrial visits and conferences in association with top-notch industry experts and academicians and also offers internships and Research & Development projects to students so that they can use their classroom learning to discover solutions for real-world issues.

Hence I would say that the systematics and timely implementation of various technical and non-technical activities has made MRIPS one of the reputed colleges of Hyderabad. And the reason we have implemented an amalgamation of above mentioned approaches is that we firmly believe that practical exposure always brings the best in young minds and also improves the cognitive and teamwork skills in them.

What are some valuable insights of the programs students are pursuing from your college?

We regularly advise our ambitious students to participate in startup events and pursue certification courses from online learning platforms like NPTEL. And then we enhance their creative skills by involving them in various kinds of tasks and offering them value-added courses. 

Apart from acquiring finest quality academic skills, students are also suggested to develop required organizational skills like teamwork, leadership and team management and take part in various technical and non technical programmes conducted by our college. Lastly, to make students industry ready, guest lectures, seminars and conferences are conducted by us from time to time.

What should be the priority of educational institutions offering Pharmacy courses to students?

We firmly believe that educational institutions offering Pharmacy courses to students must focus on educating pharmacists of the future who are ready to serve as competent and confident health care practitioners in an interprofessional healthcare team. 

Apart from this, Graduates should be able to incorporate a scholarly approach to their practice in identifying errors/problems, practicing in an evidence based environment and using safe and effective methods for delivering their knowledge. 

What are you most proud of in your career so far?

The moment I felt proud and emotional at the same time was when I received my Doctoral Degree award from my mentor and role model. And since the time I joined the dynamic, challenging yet wonderful teaching sector, I feel accomplished and overwhelmed everytime my students achieve their goals. 

What strategies have you implemented to build an efficient faculty team for your college?

For the purpose of building an efficient team of faculty members and enhancing their teaching techniques, our college regularly motivates them to attend the Faculty Development Programs, Workshops, Seminars, Conferences and pursue certification courses from NPTEL.

In addition to this, they take part in various research and development activities to secure firm knowledge in modern technologies and its application.

What has been the most challenging task of your career so far, and what did you learn from it?

In today's modern and digital world, students' thinking, attitude and approach rapidly changes with time and they are not the same as they were 20 years back. Hence I would say that understanding the students psychology was the toughest task of my teaching career so far.

Hence it became naturally important for me to change my way of guiding and teaching them the technical and moral value subjects and I am happy that the whole process molded myself into a better person and a good mentor.

Have you faced any challenges post becoming the Principal of renowned Malla Reddy Institute of Pharmaceutical Science?

From my experience, I can say that the post of Principal is very different from being a Mentor or a Teacher. Because I need to act as a bridge between management and students and address, discuss and resolve the issues on time, our young minds face on academic and non-academic levels. Also the scope of responsibility increases as now I am not responsible for the supervision and management of any single class or a group of students, but the whole institution, so I would say the overall accountability is quite challenging.

What is your vision for MRIPS in the next five years?

My vision for the Malla Reddy Institute of Pharmaceutical Science is to transform it as one of the most sorted teaching and training institutes, where young and ambitious students can flourish and mold themselves and smoothly opt the career they have interest and passion in.

Apart from this, my goal is to provide industry oriented and technology driven guidance and knowledge to my students and ensure 100% placement support for them.