The Centre has written to Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur, that it should consider mentoring “other educational institutions in the neighbourhood in improving their academic excellence”, given its stellar performance in the national level over the past few years.
The letter to the autonomous college has been signed by Sanjay Dhotre, the Union minister of state for electronics and information technology, communications and human resource development.
Dhotre has congratulated Vidyamandira for its ranks in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and said: “Therefore, I believe, apart from setting the highest standard in academic excellence, it is also important to expand the role outside the academic sphere. This may include mentoring of other educational institutions in the neighbourhood, in improving their academic excellence.
“You may also think of sharing your expertise with other government/ non-government institutions to help them deliver their service in a more effective manner….”
Swami Ekachittananda, the officiating principal of the college, said the June 11 letter reached the institute on October 6.
“It’s an important responsibility that we have been advised to discharge. We will meet to decide how we can mentor other institutions. We believe this advice has come as a recognition of our consistent performance in the NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) ranking over the past three years,” the monk told Metro.
“As an institution, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira believes in the principle of helping others in attaining success and excellence”.
Dhotre’s letter is addressed to Swami Shastrajnananda, who was principal of Vidyamandira in June. Swami Shastrajnananda has since joined Ramakrishna Mission Residential College, Narendrapur, as principal.
Vidyamandira ranked ninth, 11th and seventh in the NIRF rankings in 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Senior monks and teachers of the college said they would have to speak to the state education department to identify the institutions that might require their mentoring.
The social outreach committee of the teachers’ council at the 79-year-old institution now undertakes a planned programme to provide academic support to needy students of schools in the neighbourhood. Teams comprising teachers and monks visit a number of schools and address students and liaise with teachers and the administration.
The college also offers free tuitions in the evening, where teachers and former students involved in academics take classes.
“The ministry wants us to expand the role. So we need to speak to the state education department to deliberate on how we can reach out to more number of institutions as a mentor,” a teacher at Vidyamandira said.
An official of the education department said Calcutta University had in April last year paired 39 of its affiliated colleges preparing for the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) rating with colleges that have already secured at least B+ grade with the idea of mentoring them.
The accredited colleges have been asked to help the ones preparing for the accreditation to draw up a strategy for betterment, identify strengths and weaknesses and take steps to overcome drawbacks.
“Similarly, Vidyamandira can advise colleges on how to improve performance in the NIRF rankings that could help attract bright students and more funds from the UGC,” the official said.
Vidyamandira was started as an Intermediate Arts College in 1941 in keeping with Swami Vivekananda’s idea of comprehensive education and was upgraded to a degree college in 1960. It was granted autonomy in 2010.