Kristu Jayanti College: Upholding the Excellence in Holistic Education

                 

 Higher Education Review ›› Magazine ›› October-2015 issue

Author : HER Team
Monday, October 19, 2015

The 16 year old institute has more laurels on its belt than most institutes have in their entire lifespan. It has also brought to the arena a drive to push the boundaries of education that is seldom seen in the field today. The attitude of the management coupled with the enthusiasm of the faculty has made this institution a popular destination for aspiring students.

Kristu Jayanti College, founded in 1999, is nothing like the conventional college where classes take place from nine to four. Students have the opportunity to explore their talents and discover their passion before they set out to achieve their true potential. The management's belief that learning takes place by doing, has set up a system where students can collaborate, interact and innovate both inside and outside the classroom. "I sincerely believe that education should not be confined to classrooms alone. Education should be viewed as the primary way to seek knowledge. Therefore, we always focus on the holistic development of students," says Fr. Josekutty P.D, Principal, Kristu Jayanti College.

The benefit of this unique approach is evidently noticed as the graduating students of 2014-15batch have been placed in some of the best enterprises in the country. The highest package offered by the visiting companies was Rs.8 lakhs. In the previous academic year 69 corporates visited the campus for recruitment. Some of the major recruiters include: Grant Thornton, Goldman Sachs, EY, KPMG, Johnson & Johnson, Fujitsu, Quest Global, Oracle, IBM, Wipro, Infosys, Google, Yahoo India, Asian Paints, Berger Paints, Tesco, Coca Cola, Federal Bank, South Indian Bank, Eastern Condiments, Utegration, UST Global, Cognizant, , etc. In this age of contention, firms just do not simply go by the marks attained by the applicant. The recruiters expect their prospective employees to have an all-round personality, effective communication, ability to take up challenges, leadership qualities and the capability to complete tasks in a given time frame. These prospective recruits are preferred over students with exemplary classroom record and inadequate social skills. The institute has introduced several features to bring out the extra-curricular talents of students, a vital impetus for holistic development. Leadership and interpersonal skills are honed through the clubs and associations which have been established. There is a Literary and Cultural Academy apart from the leadership development program available for the students to develop their communication and leadership abilities. "It is highly imperative for a student to be a leader and a team player so that he/she can have a successful career" says Fr. Josekutty. Coincidentally on the day of our interview, the campus was abuzz with activity like a bee-hive. What we mistook for after-class haste, was a personality development program conducted by the Women Empowerment Cell.

The autonomous institute claims to conduct a thorough revision its curriculum every two years. "There is a Board of Studies in which the faculty members, Government representatives and industry experts conduct this revision process. We have representatives from BOSCH, BPL and eminent academicians on the Board. After every trimester, we have two open feedback sessions for the students and the faculty members," reveals Fr. Josekutty.

KristuJayanti campus also offers its budding entrepreneurs a chance to interact with their seniors who have already established themselves in the industry. "Almost 87 former students, who have started their own companies, have joined the Jayantian Entrepreneur's Club, comprising of alumni entrepreneurs of our college. There is a trend in the college wherein we regularly encourage our students to become entrepreneurs. The students exhibit their business models and also connect with our alumni entrepreneurs," explains Fr. Augustine George, Vice Principal, Kristu Jayanti College. Learners at the institute are provided with strong fundamentals and expertise in their chosen field, and motivated to involve actively in department associations, clubs and other forums that expose them to real-life situations help them in improving their inter-personal skills. These activities assist them to evolve as industry-ready managers. The institute also sends its students for two industrial visits every trimester. In the previous year 79 students visited Hong Kong and Singapore for an international industrial exposure, which proved to be massive boosters to their resume.

An Enthusiastic Team of Faculty Members

Albeit, the institution has set up an impressive network of foreign collaborations with Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences, Germany, Normandie Business School, France, Appalachian State University, USA, Dortmund University, Germany, FHDW University, Germany and Fraser Valley University, Canada. The faculty members have proven to be the real source of the infectious energy that reverberates through the establishment. The college has faculty members who are an ideal blend of youth and experience. They focus on concept teaching rather than content transfer. Applicants are scrutinized based on their subject knowledge, communication and attitude to life in general and towards students in particular. The teachers play an active role in the student's completion of the program. The learners are encouraged to have free academic discussions, beyond the prescribed syllabus, with their faculty and peers as well. As learning is not forced upon them it keeps them fresh and active. Special lectures are arranged on topics related to challenges faced by youth. Experts from various corporate organizations periodically address the students to complement their academic learning with an industry perspective.

"Our students receive training and lectures from the professors of foreign universities from France, Germany and the U.S. They also visit companies in those countries and participate in sessions related to Corporate Governance, Business Ethics and International Business. Our students receive certification from those overseas universities after the completion of the short term program," explains Prof. Aloysius Edward, Dean Management Studies.

A Promising Future Ahead

"We follow a very structured process for the placement training which is called GATE. Our college has an effective network with the industry. Udhyog Vichar marks the commencement of the placement season every academic year. The companies articulate their uniqueness and communicate with the students regarding the job attributes and type of work," says Prof. Sen Mathew, Director Placement and Corporate Relations. He further explains that around 60 companies recruit students from the campus annually. The MBA program has 100 percent placement record. The Vice Principal attributes the success in placements to the combined efforts of the institute's faculty and Centre for Placement and Corporate Relations (CPCR).

Upon being asked about the plans for the future, Fr. Augustine explained that there are plans of evolving into a College with Potential forExcellence which can provide certifications and honors degree to the students. The College with potential for Excellence is a recognition given by the University Grants Commission to an institution for setting benchmarks in higher education.He concluded with a key remark "Our success mantra is the passion and commitment of faculty members and vibrant student community.The strong and dynamic internal structure that forges ahead besides being sensitive to the changes in the global environment is the key to our overall success." The institute will soon become a brand name in the pan Indian educational arena.

Fr. Josekutty P.D, Principal

One of the major challenges in our society is the rapidly improving student strength and our understanding about their expectations and uniqueness. At KristuJayanti College, we create leaders with ethical conviction.

Fr. Augustine G., Vice Principal

Our most memorable moment was when we received the autonomous status. It gave us a sense of responsibility to improve our education system even further.

Reference:

Kristu Jayanti College: Upholding the Excellence in Holistic Education (2015, October 19). In Higher Education Review. Retrieved November 4, 2015, from http://www.theher.in/magazine/kristu-jayanti-college-upholding-the-excellence-in-holistic-education-MYDH778037097.html