Vidyavardhini's College Of Engineering & Technology, Vasai Road

विद्यावर्धिनीचे अभियांत्रिकी आणि तंत्रज्ञान महाविद्यालय, वसई रोड

(Approved by AICTE, DTE Maharashtra and Affiliated to University of Mumbai)

Counseling Cell

In today’s fast-paced and competitive life, students face various issues in their life at different levels namely personal, social, academics and career planning e.t.c. Considering this as biggest challenge institute provides counseling to the students.
Ms. Poonam Surange Phycologist is in charge for counseling cell for the past ten years. The counseling services are provided at the individual as well as the group level. Orientation and life skill training are also part of the activities. The purpose of the Counseling cell is to provide assistance to the students in dealing with their problems and enable them to resolve their issues independently. The duration of Counseling sessions depends on the need and complexity of the problem.
Parent counseling is one of the most important services provided by the counseling cell. As during the course period student goes through lots of fluctuations it is important that the parents are counseled to provide the better support system for their children.
The vision of the counseling cell is to create a positive environment in the institute and enable people as contributing individuals for the whole organization and community.

Mentoring System :

A well-structured mentoring (proctor) system prevails in the institute.

Objective:

The faculty members are actively involved in mentoring the students with an objective of ensuring the holistic progress of the student. Proctor system is also meant to encourage healthy relationship between the students and the faculty. Mentors are assigned to the students at the time of joining the institute.

Process:

  • 1. During the orientation program, the first year and direct second year students are introduced to the mentoring system. Parents of the admitted students are also oriented about the same.
  • 2. Each proctor addresses approximately 15-20 students. These proctors counsel the students until their graduation.
  • 3. The proctor maintains a record book which has personal details and fields to observe academic, extra, and co-curricular performance of the mentee.
  • 4. The record maintained by the proctor includes:
  • Personal details of the mentee
  • Information about the his/her family
  • Academic record regularly updated by the proctor
  • Participation details in co-curricular and extracurricular activities
  • Attendance record
  • Record of meeting with parents
  • 5. The proctor also communicates performance of the mentee with their parents/guardians.

Type of mentoring:

Professional Guidance/Career Advancement:

Orientation sessions are conducted during the first-year induction program to help the students to explore career opportunities in chosen stream. Proctors and all faculty members assist the students in making and implementing educational and occupational choices through their interactions at various occasions. Career guidance sessions are organized by inviting experts to guide the students to acquire knowledge, information, skills, and experience necessary to realize a career option. Seminars, Workshop, Trainings are conducted by department to extend professional guidance to the students through experts from Industry. Talks on professional/career guidance are conducted during the extensive placement training offered by Placement and Training Cell of the Institute. Endeavors in this direction are also made through the activities of the Entrepreneur Cell.

Course Work/ Laboratory Specific :

Faculty handling different courses interact with students to clear their concepts and solve their difficulties. Weak students are identified and guided to improve upon their academic performance. Students are also guided regarding inculcating good study habits.
At the start of every laboratory session, an orientation/demonstrative presentation is given by the faculty. The performance of the students during the experiment is monitored and laboratory records are graded after the experiment is held. Constructive comments and suggestions for improvement are then extended to the students.

All Round Development:

The proctor provides encouragement/ guidance to the mentee regarding:
  • Identifying and expanding skill sets
  • Enhancing inter-personal skills
  • Nurturing their hobbies
  • Coping with physiological/emotional issues
Students are encouraged to participate in various co-curricular and extracurricular activities to improve upon their leadership qualities, decision making abilities, team spirit, social awareness etc.
In case the proctor identifies a psychological/emotional issue with the mentee, he/she discusses it to the class in charge, head of the department, parents. If essential, the case is escalated to the professional counselor available in the institute. The proctor keeps a follow-up with the mentee, parents, and the counselor.

Efficency of the Mentoring System:

  • Good relationship between the proctor and the mentee helps in tracking the performance of the students and provide guidance at appropriate time.
  • Professional guidance by the mentors and related activities carried out in this direction, helps the students to make right educational/career choices.
  • Career guidance by the Placement and Training Cell helps the students to acquire better placements offers and to build successful careers.
  • Academic issues of the students get identified and necessary measures are taken.
  • Weak learners are greatly benefited through personal counseling and extra classes.
  • Bright learners get better prospects to nurture their skills.
  • The academic progress monitoring helps to achieve better results.
  • Encouragement by the proctor to participate in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities facilitates all-round development of the students.
  • To maintain emotional and mental health, the institute has appointed well qualified (M.A, Psychology) and experienced psychologist who visits the institute regularly for psychological counselling.