Respected Sheriff of Kolkata, Guest of Honor, Distinguished Speakers, Moderator Sir, Guests, Members of the MW Board of Advisors:
A Very Good Afternoon and a warm welcome to all of you on our 7th Anniversary.
Material World instituted the MW Anniversary Debate in year 2004 in keeping with our vision of a consulting house with a social commitment. Through this annual event along with our other events, our e-zine, our blogs we have endeavored to put forth for discussion issues of industrial and social importance envisaging an audience that would challenge each other intellectually and foster growth through ideas generating therein.
While making available our knowledge to address needs of our varied clientele-be it in areas of executive search and executive value addition along with our recently taken up one umbrella support services for US aspirants in association of the Indus Foundation, USA we have been trying relentlessly to influence decision makers in the circuit so that we can live in an environment which is more intellectually challenging.
MW has neither the dedicated readership base of a publication nor the numbers might of a professional association. In the process of our mission of greater societal and industrial benefit through our services and our vision of influencing decision making we also have to present ourselves a brand which has a profit and loss account to take care of and not surpluses.
Ladies and Gentlemen: Let me dwell on the motion for a couple of minutes, with your permission.
I attained a small part of my higher education in an overseas nation, US, to be specific, in the early 90s…. at that stage the very going to the land of opportunities was an achievement for me.
My take off from the then Dum Dum Airport had a theatric overtone… I was denied visa on Day 1; granted on Day 3 and I was off on Day 4…. I was still shopping in the afternoon on the day I was to board the Air India flight to Chicago.
It was a never-ending flight all of 36 hours what with a bizarre route…. Calcutta to Bombay; Bombay to Delhi; Delhi to London; London to New York; New York to Chicago; Chicago to Toledo…New York to Toledo.
Well Toledo was quite a comedown from the overnight stay in New York City what will dry barren mid western land and huge pick up trucks.
I slit opened the tea bag when it was meant to be dipped; I was perplexed at my American friends addressing the 60 something math professor by his first name and I was curious why my hosts drank their “pop” which was the mid western colloquy equivalent to soft drinks with lots of ice.
Overseas education is a dream of many a student in today’s competitive world. The various benefits, which a student gains through overseas education apparently gives them an edge over others. Overseas education has the potential of transforming lives. The international exposure one gets makes a student competent enough to face the increasing demand of knowledge and skills and present themselves as a complete package for the prospective employers.
Again, that is not to suggest that the decision to opt for overseas education is way out of all woes as perceived by some. Overseas education, with all the associated benefits like better career prospect and a wider perspective of life is also pregnant with the potential of jeopardizing a career if an impressionable mind fails to overcome the stress involved in living life all by oneself in the fast lane.
Again, in an era where international degrees area available right here in India where does overseas education stand?
While trying to make a case for a print media tie up with a leading daily in town, albeit unsuccessfully I was repeatedly confronted by a question as to why we were organizing this debate…
I’ll sign off with an answer to my young interviewers:
We want you to form an independent opinion on this subject and it is our hope that through the deliberations of our distinguished speakers shall aid you in this process.
Phew…aligning this annual debate has always been difficult. Our role as a facilitator well and truly in place.
(Sligted edited from the actual address. The above does not necessarily purport to constitute an official position of the Material World Group)
Material World Group is Eastern India's emerging knowledge group. Material World through its knowledge aims at resolving man (human) and materials resource issues of those availing its services.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
MATERIAL WORLD ANNIVERSARY DEBATE 2007- A Report
In his welcome address Rajib Kumar, CEO, Material World shared some lighter moments of his stay in the United States. He listed the advantages and disadvantages associated with getting educated overseas. In an era where international degrees are available right here in India where exactly does overseas education stand? Kumar invited the distinguished panel to deliberate on this.
Inaugurating the anniversary celebrations Rathin Datta, Sheriff of Kolkata said he had an “institutional interest” in the topic in light of his association with the Indian Institute of Management.
Guest of Honor Khokan Mookerji, Secretary General, Bengal Chambers of Commerce and Industry said that we (in India) do not have enough good learning institutions and that we desperately needed to upgrade the quality of our higher education.
Dr. Anuradha Das, Principal, Calcutta International School said a large percentage of students from her school go abroad for higher studies. She was therefore speaking from that perspective (and experience). Overseas education gives a lot of flexibility and a greater level of confidence to students with which they can come out as winners in professional and personal life. She mentioned the very admission process in overseas institutions is a lesson in time and stress management.
Prof Ananya Chakraborty, Professor In Charge, Departments of Journalism and Film Studies, St. Xavier’s College countered Das’s assertion. "What is the percentage of population going abroad for education? How many can afford overseas education in India?" she asked. This was essentially a luxury of the elite she asserted. Chakraborty mentioned that he knew people who went abroad for education and experienced immense trauma in their 1st year- “uprooted from their own culture”. They experienced not only geographical alienation but also alienation within the student community she asserted.
Dr. Sushanto Banerjee, Director of the American Center Library at Kolkata countered Chakraborty’s assertion that students get traumatized in foreign nations. Students are given full orientation before they begin their stay he reassured the house. Banerjee mentioned that the demand of getting educated in the US is so high that it is difficult to find a space to sit in the United States Educational Foundation in India. He said, currently, there are about 76,000 students from India in institutions in the US. He cited examples of Prof Amartya Sen, Prannoy Roy and Azim Premji all of who excelled, he said, with the help of the education they attained in overseas nations. Through overseas education one becomes a “complete man” Banerjee opined. Political interference in educational institutions in India was rampant Banerjee said. There are good institutions in India like the IITs, IIMs or ISIs but very few can get in these the ex-ISI noted.
Sushmita Chakraborty, English teacher of La Martinere for Boys analyzing the motion said with the medium of Internet at everybody’s access level- why would one have to venture outside to gain information or know about other cultures? She said though she too spent an extended period of time in the UK for her education she feels it is not a “necessity”. “Its not air, water or shelter” she quipped. Sushmita paralleled overseas education with a mobile phone with “added features”. A mobile phone is a necessity today but a mobile phone set with added features like camera, megapixel, MP3 Player etc and so on is a luxury.
Dr. Das said overseas education empowers the student to choose what he or she wants to learn. She cited the example of the year’s ISC topper who gave the IITs a miss and went to Singapore for higher education. “We must value the decision of a topper,” Dr. Das told the house building a strong case in favor of the motion.
Ananya Chakraborty wondered if overseas education was that great why are medical and business establishments in countries like United States still dominated by Indians and Pakistanis? Where are the “complete” men? Countering Sushanto Banerjee’s example of Amartya Sen, Chakraborty said Sen’s roots are firmly here. “Amartya Sen has not given up his Indian citizenship,” she reminded her worthy opponents. Chakraborty was critical about the American system for international students. The visa fees, fees of TOEFL are exorbitant she opined. The system, she felt was not transparent and all this was a “huge source of income”. She also questioned the justifiability of taking the TOEFL for a Masters in English. “I do not see those long cues in front of the American consulate any more” Chakraborty commented.
Dr. Sushanto Banerjee said gone is the age of Nalanda University. Most campuses in India lack basic technologies like Wi Fi. Contrary to the conventional wisdom and views of his opponents, Banerjee mentioned that many students are going overseas from middle class families with the help of financial aid from US universities and funding agencies. He cited the example of the son of driver at the American center who made it to the US with the help of scholarship assistance.
Veteran PR and Media personality Biswajit Matilal was the moderator.
The House remained divided on the issue. The Motion, therefore, remain open ended.
(Editorial Team, Offline)
Inaugurating the anniversary celebrations Rathin Datta, Sheriff of Kolkata said he had an “institutional interest” in the topic in light of his association with the Indian Institute of Management.
Guest of Honor Khokan Mookerji, Secretary General, Bengal Chambers of Commerce and Industry said that we (in India) do not have enough good learning institutions and that we desperately needed to upgrade the quality of our higher education.
Dr. Anuradha Das, Principal, Calcutta International School said a large percentage of students from her school go abroad for higher studies. She was therefore speaking from that perspective (and experience). Overseas education gives a lot of flexibility and a greater level of confidence to students with which they can come out as winners in professional and personal life. She mentioned the very admission process in overseas institutions is a lesson in time and stress management.
Prof Ananya Chakraborty, Professor In Charge, Departments of Journalism and Film Studies, St. Xavier’s College countered Das’s assertion. "What is the percentage of population going abroad for education? How many can afford overseas education in India?" she asked. This was essentially a luxury of the elite she asserted. Chakraborty mentioned that he knew people who went abroad for education and experienced immense trauma in their 1st year- “uprooted from their own culture”. They experienced not only geographical alienation but also alienation within the student community she asserted.
Dr. Sushanto Banerjee, Director of the American Center Library at Kolkata countered Chakraborty’s assertion that students get traumatized in foreign nations. Students are given full orientation before they begin their stay he reassured the house. Banerjee mentioned that the demand of getting educated in the US is so high that it is difficult to find a space to sit in the United States Educational Foundation in India. He said, currently, there are about 76,000 students from India in institutions in the US. He cited examples of Prof Amartya Sen, Prannoy Roy and Azim Premji all of who excelled, he said, with the help of the education they attained in overseas nations. Through overseas education one becomes a “complete man” Banerjee opined. Political interference in educational institutions in India was rampant Banerjee said. There are good institutions in India like the IITs, IIMs or ISIs but very few can get in these the ex-ISI noted.
Sushmita Chakraborty, English teacher of La Martinere for Boys analyzing the motion said with the medium of Internet at everybody’s access level- why would one have to venture outside to gain information or know about other cultures? She said though she too spent an extended period of time in the UK for her education she feels it is not a “necessity”. “Its not air, water or shelter” she quipped. Sushmita paralleled overseas education with a mobile phone with “added features”. A mobile phone is a necessity today but a mobile phone set with added features like camera, megapixel, MP3 Player etc and so on is a luxury.
Dr. Das said overseas education empowers the student to choose what he or she wants to learn. She cited the example of the year’s ISC topper who gave the IITs a miss and went to Singapore for higher education. “We must value the decision of a topper,” Dr. Das told the house building a strong case in favor of the motion.
Ananya Chakraborty wondered if overseas education was that great why are medical and business establishments in countries like United States still dominated by Indians and Pakistanis? Where are the “complete” men? Countering Sushanto Banerjee’s example of Amartya Sen, Chakraborty said Sen’s roots are firmly here. “Amartya Sen has not given up his Indian citizenship,” she reminded her worthy opponents. Chakraborty was critical about the American system for international students. The visa fees, fees of TOEFL are exorbitant she opined. The system, she felt was not transparent and all this was a “huge source of income”. She also questioned the justifiability of taking the TOEFL for a Masters in English. “I do not see those long cues in front of the American consulate any more” Chakraborty commented.
Dr. Sushanto Banerjee said gone is the age of Nalanda University. Most campuses in India lack basic technologies like Wi Fi. Contrary to the conventional wisdom and views of his opponents, Banerjee mentioned that many students are going overseas from middle class families with the help of financial aid from US universities and funding agencies. He cited the example of the son of driver at the American center who made it to the US with the help of scholarship assistance.
Veteran PR and Media personality Biswajit Matilal was the moderator.
The House remained divided on the issue. The Motion, therefore, remain open ended.
(Editorial Team, Offline)
Friday, September 28, 2007
MATERIAL WORLD ANNIVERSARY DEBATE 2007
RAJIB KUMAR, CEO, MATERIAL WORLD GROUP DELIVERING THE WELCOME ADDRESS
Monday, August 13, 2007
Material World Anniversary Debate 2007
OFFICIAL RADIO SPONSOR .jpg)
Overseas Education: Luxury, Then; Necessity, Now
Overseas education is a dream of every student in today’s competitive world. The multiple benefits which a student gains through such education gives them an edge over others. The international exposure one gets makes a student competent enough to face the increasing demand of knowledge and skills and present themselves as a complete package which is often of special interest to future employers. However, before a student endeavors to opt for overseas education he or she must make sure that there are genuine and positive reasons to do so. One must never think of this option to run away from certain issues; as a student may have to go through few stressful moments too while studying abroad.
With all the advantages associated with overseas education, one has to remember a few things the other way round. International Education is now available right here in India. Degrees of various foreign universities are available in India and what’s more at a quarter of the price the student would end up spending at an overseas location.
Education overseas also exposes candidates to alien cultures, which may sometimes be not just a stressful exercise but also a traumatic one. On the other hand a large number of young people fail to handle the newly earned “freedoms” of stay in a Western nation and their careers plummet to the point of no return.
Dr. S. Banerjee, Director, Library Services, American Resource Center, Kolkata
Mr. S. Chakraborty, Principal, La Martiniere for Boys, Kolkata
Prof Ananya Chakraborty, Professor in Charge, Departments of Journalism and Film Studies, St. Xavier's College, Kolkata
Mr. Biswajit Matilal, General Manager (Public Relations & Advertising), Birla Corporation (Moderator) & Advisor, MW
Mr. Khokan Mookerji, Secretary General, Bengal Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Guest of Honor)
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Overseas Education: Luxury, Then; Necessity, Now
Overseas education is a dream of every student in today’s competitive world. The multiple benefits which a student gains through such education gives them an edge over others. The international exposure one gets makes a student competent enough to face the increasing demand of knowledge and skills and present themselves as a complete package which is often of special interest to future employers. However, before a student endeavors to opt for overseas education he or she must make sure that there are genuine and positive reasons to do so. One must never think of this option to run away from certain issues; as a student may have to go through few stressful moments too while studying abroad.
International exposure, Opportunities across the globe, Better career prospects, Multi-cultural experience are just a cross section of the multiple benefits of overseas education.
With all the advantages associated with overseas education, one has to remember a few things the other way round. International Education is now available right here in India. Degrees of various foreign universities are available in India and what’s more at a quarter of the price the student would end up spending at an overseas location.
Education overseas also exposes candidates to alien cultures, which may sometimes be not just a stressful exercise but also a traumatic one. On the other hand a large number of young people fail to handle the newly earned “freedoms” of stay in a Western nation and their careers plummet to the point of no return.
Again, critics of overseas education point out the notion of “Rome and Roman” citing that our education system, despite its drawbacks is best suited to local needs. For instance, the liberal arts curriculum of western nations is viewed, as “irrelevant” in the Indian context as such in depth exposure in subjects outside the area of specialization is “unnecessary” and “wastage of time” feel some education experts.
In the age of globalization has overseas education become a necessity or as Dominoes India makes sure it has a kebab on its pizza, shall “Indiansed” education stand out in the years ahead?
The Material World Anniversary Debate 2007 panel shall deliberate on September 1, 2007
(With inputs from the World Wide Web)
The Material World Anniversary Debate 2007 panel shall deliberate on September 1, 2007
(With inputs from the World Wide Web)
The Panel *
Dr. S. Banerjee, Director, Library Services, American Resource Center, Kolkata
Mr. S. Chakraborty, Principal, La Martiniere for Boys, Kolkata
Prof Ananya Chakraborty, Professor in Charge, Departments of Journalism and Film Studies, St. Xavier's College, Kolkata
Mr. Biswajit Matilal, General Manager (Public Relations & Advertising), Birla Corporation (Moderator) & Advisor, MW
Mr. Khokan Mookerji, Secretary General, Bengal Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Guest of Honor)
*not comprehensive
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
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Tuesday, May 29, 2007
The State of the State's Mind
Exploring a sudden spurt of aggression in the native’s behavior pattern
RAJIB KUMAR
It felt good to note that a leading Kolkata newspaper has at last taken note of the growing intolerance and aggressive behavior among the state’s citizens. I recall having briefly dwelt on this subject in these columns some months back.
Attitudinal changes are most often a result of multiple factors. We have consciously or subconsciously come to celebrate aggression. Whether it is the bowlers running down the pitch toward the batsmen or movie stars stalking co actors, deep down we have come to emulate our more “aggressive” celebrities…whether it is the shirt flinging Prince of Kalkuta or the topless Salman Khan.
As I pen these thoughts I have in front of me the morning’s papers reporting a case of wrongful confinement of a teenager girl role-playing domestic help. The poor fella apparently was made to toil in darkness and without fan from morning till late in the evening till her 30 something owners, a working couple, would get back from work.
Every other family I encounter in recent times tends to have a story or two to relate on domestic violence or terrorism.
The other day while coming out of a police station on B T Road, reporting a taxi who rammed our car my colleague and I were astonished to bump into a couple in their late 30s rushing to the officer on duty, blood stains all over their clothes and blood gushing out from some parts of their body: a case of domestic violence/terrorism.
Why are we encountering a situation where incidents like these including ones where young people are resorting to physical assault leading to incidents as hair raising as severe injury culminating in death on such trivia as loss in a game of cricket?
One argument that holds some credence is that while these went unreported until recently, thanks to a dozen TV news channels and an equal number of newspapers private have put our hitherto “private” drawing rooms under the scanner.
How far is the above assessment correct?
Viewing this from a different angle: people of this state have been traditionally the emotional kind, what with a creative bend of the mind above the national per capita; the bhadralok, therefore, has been less of aggression and its increased intensity in recent times has been almost unheard of in the past.
Well, we’ve had one Bantala some 15 years ago where a lady officer of UNICEF was subject to an act of medieval barbarianism. Again, political party or ideologue based hooliganism have been a staple diet. These, however, at best have been stray incidents or not necessarily reflective of societal behavioral patterns as a whole or a personality trait of the average native. In fact, the Bengali was until recently viewed as “extremely polite and gentle, accommodating and compromising and (even) to some extent submissive” by his non-Bengali brethren within and outside the state.
As HR Professionals, our adoration of competency mapping questionnaires notwithstanding it has become pertinent that we be appreciative of changing social trends and fads as employee attitude cannot be interpreted in isolation; in other words, without encompassing the proverbial “social animal” parameter (without sparking off another debate between the schools of psychology).
In subsequent editions of Offline we shall be talking to ladies and gentlemen across the social and professional spectrum in an effort to find some clue to this changing psyche. We encourage you, the reader, to share your views and experiences as my colleagues and I endeavor to probe deeper into the state of state’s mind. You may please send your views to rajib.kumar@materialworldind.com or offline@materialworldind.com
(Offline, Volume-4, No- 11, May 2007)
RAJIB KUMAR
It felt good to note that a leading Kolkata newspaper has at last taken note of the growing intolerance and aggressive behavior among the state’s citizens. I recall having briefly dwelt on this subject in these columns some months back.
Attitudinal changes are most often a result of multiple factors. We have consciously or subconsciously come to celebrate aggression. Whether it is the bowlers running down the pitch toward the batsmen or movie stars stalking co actors, deep down we have come to emulate our more “aggressive” celebrities…whether it is the shirt flinging Prince of Kalkuta or the topless Salman Khan.
As I pen these thoughts I have in front of me the morning’s papers reporting a case of wrongful confinement of a teenager girl role-playing domestic help. The poor fella apparently was made to toil in darkness and without fan from morning till late in the evening till her 30 something owners, a working couple, would get back from work.
Every other family I encounter in recent times tends to have a story or two to relate on domestic violence or terrorism.
The other day while coming out of a police station on B T Road, reporting a taxi who rammed our car my colleague and I were astonished to bump into a couple in their late 30s rushing to the officer on duty, blood stains all over their clothes and blood gushing out from some parts of their body: a case of domestic violence/terrorism.
Why are we encountering a situation where incidents like these including ones where young people are resorting to physical assault leading to incidents as hair raising as severe injury culminating in death on such trivia as loss in a game of cricket?
One argument that holds some credence is that while these went unreported until recently, thanks to a dozen TV news channels and an equal number of newspapers private have put our hitherto “private” drawing rooms under the scanner.
How far is the above assessment correct?
Viewing this from a different angle: people of this state have been traditionally the emotional kind, what with a creative bend of the mind above the national per capita; the bhadralok, therefore, has been less of aggression and its increased intensity in recent times has been almost unheard of in the past.
Well, we’ve had one Bantala some 15 years ago where a lady officer of UNICEF was subject to an act of medieval barbarianism. Again, political party or ideologue based hooliganism have been a staple diet. These, however, at best have been stray incidents or not necessarily reflective of societal behavioral patterns as a whole or a personality trait of the average native. In fact, the Bengali was until recently viewed as “extremely polite and gentle, accommodating and compromising and (even) to some extent submissive” by his non-Bengali brethren within and outside the state.
As HR Professionals, our adoration of competency mapping questionnaires notwithstanding it has become pertinent that we be appreciative of changing social trends and fads as employee attitude cannot be interpreted in isolation; in other words, without encompassing the proverbial “social animal” parameter (without sparking off another debate between the schools of psychology).
In subsequent editions of Offline we shall be talking to ladies and gentlemen across the social and professional spectrum in an effort to find some clue to this changing psyche. We encourage you, the reader, to share your views and experiences as my colleagues and I endeavor to probe deeper into the state of state’s mind. You may please send your views to rajib.kumar@materialworldind.com or offline@materialworldind.com
(Offline, Volume-4, No- 11, May 2007)
Monday, April 30, 2007
To Appraise Or Not To Appraise
To Appraise Or Not To Appraise
RAJIB KUMAR
Exploring the sensitive gamut of faculty evaluation by students
The other day there was a brawl at the quarterly faculty meeting of a leading management institute on the sensitive issue of introduction of faculty evaluation by students.
Two senior academicians got into a heated debate; “Some 20,000 students are getting into WBUT affiliated institutions every year now…do you know what kind of students are getting in…you want them to evaluate me? Excuse me…” one thundered at another.
I listened with interest the passionately expressed views of the 60 something professor whose lectures I had attended some 15-20 years back. Surely he had a point. After all, our educational systems are a different ball game and it would be suicidal to implement predominantly western models like these before careful introspection.
Faculty evaluation forms at the end of every course every quarter end has been a regular feature in the United States for more than two decades now. In small and mid sized American private universities and colleges one particular faculty member designs his or her own programs; he then delivers the same and finally assesses student knowledge intake –before that he or she also has to choose an appropriate mode of doing so…. with such an expanse…all the more reason why an appraisal is required perhaps!
On completion of the course, students assess the program as well as the delivery skills of the faculty. Students may decide to remain confidential. The forms are filled up on the last class day and then one particular student collects all the forms; puts them into an envelope, duly seals it and ferries it over to the Dean’s (Academic Affairs) office or uses the campus mail room service to do the needful.
The importance of student feedback should never be undermined; after all they are the customers of our product. The success and failure levels of a faculty, unless under certain extraordinary circumstances (eg. unpopular decisions like frequent class tests or disciplinary action for sidetalking etc) should in all probability be quantified in terms of the success and failure of the students. After all don’t we contemplate on changing the home tutor of our ward if he or she gets a lesser grade in the exam than what is expected of him or her?
Students may often tend to judge a teacher based on so called “extraneous” criteria like her attire, his or her presentability, accent, the extent of his or her IT savvy ness etc. I have the views of a Chennai based lady faculty expressed in a recent edition of the National HRD Network Journal at hand. But the question is can we call these “extraneous” anymore?
Personality Development & Grooming have become a mandatory requisite for even Chartered Accountants, leave alone management students who are anyways expected to be suave. Just like a doctor must take care of his own health first, we, faculty members, need to equip ourselves with all these new age skills known by a variety of names-soft, finishing school, multi tasking and what not.
In my opinion, at the end of the day a performance appraisal of a faculty person must incorporate methods normally associated with appraising a corporate executive as well; namely, self-appraisal, peer evaluation and immediate superior evaluation addressing the needs of 360°
In addition, the faculty’s involvement in research and publication must also be an important component in the entire process. Faculty members must be constantly encouraged to write whether for the in house newsletter or relevant fraternity journals.
Whether we like it or not student feedback systems should be a part of the system but it should definitely have its “checks and balances” so that a bad fish or two do not misuse the system to settle personal scores with a faculty member. The final appraiser must carefully review the grades or comments made and try to first interpret any grossly adverse feedback in terms of real “extraneous” factors- disciplinary standards set by the faculty, the student evaluator’s personal records on absenteeism, performance in other classes, general attitude etc.
(Offline, Volume-5, No- 4, April 2007)
RAJIB KUMAR
Exploring the sensitive gamut of faculty evaluation by students
The other day there was a brawl at the quarterly faculty meeting of a leading management institute on the sensitive issue of introduction of faculty evaluation by students.
Two senior academicians got into a heated debate; “Some 20,000 students are getting into WBUT affiliated institutions every year now…do you know what kind of students are getting in…you want them to evaluate me? Excuse me…” one thundered at another.
I listened with interest the passionately expressed views of the 60 something professor whose lectures I had attended some 15-20 years back. Surely he had a point. After all, our educational systems are a different ball game and it would be suicidal to implement predominantly western models like these before careful introspection.
Faculty evaluation forms at the end of every course every quarter end has been a regular feature in the United States for more than two decades now. In small and mid sized American private universities and colleges one particular faculty member designs his or her own programs; he then delivers the same and finally assesses student knowledge intake –before that he or she also has to choose an appropriate mode of doing so…. with such an expanse…all the more reason why an appraisal is required perhaps!
On completion of the course, students assess the program as well as the delivery skills of the faculty. Students may decide to remain confidential. The forms are filled up on the last class day and then one particular student collects all the forms; puts them into an envelope, duly seals it and ferries it over to the Dean’s (Academic Affairs) office or uses the campus mail room service to do the needful.
The importance of student feedback should never be undermined; after all they are the customers of our product. The success and failure levels of a faculty, unless under certain extraordinary circumstances (eg. unpopular decisions like frequent class tests or disciplinary action for sidetalking etc) should in all probability be quantified in terms of the success and failure of the students. After all don’t we contemplate on changing the home tutor of our ward if he or she gets a lesser grade in the exam than what is expected of him or her?
Students may often tend to judge a teacher based on so called “extraneous” criteria like her attire, his or her presentability, accent, the extent of his or her IT savvy ness etc. I have the views of a Chennai based lady faculty expressed in a recent edition of the National HRD Network Journal at hand. But the question is can we call these “extraneous” anymore?
Personality Development & Grooming have become a mandatory requisite for even Chartered Accountants, leave alone management students who are anyways expected to be suave. Just like a doctor must take care of his own health first, we, faculty members, need to equip ourselves with all these new age skills known by a variety of names-soft, finishing school, multi tasking and what not.
In my opinion, at the end of the day a performance appraisal of a faculty person must incorporate methods normally associated with appraising a corporate executive as well; namely, self-appraisal, peer evaluation and immediate superior evaluation addressing the needs of 360°
In addition, the faculty’s involvement in research and publication must also be an important component in the entire process. Faculty members must be constantly encouraged to write whether for the in house newsletter or relevant fraternity journals.
Whether we like it or not student feedback systems should be a part of the system but it should definitely have its “checks and balances” so that a bad fish or two do not misuse the system to settle personal scores with a faculty member. The final appraiser must carefully review the grades or comments made and try to first interpret any grossly adverse feedback in terms of real “extraneous” factors- disciplinary standards set by the faculty, the student evaluator’s personal records on absenteeism, performance in other classes, general attitude etc.
(Offline, Volume-5, No- 4, April 2007)
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