1.1. Title of the Practice
Padha Pooja performed by the students to their parents and teachers.
1.2. Objectives of the Practice
1.3. The Context
The College has got its rich heritage of fostering the habit of padha pooja in students performed to their parents and teachers. Our country is rich in its tradition and culture. It is the responsibility of the institution to mould the personality of the students holistically and professionally for better future of the nation. The country is digitalized, and the technology plays a major role in shaping the community. The cognitive domain has been updated and improved; the affective domain is not at all given importance in the current scenario, so the children are deficient in expressing their emotions. Now the present generation of students are always engaged with the technology, they are not given importance to values like honesty, hard work, simplicity, respect, obedience and so on. Therefore, as an educational institution are temples of learning, it is very much necessary to inculcate the value system in the students for the peaceful society ahead.
1.4. The Practice
As our culture insists upon, Mathru devo bhava, Pithru Devo bhave, Acharys devo bhava and Athiti devo bhava. In order to inculcate this, Value Oriented practices such as Padha Pooja to parents during Induction programme and salutation to the teachers in the form of Padha Pooja on Teacher’s day are encouraged. Paavai Engineering College started to practice and adhere to this padha pooja, since inception of the college. It is said that the parents are the first teachers and teachers are considered to be the second parents. During inauguration of first year classes every year, all the parents of the first year students are invited. After the inaugural ceremony, the padha pooja is being done by the child of the respective parents. The parent’s feet is washed by their children and worshipped with the flowers. Parents in turn bless their children for the education and upliftment in their life. It was a heart touching sight and emotional, which makes both the children and parents in tears of joy. No child will forget that moment in their life.
Similarly, Padha pooja is being done by the students to their respective teachers on Teachers’ day Sept 5th of every year. The Teachers’ day function usually celebrated in a grand manner, where all teachers’ fraternity assemble in Aanadha Aranagam, an auditorium of 2500 seating capacity. The teachers were recognized for their performance. The final year students were called for doing Padha pooja, in the same way the teachers feet is washed and worshipped with flowers. Teachers profusely shower their choicest benediction to their students. It is usually an amazing glimpse to witness the situation
1.5. Evidence of Success
By practicing this, students naturally inculcate the value of gratefulness and respect towards their parents and teachers. This practice has a great effect on students to know about the great culture and tradition of our country. This gives an insight into the act of being human and the importance of adherence to Human Values. Padha Pooja makes the students to realize the responsibility as a son, student and as a future citizen of the country. The students are able to appreciate and exhibit their respect and regard to the culture of our traditional values. Many of the students expressed that this habit has a tremendous change in their character and personality development.
OUTREACH PROGRAMMES FOR RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
2.1. Title of the Practice
Outreach programmes for rural community development by adopting nearby five villages, which promotes the societal responsibility of the students to evolve as a best human being.
2.2. Objectives of the Practice
The underlying principle of this practice is
2.3. The Context
The College has got its rich heritage of fostering the habit of rendering service to the local and national community. The students are motivated to participate, involve and extend their service towards humanity. All the outreach activities are aimed to improve the holistic personality of the students. The various activities are planned and implemented through National Service Scheme (NSS) of the college. The interactions and exchange of good will of the people provide the students a sense of sympathy and empathy. The college efficiently works towards the development of the students in an academic context and also gives equal importance to these outreach activities. These training, exposure and involvement of students have provided them the experience of social living. These activities are required for every individual student to claim his/her desired attitudes. The students move towards the desired goals progressively.
2.4. The Practice
The practice of adopting five villages from the society is with the objective of cultivating ‘Service to mankind is to service to God’ in students. The villages are Natamangalam, Semmampatti, Thathayangarpatti, Erukkapalayam and Puliampatti. This practice shapes the student’s community to emanate as a problem identifier and problem solver of his or her own community. These outreach activities are carried out since the inception of the college. Paavai engineering College has National Service Scheme(NSS) team with faculty head as NSS Programme officer, with his team members. The office bearers are selected from the student representative and nominated as President, Vice-president and secretary. The whole team consists of 100 NSS volunteers. The cardinal principle of the NSS programme is that the students and teachers combined together in community service and get a sense of involvement in the tasks of nation building. From 2015onwards there are two types of activities are organized, they are regular activities and special camp activities.
Regular activities of National Service Scheme of the college: The college has adopted five villages and service is extended to promote education of the poor, repairing schools, household survey, village survey, awareness camp on health and hygiene, road safety awareness, cleaning of the village and temples. House hold survey has been done with the objective of identifying the water facility, electricity facility, gas facility of each individual house and village survey has been done to identify the transport and road facility. The report has been submitted to the district collectorate for further action. Along with the adoption of village, NSS activities includes functional literacy and non- formal education, Tree plantation, Participate in Republic day parade, preservation and up keeping of trees, construction and repair of roads, painting of school walls, cleaning of village ponds and wells, health education and primary health care, first aid awareness, blood donation, AIDS awareness, advocating advanced agricultural practice, disaster management (Cyclones, floods), women empowerment, road safety, afforestation, blood donation, plastic eradication, and celebration of days of national importance and so on.
Special camp activities of the college: The special camp activities are conducted once in a year. The activities constitute free medical camp, talk on cyber-crime and security, programme on women empowerment, awareness rally on disposal of plastic usage, Eye check-up camp, health awareness rally, Swacch Bharat mission (Clean India Mission), awareness on following traffic rules, organic farming awareness rally, Yoga and natural medicine camp and so on. These activities are planned and implemented regularly as a part of social activities to contribute towards the betterment of the society.
The practice is unique, since it bestows the best education to the students’ community as it is participatory learning and experiential learning.
2.5. Evidence of Success
The rural community is benefitted from these programmes. The village people expressed their willingness to accept and allowed the college to conduct many programmes in their village. The students are benefitted by these activities to develop their holistic personality. The students and NSS programme officer have achieved many awards, recognition, and appreciation on account of their tireless service.
2.6. Problems Encountered and Resources Required
There are not major issues, sometimes there is a hesitation from the village people to co- operate with the NSS team. Sometimes students have conventional idea about blood donation and health related matters.
