As the vision of our institute revolves around optimization of health and wellness of individual and community, the work towards the community starts right from its roots. The statement of objectives in this line could be laid down as following:

Community services by means of social participation or volunteering is a distinguishing factor for the developing of responsible youth, which has its grounds pioneering in the educational framework. The College strongly believes that the best way to gain life skills along with the knowledge is by being an active member of the society. The only way towards this goal is by engaging in the community services. College is a part National Service Scheme and has a NSS unit. Mumbai University also has a separate department called Department of Life Long Learning and Extension (DLLE) with tagline of Reach to Unreached, which facilitates extension projects. Our college has become a part of DLLE undertaking two community related projects. The students of first to third year form the part of NSS unit of college and fourth year students’ work under DLLE to disseminate their acquired knowledge for the betterment of the community.

College arranges extension activities through its NSS unit and DLLE cell for the students of B. Pharmacy. NSS unit in college ties to provide the students hands on experience in community services. The DLLE unit serves an intellectual intervention to community issues through its extension projects.

NSS Unit and DLLE cell have arranged numerous extension activities such as Community Services and Awareness Campaigns as a role of our college towards the benefit of the society. The activities can be stated as below:

Free Health Checkup Camps, Blood donation Camps and Blood Checkup Camps have been arranged by the NSS Unit of the College. These have been arranged by at various locations of Sindhudurg district. Other Camps such as AADHAR card camp have also been arranged by the College. Activities Such as ‘Swatch Bharat Abhiyan’ have been organized by the NSS Unit of the College.

Awareness Sessions have been arranged by the NSS Unit as per the need of the time. Awareness on Human Organ Donation, Awareness on Corruption, Awareness on Mobile Addiction, and Awareness on COVID-19 pandemic have been arranged with active student participation. Awareness has also been done through rallies or street plays and other activities by the student of the College on the Occasion of Pharmacist Day. Events such as Kolhapur Flood Charity have been conducted.

National and International commemorative days such as World Environment Day, World Unity Day, Plastic Pickup Day, World Humanitarian Day, World No Tobacco Day, have been celebrated through which the students are encouraged to more actively participate in the social activities.

DLLE unit has been active in the college since 2018, as the extension activities were adopted by the college for the fourth-year students so that they can utilize their learned skills and knowledge in the extension projects at community level. Our college has chosen PEC (Population education club) and SWS (Survey of women Status) as the topics for its extension activities. Students perform survey, give awareness speech, conduct street play, and show practical demonstrations as a field-based activity.

In the year 2018-19 and 2019-20, students who chose PEC under which they worked on projects like Global warming, First Aid awareness, E-waste management, Consumer rights awareness and wherein students had chosen SWS as topic, activities like Female foeticide, Women empowerment, Distribution of cloths to the needy women were conducted.

This overall served the community at large.

The events conducted with the motive of community services can be counted upon from the reports on the activities along with the event photos maintained by the NSS cell in their inventory. Along with this the list of events and the number of beneficiaries shows the quality of activity and indicates the success rate of the event. In case of community events such as rally or street play, the conduct of such events itself at various locations serves the purpose of serving the community at large.

DLLE extension projects are conducted by small groups of students thus amplifying the activities to a large population from the community who are served through such activities. Individual group reports are submitted by the students and a common extension activity report summarizing the yearly activities is submitted by the DLLE cell to University, enabling the students with grace marks at final exams.

Undertaking the activities at community level requires expenses for the arranging of such activities. The education society allocates funds for such activities.

Managing of the activities requires coordination at large. The teachers and student coordinators of the respective activities serve the purpose.

Social stigma of the students is a hurdle especially with the new joinees. Here this is overcome by allowing participation of the lower class at smaller events and higher classes guide the juniors. Also, NSS activities are conducted by first to third year students and more extensive work under DLLE cell is allocated for the Fourth Year Students.

Glimpses of activities done through the best practice of our institute

Keeping in line with vision of institute which states to provide pharmacy education to our rural students; the IQAC and Academic Cell motivates the faculty to adopt Total Quality Management approach in the teaching and learning process. These Innovative teaching approaches along with the quality initiatives helps to induce a culture of excellence in education and global competitiveness. Excellence is brought through teaching modalities, visits, trainings, activities encouraging student participation and inculcating inclusive environment.

The college being established at a rural location, it provides an opportunity the rural community for acquiring a professional degree. On an average 85% of students taking admission to our college are from rural background. Also a considerable number of students admitted to the college are from low income population More than 70% of admissions come from low income population, total family income totaling less than 5 Lakh.

Efforts are taken to guide the students for procuring scholarships by the admission committee and office staff. The parents and students are guided on during the admission on different scholarships and free-ships available. The student section guides the students regarding available scholarships, formalities and procedures for applications for scholarship, timelines for applications.

Awareness campaigns are arranged by the college for the students of standard XIIth students, where the principal of college gives awareness session on MHCET, prospects of pharmacy education and requirements of admission. Admission committee is formed by the college wherein faculty visits higher secondary school to provide guidance to the students regarding entrance exam for pharmacy, admission requirements and prospects of pharmacy education. During admission rounds the admission committee members individually provides the students facilitation.

Quality Infrastructure helps in incubation of effective learning environment. Well equipped laboratory, machine room, instrument lab and library support in the inculcation of an atmosphere of effective learning. Teaching learning process is regulated centrally by the Academic Cell, ensuring uniformity in teaching methods. Use of different teaching modalities such as usage of power-point presentations, models/ charts, group discussions, seminars etc is encouraged by the academic cell and also regulated by centralized system of outlining teaching learning process by design of teaching plan by individual faculty. Usage of ICT infrastructure to prepare computer aided teaching and learning material is also encouraged.

Conduct of assignments, tutorials, class room tests and group discussions and case studies is done by individual subject teachers as a part of their teaching. Also student presentations, seminars, debates etc are encouraged to make students more competitive and confident. Guidance is provided to students through arrangement of additional sessions like remedial classes for weak students and entrance exam guidance sessions for the aspirants respectively. Deputation of students to conferences, seminars and workshops which in turn helps the students to acquire paper presentation /preparation, communication and event participation skills. To provide platform for interaction of students with experts from academia, R & D institutes and industries through seminar/workshop/Guest lecture are organized by the college.

For curricular advancements of the students, visits are arranged for the students for better learning and giving insight into practical work. Institute has organized industrial visits for the third year B-Pharm students, hospital visit for the second year B-Pharm students, and Path Lab visit for second year B-Pharm students. Also third year students undergo training at end of third year B-Pharm for one month in a pharmaceutical company which gives that a detailed training to them. Visits and trainings help in an advancement of students.

Students participate in poster and research paper presentation competitions organized by other institute/ professional bodies. The Cultural and Sports Committee of the college organizes different competitions for the students. The participation of students is encouraged in all the events. Various activities are arranged on other occasions like Pharmacist’s Day, Shivaji Jayanti, Independence Day and Republic Day. In addition to participation in College events, students also participate in outside college events.

To impart social responsibility in students NSS activities are conducted regularly by the NSS cell of the college. The DLLE cell of the college is responsible for guiding the projects of students in line with the social awareness. . Students of final year B-Pharm are a part of DLLE projects. Students are encouraged to participate in such activities by the respective committee in-charges. Apart from this, social activities are organized on the occasion of Pharmacist’s day, such as rally, street play, camps, talks, competitions, stalls, exhibitions etc. in which students participate actively. Every year on the Pharmacist’s day, there is arranged a honorary event for the pharmacist of local community, called as “Pharmacist of the Year”. In this event one pharmacist is given the honor to be the recipient of “Pharmacist of the Year”. This is based on the community work of the pharmacist. This is an act of recognition that is provided to the society by the college that inspires good work.

The activities and procedures are aligned by documentation of the same in form of standard operation procedures and quality manuals. The manuals and SOPs help to validate the processes and activities. Decentralization of power is allows for inclusivity among the staff and students. Inclusivity is inculcated in the culture of work environment of the college by various actions. Committees are constituted by inclusion of student representatives. In various activities and events is allowed and encouraged right from organizing of the activities. Subcommittees are made during event organization which allows students to get insight of the activities. Sports and cultural activities are arranged by the involvement of students in organizing committees. Involvement of students gives them opportunity to learn and inculcate competitiveness. The overall activities impact to bring excellence in education through Total Quality Management.

Glimpses of few activities of the College