In order to provide personalised guidance and mentoring to the freshers, Panjab University has decided to adopt unique mentoring system, as per which each faculty member would counsel five to 10 students joining the university professional courses.
In this unique initiative, the faculty members would advise the fresher students on their personal, academic, social and other problems and suggest solutions to those problems as per the rules. More attention will be given to younger students coming to University campus in professional courses after completing 10+2, while all other students coming to campus after completing their graduation and post graduation would also be covered. Every year, about 4,000 students take fresh admissions in PU campus and there are about 800 faculty members.
The decision was taken by the PU Vice Chancellor, Prof Arun K Grover after consulting and having an informal interaction with the students and faculty members. The VC was on a visit to University Institute of Engineering & Technology alongwith Dean Students Welfare (DSW) and other officers of the university.
Prof AS Ahluwalia, DSW said that faculty members would also be aided by professional psychologists and concerned experts. Counselling Cell (s) in every institute and department would also be set up to provide guidance and comfort to students in distress.
A PU spokesman said that many more steps would be taken to make the students feel at home in the university campus. It has been decided that all the fresher students taking admissions in the PU will be addressed by Vice-Chancellor. It has been felt that such an initiative would also help in countering the unhealthy ragging and enhance the confidence of the students in the longer run.
The faculty members would endeavor to provide personalised guidance to the students and meet them every fortnight. They will even advice the students about the choice of the subjects keeping in view their interest and caliber. This would result in a positive outlook for all the students to create a congenial atmosphere on the campus.