Dr. Isravel Prabhakaran J. is an Assistant Professor at Agurchand Manmull Jain College. His career aspiration is to organize, analyze, interpret opinions and explore issues.

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Being a Facilitator of the Department, what are your roles and responsibilities towards the students?

As a facilitator, I work to oversee the smooth functioning of the department and ensure consistent provision for optimal academic ambience. It is also my responsibility to manage and motivate all department staff and to enable the students to have a well-rounded skilled education in their subjects. I make sure we are being encouraging and establishing an effective working environment. 

How do you tend to establish healthy relations with the students and fellow faculty? 

Having healthy relations among all stakeholders in the college is essential for its success. Our goal is to provide choices and encourage the students to become stronger learners every day. As teachers, we have we play a larger role in a student’s professional development. Our relationships also involve the transfer of knowledge, guidance and mentorship. I make efforts to respect my colleagues and establish trust among each other. We also openly communicate and are collaborative and supportive of each other’s success. 

How do you try to bring in practical approach towards subjects and make it industry oriented?

A practical approach to teaching is a form of instruction that promotes hands-on learning. Real-world applications and problem-solving are key ingredients in a proper curriculum. We work to immerse the students in hands-on activities and allow them to actively participate in investigating and experiencing the subject matter.

What are the best practices offered by the department to the students which help them gain the necessary skills?

To help new incoming students dip their toes in our college’s culture, we organize an orientation programme for our freshers. It allows them to interact with fellow classmates and with seniors. We have a robust mentoring system where teachers guide and mentor students. The college regularly organizes heritage walks, field trips to UNESCO sites and enrichment. We also have classes and discussions based on visual sources with industry experts.

How do you strategize the curriculum and how often it gets updated to make it befitting for the students? 

Our college updates its curriculum to have a vision, focus, and meet our students’ objectives and needs. The curriculum is updated with the latest trends and technology every five years. To do so, we start by identifying the resources or gaps in our curriculum. After a period of discussions with experts, we develop plans, methods and processes to update the curriculum.

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What are your views on the placements and higher education about the students from your department or how does your department prepare students for higher education? 

Placements and preparation for placements are an important part of a student’s life. It promotes better understanding and absorption of knowledge and innovations and equips the students with the skills needed to meet ever-changing tourism markets. At AM Jain College, all students are provided coaching and mock interviews before they sit for interviews. These efforts generate new knowledge through a broad array of creative endeavours.

How do you help your student cope with the competition being so high in the outside world? 

I make it a point to praise my students when they make an effort. We put significant efforts into improving teamwork and collaboration among students and faculty members. We believe in providing intrinsic motivation along with teaching students to deal with losing and overcoming setbacks. Through these, our students are able to take risks and win.

Do you have any extracurricular activities/ programs to enhance the skills of the students or expose them to real-world challenges?

We have numerous extracurricular activities for our students. These are aimed at improving their communication and interpersonal skills and learning better problem-solving abilities. Students also cultivate a global mindset along with time management and organization skills. All of these skills are highly crucial for success at the workplace and these activities set our students up for success.

What are the challenges you faced/ are facing to uplift the quality of education of your department? 

Our biggest challenges are regarding the lack of personalized learning in the curriculum. There is also a big lack of student -centered learning, because of which students are not able to absorb the learning material better. Courses and education also must be affordable and accessible for all students.

When you came to the college, what was your vision and how are you trying to achieve the same?

When I first joined AM Jain College, I was enthusiastic about motivating the students and helping them outline their ultimate career goals. With the mission and vision statement, the student will have a goal to work towards. Besides this, I wanted to help them be more self-focused while simultaneously outlining the goals of the department for the success of the college.

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How does the curriculum of your department/college ensure the best practice of the industry? 

Our curriculum has been framed to familiarise the students with various dimensions of the tourism industry and the career opportunities available in this field. Our subjects and classes help develop a practical understanding among the students associated with the tourism business through classroom discussions/ participation. It also develops transferable skills among the students for managing various operations.

How does the department enhance the skills of the faculty and prepares them according to the industry standards?

Our department provides opportunities for us to engage in research, and attend conferences. We are encouraged to participate in professional development programs like FDPs, workshops and more. We are also allowed to attend the ‘TRAVELMART’ conferences to upgrade our knowledge and network with industry experts.

What are the interventions and approaches you bring in apart from curriculum to train/teach the students? 

Besides classroom teaching and training students receive at our college, they also receive practical training from travel agencies. They need to complete mandatory internships in order to graduate. There are also field visits to industry so that the students can observe and learn what they need to do and possess to work in the field.

What do you see the department’s greatest strengths and how can it be enhanced? 

We are dedicated to advancing the realms of hospitality and tourism education, which is our biggest strength. We have also crafted our academic programs to encompass the latest industry trends. The college aims for the holistic development of students, which makes them more competitive in the industry than their peers.

What valuable advice would you like to give to the students for them to have a prosperous career ahead?

I would advise students to attend industry events, trade shows, conferences and seminars to connect with professionals and potential employers. Learn from them and ask them questions. They must also join industry associations, online forums and social media groups related to the tourism industry. These will help you stay updated on industry trends, learn about the latest job opportunities and build connections.