IQAC
Objective
The primary aim of IQAC is
- To develop a system for conscious, consistent and catalytic action to improve the academic and administrative performance of the institution.
- To promote measures for institutional functioning towards quality enhancement through internalization of quality culture and institutionalization of best practices.
Strategies
IQAC shall evolve mechanisms and procedures for
- Ensuring timely, efficient and progressive performance of academic, administrative and financial tasks;
- Relevant and quality academic/ research programmes;
- Equitable access to and affordability of academic programmes for various sections of society; d) Optimization and integration of modern methods of teaching and learning;
- The credibility of assessment and evaluation process;
- Ensuring the adequacy, maintenance and proper allocation of support structure and services;
- Sharing of research findings and networking with other institutions in India and abroad.
Functions
- Development and application of quality benchmarks
- Parameters for various academic and administrative activities of the institution;
- Facilitating the creation of a learner-centric environment conducive to quality education and faculty maturation to adopt the required knowledge and technology for participatory teaching and learning process;
- Collection and analysis of feedback from all stakeholders on quality-related institutional processes;
- Dissemination of information on various quality parameters to all stakeholders;
- Organization of inter and intra institutional workshops, seminars on quality related themes and promotion of quality circles;
- Documentation of the various programmes/activities leading to quality improvement;
- Acting as a nodal agency of the Institution for coordinating quality-related activities, including adoption and dissemination of best practices;
- Development and maintenance of institutional database through MIS for the purpose of maintaining /enhancing the institutional quality;
- Periodical conduct of Academic and Administrative Audit and its follow-up
- Preparation and submission of the Annual Quality Assurance Report (AQAR) as per guidelines and parameters of NAAC
Benefits
IQAC will facilitate / contribute to
- Ensure clarity and focus in institutional functioning towards quality enhancement;
- Ensure internalization of the quality culture;
- Ensure enhancement and coordination among various activities of the institution and institutionalize all good practices;
- Provide a sound basis for decision-making to improve institutional functioning;
- Act as a dynamic system for quality changes in HEIs;
- Build an organised methodology of documentation and internal communication
QUALITY POLICY
Rajadhani Institute of Engineering and Technology is committed for Excellence in Engineering & Technology, Hospitality and Management education with proactive efforts to ensure quality in teaching-learning process, research and consultancy through student-centric activities.
Institutional Distinctiveness
AICTE IDEA Lab
The AICTE IDEA Lab (All India Council for Technical Education Innovation, Design, and Entrepreneurship Lab) is an initiative launched by AICTE to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and skill development, particularly among students in technical institutions across India. Rajadhani Institute of Engineering and Technology has established an AICTE IDEA Lab with a funding of Rs. 1.1 Crore to foster a culture of innovation and product development among its students.
The IDEA Lab aims to create an ecosystem where both students and faculty can collaborate to generate, develop, and experiment with new ideas, especially in the fields of technology and entrepreneurship. It offers students hands-on experience in areas such as design thinking, product development, and technology-driven entrepreneurship. By working on real-world challenges, students gain practical experience that complements their theoretical knowledge.
In addition to being a hub for innovation, the IDEA Lab also serves as an incubator for student-led startups. Students benefit from mentorship, funding support, and networking opportunities that help bring their innovations to the market. AICTE is also committed to nurturing the entrepreneurial mindset and skill set of both faculty and students, offering training programs, workshops, and exposure to the startup ecosystem.
Waste Management
Various waste management strategies are implemented at Rajadhani Institute of Engineering and Technology (RIET). All waste, both degradable and non-degradable, is categorized into Solid Waste, Liquid Waste, and E-Waste.
Solid Waste includes food waste, used paper, and plastic waste. These are collected in color-coded bins placed at various locations across the campus.
Food waste is collected daily by the housekeeping staff and is disposed of in the biogas plant located behind the canteen. Paper and plastic waste are reduced at the source by following the 3R principle (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle). Plastic waste is shredded using a Plastic Shredder developed by students of the Mechanical Engineering department. The shredded plastic is then packed and transported to the designated collection points of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.
Liquid Waste consists of wastewater and used oils. Wastewater from the campus is collected, filtered, and repurposed for gardening. Used oil from the campus generators is collected and outsourced for proper disposal.
E-Waste includes outdated or faulty computer parts, electrical and electronic equipment, and other electronic waste. These e-wastes are collected separately and outsourced for proper disposal.
This waste management system ensures that RIET minimizes its environmental footprint while promoting sustainability on campus.
Energy Conservation:
RIET has implemented energy conservation initiatives, including the installation of solar power plants on campus to meet the majority of its energy needs, along with the use of LED bulbs throughout the campus.
Best Practises
STUDENTS MENTORING & COUNSELING POLICY
1. Introduction
Guiding students is one of the major concerns of the AICTE and UGC. Accordingly, the regulating bodies formulated guidelines for students’ safety on and off campus of Higher Educational Institutions (HEI). One of the important constituents of the guidelines for HEI was to mandatorily put in place a ‘Student Mentoring and Counseling Policy’ for effective redressal of grievances and
challenges faced by students. As per the direction of the regulating bodies, RIET has constituted a Student Mentoring and Counseling Policy to create a platform for students to interact and share their problems with the respective department authorities at various levels. The College involves teachers who will act as mentors, guides, and sometimes local guardians of students. These faculty members interact with students and try to cater to their emotional and intellectual needs. They also
guide students on their academic prospects.
1.1 Purpose
The Rajadhani Institute of Engineering and Technology (RIET) aims at fostering the holistic development of both faculty and students based on mutually inclusive social interaction. Some of the student specific benefits of the process are seen as, increased academic achievement, greater self-efficacy, greater connection to the institute and peers, improved social skills set, reduced behavioural problems, a lower rate of engagement in risky behaviour, arise in class attendance, greater continuance in education, defined career goals, better awareness of a wholesome life,
greater awareness of health and hygiene, and improved concern for the ecosystem of the institute within and outside.
The benefits to the faculty are improved reasoning skills, a better ability to relate to parents, improved mentoring skills, a greater feeling of belongingness to the college, increased self-esteem, increased empathy, increased conflict resolution skills, greater patience and empathy, greater organizational skills, increased cultural capital, and a greater ability to understand their own challenges and experiences. Above all, the process is expected to promote mutual trust and compassion between the mentor and the mentee.
The purpose of this policy is to outline the scope of the mentoring services that are provided to all students at RIET. Student mentoring and Counseling is aimed at providing guidance, support, and/or any intervention required to address student well-being and/or academic progress.
1.2 Scope
This policy covers all current students at RIET. The students are mentored and counseled on academics, professional career development, and mental well-being.
1.3 Objectives
- To provide support for the academic and career development of mentees
- To extend any professional advancement support to the mentees by sharing experiences and knowledge gained by the mentors through teaching, research exposure
- To develop a healthy study environment by improving teachers-students relationship
- To address the socio psychological issues of the mentees through timely remedial interventions
- To motivate students to achieve their learning goals and improve their upcoming student lives.
- To encourage students to participate and develop interest in academic, non-academic and other institutional activities
2. Policy Statement
2.1 Principles
Mentoring is considered a responsibility of mentors towards mentees at RIET. It is reciprocal and practice of academic patronage that helps students/mentees to overcome professional and personal challenges to progress in their careers. RIET family believes in “shaping lives and empowering communities” that is underpinned by a value system of inclusivity, Integrity, Equity, Respect and Sustainability in everything we do. The Institute also believes in creating socially responsible citizens for the future. The Institute follows a mentee led process that aligns with the
professional goals of the individuals. The Institute provides a safe environment of openness, trust, mutual support, and most importantly confidentiality to all its students. The Mentoring and Counseling Policy has a partnership approach that conscripts no hidden agenda and embed a non-judgmental process.
2.2 Policy
The Institute follows an exclusively designed Mentoring and Counseling policy that helps students in different ways depending on their professional goals. It addresses all the issues faced by a student related to their career progress by providing:
- Support and encouragement
- Creating opportunities for reflection, self-awareness, and confidence
- New insights about the world of opportunities related to their interests
- An understanding of mentoring facilities and their benefits
Having considered mentoring as critical to the delivery of students’ services towards their overall wellbeing, it is mandatory for each faculty member to act as a mentor for a certain number of students as deemed necessary from time to time. Though a mentor’s role could be wide and varied to assist students succeeding in their lives, such as a guide, a counselor, an advisor, a tutor, a teacher, and perhaps a friend, it is desirable to create a structure within which a mentor should operate and be assessed. As a philosophy, RIET recognises the multidimensional roles of a mentor,
but at a policy level, highlight on three basic roles that are key to advancing the professional and personal growth of a student i.e, a guide, a mentor and an advisor. From here, stem our major objective criteria for assessment of a mentor’s performance vis-a-vis the systems to be followed. Explicit among these are given below:
- The mentoring system is to be followed by each Department. Every faculty member ipso facto is a mentor and is required to follow the accepted standards of integrity and ethics as stated by the Institute and implied by culture.
- While the process is democratic, liberal, and cuts across hierarchy, the ownership, monitoring, and reporting are clearly defined. The Head of the department of each branch takes on the responsibility to constitute a team of mentors for each academic year. The duration of the relationship with the same mentees preferably continue until the final year, with exception to re-adjustments as deemed necessary and approved by the HoDs.
- On reserving the list of mentees, the mentor will seek all relevant information about the student from the administrative department so as to become familiar with his background. He/she is required to maintain the standardised register with respect to attendance, exam results, etc.
- Though mentoring is not limited to a formal method within a specified time, mentoring sessions are built into the time-table and may be of at least an hour per week. Besides this faculty may have information sessions with their mentees.
2.3 Basic guidelines for mentors
1. The mentor must have full knowledge of the Institute; its vision, and mission.
2. Keep abreast of Institute rules, both academic and service.
3. Grasp the Institutional values and understand the culture.
4. Bear in mind that each department and programme has its own culture, requirement and career trajectories. One may need to develop a resource network and take advantage of peer mentoring both at the faculty and students’ level
5. Provide students with timely and clear feedback on their work.
6. Identify slow and fast learners and develop student specific career plans for all their mentees.
7. Not to assume that students who perform slow, lack commitment, but rather assessing the problems and offer ways to help.
8. Understand the need of early intervention and address issues related to the student’s ability to complete his/her programme
9. Avoid offering a goal but help students work towards it.
10.Be flexible and consider mentoring as an opportunity to help shaping a student’s life beyond the designated class hours.
2.4 Issues addressed through Mentoring
- Academics (Course progress, Difficulties in understanding any subjects, class attendance, registration, subject scores, etc.)
- Career (Issues related to higher study aspirations/Entrepreneurship/training and placement/job readiness programmes /skill and domain courses importance)
- Emotion (Related to dimensions of emotions, misunderstandings or anyanxiety due to any reason)
- Discipline (Ragging/fights among peers/Class Bunking/Fines/Complaintsfrom the hostel or teachers, etc.)
- Grievances (Any problem faced by the student during and/or after the classes that may not have been addressed properly)
- Any other issue(s) not covered under the above categories
2.4.1 Mentor Categories
- Mentor: The mentors are the first-tier contact to receive and initiate appropriate interventions towards students’ grievance redressal and the Institute’s outreach to the student community. The mentors are supposed to take care of student’s activities related to registration, academic information and progress, interaction with guardians, attendance status, health conditions, general conduct, etc.
- Counseling Mentor: The counseling mentors are supposed to take care of emotional stability upon the recommendation of the mentors. They may recommend external counselors for further therapeutic intervention in critical cases.
- Senior Mentors: The senior mentors are expected to groom both mentors and counseling mentors. They are expected to conduct workshops/sessions on handling mentees and their issues periodically towards ensuring effective mentoring system in the practice.
2.5 Role of Mentor and Mentee
The Mentoring and Counseling Policy has set some standards for the expectations roles and responsibilities from both mentors and mentees. Both must adhere to the practices as follows:
- Trust and respect each other.
- Respect the differences in thoughts and discover a common connection.
- Availability of meetings with prior planning.
2.5.1 Role of a Mentee:
- Actively engage with the mentoring process and appoint a mentor
- Taking responsibility for maintaining mentoring relationships including commitments, and being open about challenges
- Participating in setting clear objectives and goals and realistic expectation for achieving those
- Open communication while sharing ideas and problems
- Willing to listen and accept the constructive feedback and advice
- Being responsible for your own learning and development
2.5.2 Role of a Mentor
- Provide guidance and support in identifying developmental needs.
- Addressing identified developmental needs by sharing new insights and experiences.
- Act as a figure with whom the mentee can discuss their aspirations and concerns, provide constructive feedback, and address challenges as appropriate.
- Identify positive traits in mentees that they are not aware of.
- Helping t h e mentee to frame long term objectives and actions to be followed in meeting them.
- Encourage mentees to take positive action as a practice.
- Introduce and familiarise the mentees w i t h n o w to collaborate and integrate with other peers.
- Engage with parents as and when required
2.6 Key skills required to be a Mentor
- Strong listening skills
- Being Non-judgmental
- Offers different perspectives
- Warm approach while mentoring
- Can relate to the mentee’s issues
- Trustworthy and ensure confidentiality.
3. Governance
3.1 Responsibility
The Mentoring and Counseling facilities are available to all the students, irrespective of the programme they are enrolled in. The respective departmental authorities or Head of Department appoint a mentor and allot a number of mentees. The mentor are encouraged to attend a “mentoring brief session” as part of their induction to understand what mentoring is and is not and what is expected of them as mentors. The mentors interact and discuss with students challenges related to academics, career development progress, and plans and corrective measures.
3.2 Authority
The Institute has a robust student mentoring and counseling mechanism in place to facilitate the mental wellness of students. A student counseling committee has been notified through an office order, which is headed by Principal, along with 4 Senior Faculty (2 faculty member-women), Boys Warden, Lady Warden, and an External Counselor. The provision of counseling request drop box has been installed at strategic places. Any student can drop a request for any counseling requirement on any kind of matter. The requests are addressed confidentially with the help of mentors.
4. Procedure
4.1 Procedures
The functioning of the Student Mentoring and Counseling Policy of the college
follows:
- Stage I: Assigning mentors to students
The teacher-in-charge of all departments is informed to assign mentors/advisors to each student in the department. A group of a maximum 20 students is assigned to a mentor. All mentors are required to hold meetings with assigned students in regular interval. The minutes of such meetings are to be recorded. Mentors are required to note down the concerns raised by students and take appropriate action to address the issue. If required, the concerns/issues of students can be kept confidential. Critical cases are referred to Principal.
- Stage II: Submission of the Report
Mentors are required to prepare reports of all meetings and issues raised and addressed by students, and the same are to be submitted to the authorities/departments. It will be done on a monthly basis.
4.2. Guidelines for the Mentor-Mentee Programme
RIET, in adhering to the guidelines of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) ensures that all faculty members engage in mentoring students in order to enhance teaching-learning skills and the overall quality of higher education.
- The mentorship is intended to support building academic leaders who have knowledge, skills, and abilities through guidance and counseling by mentors.
- For an efficient outcome of the programme, each teacher is allotted a group of students by their respective departments to mentor the students in the group assigned to them.
- The departments should assign mentors for students in all programmes. Mentoring for the students of each and every programme should be arranged with the faculty of respective departments who are engaged in teaching these courses.
- The aim of the mentor-mentee programme is to ensure that the teachers are in constant dialogue with their students or mentees to cater to their learning needs.
- The mentors are advised to maintain regular contact with their mentees by organising a meeting session at least once in a month.
- The mentors should maintain the minutes of each meeting along with the attendance record, required details of the students (name, roll number, and year of the students who were present in the meeting), and meeting details (date, time, and link of the meeting).
- Any grievances received from the students should be resolved at the departmental level and the Action Taken Report (ATR) should be prepared and submitted to the Principal.
- Mentors should submit the minutes of every meeting, along with the attendance record and the action taken report, to the Principal.
4.3 Process Flow
4.4 Student Counseling
The university provides counseling support to its students. Students have access to individual and confidential counseling support from a well-versed professional counselor as a referral support. This support at RIET pays attention to the individual circumstances and needs of students. Providing the counseling service will ensure students mental and physical well-being in order to achieve their full potential of student in terms of mental and physical well-being.
4.5 Referral Counseling
RIET referral counseling may be recommended/initiated by:
- Self-referral
- Mentor Referral
- Department Head and/or
- Parents
4.6 Intervention
- The mentor in consultation with the mentee may extend support by suggesting going for counseling intervention with external agencies in case of emergency.
- The mentor is subject to intimate in case of irregularities seen in mentees attendance.
- The mentor, in working with students, may seek counselor intervention to bring about a change in their personal and academic prospects.
- The special circumstances/cases are addressed through relevant committee support and decisions responding to requests for assistance and support from students deemed to be at academic risk.
- In cases where joint interventions are required, involvement of other staff and/or students may be undertaken where the participants agree to meet.
4.7 Confidentiality
The relationship of students with the counselor and the information shared are always fundamental to counseling. The Institute is prudent in sharing information unless the circumstances determine who should be privy to it. The information and its disclosure are always kept confidential.
Counselling and Mentoring System
Objective: To achieve academic success and persistence for healthy relationship between faculty and students.
The Context: The Institute is working towards enhancing the institutional culture to better serve the needs of an everchanging and dynamic learning community.
The Practice: Each faculty assigned with 20 students. The faculty monitors their performance and a record is maintained and shared with parents.
Evidence of Success: The mentorship program improves the academic performance of students, especially slow performers who need extra care.
Problems encountered and Resources Required: Assessing mentee’s background (knowledge and skills)and identifying mentee’s motivation.
Student-Centric & Faculty Moderated Peer Learning
Objectives of the practice: To encourage peer learning group all sections of students.
The Context: Students normally found it difficult in mathematics-oriented courses. In such cases, peer-learning help slow-learners.
The Practice: During tutorial hour peer learning is practiced. The instructor attached 5 slow learners to a brilliant student and lists out expected learning outcomes.
Evidence of Success: Through a course on mathematics, engineering graphics Signals and Systems, Problems Encountered and Resources Required Quantitative assessment of knowledge transferred is difficult. Notes RIET developed a model to deliver the contents to slow- learners.
Members
Minutes of IQAC Meetings
Academic Year 2024-2025
IQAC Meeting Minutes 27-6-2024
IQAC Meeting Minutes 8-1-2024
Academic Year 2023-2024
IQAC Meeting Minutes 14-7-2023
IQAC Meeting Minutes 2-2-2023