Panjab University in Chandigarh has issued a directive making a structured mentor-mentee programme compulsory across all its academic units. The initiative, aimed at fostering student development beyond academics, requires every faculty member to guide a specific group of students with dedicated weekly interactions.
Program Structure and Weekly Mandate
The official communication from the office of the Dean of University Instruction specifies clear operational details. Each faculty member will be associated with a group of 15 to 20 students. Crucially, the university has mandated that one dedicated slot per week must be exclusively reserved in the official academic timetable for these mentor-mentee interactions.
The directive has been sent to chairpersons, directors, and coordinators of all teaching departments, centres, institutes, constituent colleges, and regional centres under the university. The program is designed to strengthen student engagement and support their all-round growth, moving beyond the confines of traditional classroom teaching.
Activities and Implementation Freedom
Departments are encouraged to organise a variety of co-curricular activities alongside the regular mentoring sessions. The university has provided a suggestive list of activities to enrich the programme. These include:
- Inter-departmental sports events and competitions.
- Special lectures or expert talks focusing on critical issues like mental health and substance abuse prevention ("nasha mukti").
- Cultural programmes and competitions.
- Interactive skill-development sessions and inter-departmental initiatives.
While suggesting these activities, the circular leaves the specific modalities of organisation to the discretion of individual departments. The only universal requirement is that proper records and documentation of all conducted activities must be maintained.
Monitoring, Reporting, and Legal Basis
To ensure effective implementation and track progress, the university has established a robust reporting mechanism. Each department is required to prepare and submit a detailed monthly report to the Dean of University Instruction's office.
These monthly reports must highlight the frequency of mentor-mentee interactions, details of activities conducted, level of student participation, and the outcomes achieved. Subsequently, these reports will be uploaded to the National Task Force portal, as per broader directives.
The university clarified that this exercise is being carried out in accordance with directions from the Supreme Court of India, which were conveyed through the Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education, Government of India. The instructions apply uniformly to all affiliated academic units, and heads have been tasked with ensuring timely compliance with both the programme and the reporting schedule.
