1. Title: Empowering First-Generation Learners in Rural Areas: Affordable Education, Skill Development, and Technological Enablement

2. Objective

Our objective is to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment for students who are predominantly 1st generation learners from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in remote interior areas. By embracing their cultural roots, we strive to foster a sense of belonging, pride, and familiarity, facilitating their smooth acclimation to college life. To achieve this, we are dedicated to providing extensive assistance in accessing government scholarships and actively celebrating local traditions. By utilizing effective communication methods, such as Whatsapp groups and telephonic interactions, and seamlessly adapting to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, we aimed to ensure uninterrupted learning opportunities. Our ultimate mission is to empower these students for a successful academic journey within a nurturing and caring environment.

3. The Context:

Our college is committed to serving economically disadvantaged learners from remote interior areas, our college embraces their cultural roots, provides extensive assistance, celebrates local traditions, and ensures uninterrupted learning opportunities through upgraded teaching practices, fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment.

4. The Practice:

Language and Cultural Inclusivity:

In our commitment to inclusivity, we have adopted a multilingual approach in all our communication. Posters, instructions, and relevant materials are available in English, Bengali, and Santali languages, accommodating the linguistic diversity of our students and staff. By using Santali as one of the primary languages, we also aim to preserve and promote the local cultural heritage. Embracing their cultural roots fosters a sense of belonging and pride, inspiring students to engage more actively in their academic pursuits. Celebrating local traditions and art forms through annual events creates a vibrant and exciting atmosphere that sparks enthusiasm for learning. By recognizing and valuing cultural identity, we aim to motivate students, enhance their educational experience, and empower them to overcome challenges in their academic journey.

Scholarships and Support:

Recognizing the economic challenges students from marginalized backgrounds face, we provide extensive assistance in helping them access various government scholarships. Our dedicated team works diligently to ensure that eligible students from the scheduled tribe and scheduled caste communities receive the best available scholarships from both state and central governments.

Year Wise Total Number of Beneficiary of different Scholarship

Cultural Celebrations:
Our annual functions prominently feature special segments that showcase the rich traditions and art forms of the Santal community. Activities such as Pata Dance, Karam Puja &Baha Festival are highlighted on these platforms, allowing students to connect with and celebrate their cultural roots. Additionally, we commemorate the birth anniversaries legends, harmonizing through important events and organize various festivals attracting audiences from both the community and beyond.

Gracious "Pata Dance" in Various College Programmes

“Baha Festival” Portrayed in Annual Function

“Karam Puja” Portrayed in Annual Function

Observation of Pandit Raghunath Murmu's Birthday (5th May)

Observation of Birsa Munda’s Birthday/ JanajatiyaGouravDivas(15th November)

Dedicated Communicative Process:

Our college operates various WhatsApp groups for different departments and student-centric committees, including anti-ragging, scholarships, student welfare, and exam committees. Considering the remote areas where internet access is limited, our teachers go beyond traditional communication methods and engage in telephonic conversations for personalized one-on-one interactions, which is not commonly practiced. This approach ensures effective communication, even in areas where internet connectivity poses challenges. In addition, our college also maintains official YouTube channels for both the college and various departments. These channels serve as valuable resources for students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we swiftly adapted to online teaching methods, utilizing platforms such as Google Classroom and Learning Management Systems (LMS). Through these platforms, we conducted virtual classes, shared study materials, and administered online assessments, ensuring uninterrupted learning for our students.

5. Evidence of Success:

We take immense pride in our student's achievements, as many excel in their subjects, qualifying in prestigious exams such as JAM, NET, SET, GATE, etc. even when they had started from zero family background of education. Besides, the dropout ratio has come down gradually while having an increment in the qualified to the appeared ratio in the University examinations. Not only that, some of the students have also got placements in several government and private institutions. We are moving forward day with the vision of zero dropout and more success stories and of course, we are confident about our vision. In conclusion, our institution remains committed to creating an inclusive environment that fosters the growth and promotion of studentship while actively supporting students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. We acknowledge the importance of cultural heritage and socioeconomic diversity in enriching the academic experience of our students, and we will continue to improve and expand our efforts toward this noble cause.

6. Problems Encountered and Resources Required:

Our college faces several challenges and resource requirements as a new institution. Infrastructural strengthening is necessary to support our growing student population. Increasing the number of teaching staff and filling vacant posts across departments is essential for providing quality education. Shortages of non-teaching staff and group D staff need to be addressed to streamline administrative functions.

Additionally, there is a shortage of classrooms, making it difficult to allocate classes according to the CBCS curriculum. To enhance digital literacy, more computers and printers are required. The lack of a language laboratory and lab assistants for the science department poses further challenges.

Furthermore, we aim to promote collaborative and interdisciplinary activities to foster holistic education. Allocating resources and support for such initiatives will enrich our student's learning experiences. By addressing these issues and securing the necessary resources, we can create a nurturing and conducive learning environment for our students' comprehensive development