2 nd April, 2014 Page 1

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1 STAR COLLEGE SCHEME ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING (Funded by DBT, Govt. of India) 2 ND APRIL, 2014 Minutes of the Star College Advisory Meeting held at St. Edmund s College, Shillong, on 2 nd April, 2014 The meeting was attended by the following members at the Institutional Biotech Hub of the College Dr Sylvanus Lamare, Principal & Chairman, St. Edmund s College, Shillong Dr Sandhya R Shenoy (DBT Expert) PSO, Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, New Delhi. Prof R.H.D Lyngdoh (external Expert), Department of Chemistry, NEHU, Shillong Dr S. R Joshi (External Expert) Associate Professor, Department of Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, NEHU, Shillong Prof Monotosh Chakravarty (Advisors), IQAC Coordinator, St. Edmund s College, Shillong. Prof Sumit Deb (Advisors), IQAC Member, St. Edmund s College, Shillong. Dr Samrat Adhikari (Member Secretary), Head, Department of Biotechnology, St. Edmund s College, Shillong. Dr Radhendu Das, Head, Department of Physics, St. Edmund s College, Shillong Prof. S. Purkayastha, Head, Department of Chemistry, St. Edmund s College, Shillong. Dr M. C Paul, Head, Department of Botany, St. Edmund s College, Shillong. Prof. Lovely Lyngdoh, Department of Zoology, St. Edmund s College, Shillong. Dr Abhijit Debroy, Head, Department of Biochemistry, St. Edmund s College, Shillong Dr V. R Rao, Coordinator, Department of Physics, St. Edmund s College, Shillong. Prof Shubhrojyoti Choudhury, Coordinator, Department of Chemistry, St. Edmund s College, Shillong Dr Viki Manners, Coordinator, Department of Botany, St. Edmund s College, Shillong Mr Duwaki Rangad, Coordinator, Department of Zoology, St. Edmund s College, Shillong. Dr Omarlin Kyndiah, Coordinator, Department of Biochemistry, St. Edmund s College, Shillong. Ms. Baiakmenlang Manners, Coordinator, Department of Biotechnology, St. Edmund s College, Shillong. Faculty members of participating departments. 2 nd April, 2014 Page 1

2 The meeting started with Dr. S. Lamare, Principal, welcoming the Experts, HOD and other faculty members from six participating departments. The virtual laboratory was inaugurated by Dr S. Shenoy, PSO, DBT, Govt. of India. It was followed by departmental presentation. Dept. of Biochemistry: Dr.Piyali Bhattarjee Suggestions given by Dr. Shenoy: While exhorting the work done by the Department Dr. Shenoy observed that small scale inter departmental and inter institutional projects involving students should be taken up in areas covering stem cells, bio engineering etc. Summer/winter schools should be organized to encourage students. Tie up with other institutions like medical college etc. Department of Biotechnology: Ms. Baiakmenlang manners: Observations of Dr. Shenoy: Drug designs, simple computational techniques should be introduced. Evaluation parameters of the project work should be well defined. Department of Botany: Dr. Viki Manners Observations by Dr. Shenoy: The rich bio diversity of Meghalaya should be explored through project work like DNA isolation etc. Work on algae community for the production or introduction of bioenergy needs a look in; solar cells, bio diesel etc. in the projects for the undergraduate students should be taken up. Department of Chemistry: Prof. Shubhrojyoti Choudhury Observations by Dr. Shenoy: Since Chemistry is the Mother of all sciences the Department should initiate more faculty training programs. Explore tie ups with industries. Training for Lab assistants. Department of Physics: Dr. V. R. Rao Observations by Dr. Shenoy: Tie up with Biochemistry and Biotechnology departments to explore the possibility of manufacturing simple fibre-optical products. Department of Zoology: Prof. Duwaki Rangad 2 nd April, 2014 Page 2

3 Observations by Dr. Shenoy: Possibility of networking with the Med Schools in the branch of pathology should be explored. Project on Stem cells (animals) methodology should be taken up. After the Departmental presentations the Budget utilization and proposal report was presented by the Member Secretary to the satisfaction of the experts. Address by Prof. R.H. D Lyngdoh, External expert -Felt happy and appreciated the immense growth and development in the college. -Appreciated the maximum utilization of the funds. -Students Projects beyond the syllabus. -Projects should be included as a part of the syllabus. -Computational Chemistry, Optic Chemistry and Quantum Mechanics to be explored. -FIP encouraged. -Small Stem cell research projects under UGC for faculty and students may be planned.. Address by Dr. S.R. Joshi (External expert) -Appreciated the transparency of accounting and utilization of the funds by all the departments. -Hands on training appreciated. -Group Projects instead of individual ones under the mentors encouraged -FIP: Attending seminars, workshops- 2 days symposia to be attended rather than the 3 or 6 months trainings programmes which may not be often feasible in a college set-up. Parting Comments by Dr. Shenoy: -Outstanding work done by departments (out of the 6 departments)- Biotechnology and Physics. -Develop a star college website modeled after Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, New Delhi reflecting the 6 departments in question -More hands on training for students should be organized. -Inter departmental and inter college workshops -Non classical experiments on tropical areas like Nanotechnology, drug designing using In silico, biodiesel, bio energy, stem cell studies etc. for the undergraduate students in the college. -Hub of medicinal plants is Meghalaya: isolate active principles for antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-cancer drugs. -More Summer/winter schools for students should be organized Faculty queries: 2 nd April, 2014 Page 3

4 Dr Piyali Bhattacharjee: Where to do stem cell research as there is hardly any local or regional infra structural support? Dr D. Syiemiong: Amount received for the funds under the star college scheme is too less for the activities that are being asked to be carried out. Dr S. Shenoy: Get up to the star college level and the grant will be increased to 3 lakhs per department Students Interaction: The experts were introduced to the students by the Principal. Dr Shenoy asked the following questions to the students (a) Are you happy with your course, practicals? (b) Are you ready to perform beyond syllabus? (c) What are the new practicals that you have performed? (d) What has this scheme inspired to you to do? (e) Do you think it s good to start project in the first year? (f) Are you willing to work during winters? The students present, interacted freely and presented their view as follows: Most of the students are happy with the course and are also ready to perform experiments beyond syllabus. The scheme has helped to broaden the scope to pursue studies in basic sciences. The students would like to start their projects from first year onwards. The students showed their reluctance to work during winters. Lastly, Dr Shenoy commented that hands on experiment and training would make the students all the more confident for master s degree programmes. One should capitalize on the fact that the government has increased funds for research in basic sciences. Equip yourself first and then help others you would be tested on your practical knowledge was the concluding remark made by Dr Shenoy to the students. The meeting ended with a formal vote of thanks proposed by Dr Piyali Bhattacharjee to Dr. Sylvanus Lamare, Principal, St. Edmund s College, Shillong; Dr Sandhya R Shenoy, DBT Expert; Prof R.H.D Lyngdoh, NEHU, Shillong, Dr S. R Joshi, NEHU, Shillong, Prof M. Chakravarty, IQAC Coordinator, St. Edmund s College, Shillong. 2 nd April, 2014 Page 4

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