Loknete Vyankatrao Hiray Arts Science & Commerce College Panchavati, Nashik, (MS)

Incentives for Learning through the Best Chemistry Student Competition

Objectives of the Practice:

• 1. To revise the basic concepts of Chemistry.
• 2. To update the subject Knowledge of the students.
• 3. To encourage students to apply the subject knowledge in day-to-day life.
• 4. To develop an ability for critical and analytical thinking.
• 5. To create a competitive spirit among the students.
• 6. To avail an incentive to motivate students.

The Context:

Chemistry is basic science. With the knowledge of Chemistry, we can understand the surrounding around us in a better way. It can explain to us the process of evolution and the origin of living organisms on the earth. The functioning of the human body depends upon the chemical mechanism which Chemistry can exemplify in the most convincing way. The whole edifice of medical science depends upon Chemistry. Chemistry is the greatest asset of pharmaceuticals. It is also used by and large in agriculture, industry, and energy generation. Thus, the knowledge of Chemistry is applicable in every walk of human life. Many times, the students seem to be unaware of the practical application of the knowledge of Chemistry in various fields. They have all theoretical knowledge only. Therefore, in order to make their basic concepts clear and to motivate them for the practical application of Chemistry, the Department of Chemistry conducts a competition of the Best Chemistry Student.

The Practice:

The Department of Chemistry has been conducting the Best Chemistry Student competition since the academic year 2010. It is conducted in the mid of the year when students are well acquainted with the discipline knowledge. Initially, the students who wish to participate in the competition are enrolled. The competition is for the final year UG students and first and second year of PG students. It is conducted class-wise and the Best Chemistry Student is selected from every class. Basically, it is a quiz competition that follows all modern and innovative methods of conducting quiz competitions. It is full of thrill and excitement also. The interest of the students is sustained till the end through different rounds of the competition.

There are many rounds in this competition that work as a filtration process to select students for the Best Chemistry Student award. The first round is a Selection Round for which a written test is conducted. It is an objective test with 100 multiple-choice questions. These MCQs are based on the syllabus the students have studied so far. There is a negative marking scheme to evaluate the answer sheets of the students. This is the very first filter round where a considerable number of the students are eliminated as the scope of the questionnaire is vast with a negative marking scheme. Out of the Selection Round, the toppers are shortlisted and divided into teams.

The second round is the Rapid-Fire Round in which participants are supposed to answer a particular set of questions within the stipulated period of time. There is no negative marking in this round. The next is a Buzzer Round with a negative marking scheme. The team that blows the buzzer first is eligible for the answer. The next round is a Drawing Round in which the students are supposed to draw certain Chemistry related structures. The subject knowledge as well as the skills of drawing structures is assessed through this round.

The final round is the Practical Knowledge Round where basic subject knowledge, as well as the applicability of the knowledge, is tested. In this way, the students are scrupulously evaluated on the basis of their in-depth knowledge of the subject. There are cash –prizes for the winners of the competition. The winner is declared as the Best Chemistry student and is conferred with the cash prize of Rs.1000. The second runner-up is given the cash prize of Rs.500. The prizes of the competition are sponsored by the Head of the Institute Prin. Dr. B. S. Jagdale.

Evidences of Success:

The Best Chemistry Student Competition is the most popular competition in the department. The students are seen preparing for the competition right from the first year itself. The eligible students participate in the competition with great enthusiasm. The competition helps to develop their critical and logistic thinking. It also helps for the total evaluation and the department can locate the advanced learners through the competition. It also creates a competitive spirit among the students making them familiar with different techniques of the competitions. The faculty of the department gets busy setting the questionnaire as well as different sets of questions. The overall impact of this is that students are trained to digest more and more of the subject knowledge. They are sensitized to key areas and try to learn them effectively. The Best Chemistry Student competition has boosted the result of the department as the students are keenly focused on basic subject knowledge.

Problems Encountered and Resources Required

Encouraging students to participate in the competition and enrolling them in the competition is definitely one of the challenges. Though there are many students at UG and PG levels, there are a few students willing to participate in the competitions. Setting a question paper for the written test is another challenge. This question paper has to be based on the syllabus of UG and PG syllabi and yet it has to be new every time and altogether different than the earlier one which sometimes seems to be difficult. Setting questionnaires for the buzzer round is also difficult and the faculty has to be well-studied to be able to avoid repetitions. Sustaining the interest of the students throughout the competition is also a challenge.

Notes (Optional)

Nil

Extension Activities

Strength

1.Experienced faculty with cutting-edge research and patents at their credits.

2.ICT -Based and innovative teaching-learning methods.

3.Well-equipped laboratories with advanced instrumentation for research and innovation.

4.Comprehensive efforts for the holistic development of students.

5.National and international linkages. searchers.

Future plan

• To build more research linkages for quality research.
• To organize National and International conferences in collaboration with national and international linkages.
• Training in various chemistry software
• To start the ADD-ON course in chemistry.
• To increase Industry-Academia interaction.

Top Alumni

Research Centre Details

a. Year of Introduction: 2011-12
b. Highlights

• The research centre for Ph. D affiliated to the The research centre is affiliated with the Savitribai Phule Pune University,Pune
• The research centre for Ph. D affiliated to the
• The research center is affiliated with the Savitribai Phule Pune University,
Pune
• Enriched research culture.
• Cutting-edge research addressing the needs of society
• Outstanding research output with the faculty publishing patents
• Advanced equipment for research

c.Areas of Research:

Physical Chemistry

• Thermodynamic study of binary, ternary liquid mixtures and electrolyte, non-electrolyte solutions..
• Density, viscosity and related parameters of solutions.

Organic Chemistry

• Organic Synthesis..
• Green synthesis
• Computational organic chemistry - Density functional theory Study using Gaussian 03 W software.

Inorganic Chemistry

• Synthesis and characterization of Schiff base compounds followed by their biological screening
• Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Environment Chemistry

• Residual pesticide determination from various vegetables and fruits

Research Guides

Ph.D. Scholars Registered

Research Projects Completed

On-Going Projects

Research Papers Published

Research Projects

Book/Chapters published

Patents/Copyrights Published/Filed

Conferences Organized

Workshops on IPR and Research Methodology

F.Y.B.Sc. Chemistry (USC-I)

Semester-I

Semester-II

S.Y.B.Sc. Chemistry (USC-II)

Semester-III

Semester-IV

T.Y.B.Sc. Chemistry (USC-III)

Semester-V

Semester-VI

M.Sc.-I Chemistry (PSC)

Semester-I

Semester-II

M.Sc.-II Organic Chemistry (PSCO)

Semester-III

Semester-IV

Course M.Sc.-II Physical Chemistry (PSCP)

Semester-III

Semester-IV

Course M.Sc.-II Inorganic Chemistry (PSCI)

Semester-III

Semester-IV

State Level Conference Organized

State level conference is organized by the department on Postcolonialism and Eco criticism on 5^th & 6^th Feb 2016. In the conference Dr.Milind Malshe,IIT,Powai was the Chief-Guest,and Dr. SatishDeshpande, BAMU Aurangabad, Dr.Shobha Shinde,North Maharashtra University,Jalgaon,Dr.Mabel Fernandis, BAMU Aurangabad, Prin. Dr.A.P. Patil, Ozar College, Dr.Seema Bhaduri,HPT College, Dr.Chetan Deshmane,HPT. were the resource persons.

State Level Seminar on “Digitalization of English Language and Literature Teaching” on 30^th Jan. 2018 11 research scholars presented the research papers on different topics related with the theme of the seminar. Prof. Kishore Nikam was the convener and Dr. Sandeep Wagh was the Coordinator of seminar. The resource persons were as follows

• Dr. MilindMalshe, IIT Powai
• Dr. B. S. Valke
• Principal Dr. P.R.Bhabad
• Dr. Anjali Gautam
• Dr. Chetan Deshmane

Workshops Organized

The faculty of the department organized a workshop for junior college teachers in teaching the new syllabus for XII std class on Nov. 12 and 13, 2007

Net-Set workshop was organized by the department for PG students from (Jan.18) 2012-13.The following Resource Persons guided our students for 2^nd & 3^rd paper of NET/SET.

Extension Service

The faculty of the department participated in spoken English and communication skill programms to provide training for newly appointed judges in Nashik court from Aug.6, 2008 to Aug. 12, 2008.

The faculty was involved in teaching to classes such as M.Sc. Zoology Part I – English for Scientists and BCS - Enriching Oral and Written Communication and now Visionary Gleam.

The faculty has taken some grammar classes for 11^th & 12^th std. students in the academic year 2016-17

The Innovative Practices

The following innovative practices have been followed by department of English.

• ICT methodology has been introduced (Internet Computer Technology)
• Audio-visual centre has been started.
• Language programms, movies, plays are screened frequently according to their need & syllabus.
• Exercises in listening and speaking skills are given by using lingua-phone machines and computer software (Language lab).
• Books are issued regularly to the students and staff.
• ‘A certificate course in English for Business’ has been started since 2007-08.
• The students are availed of opportunity to have wider exposure to the English language, newspapers (The Times of India) & the periodicals,Journals are displayed in the department.
• The students are encouraged to write creatively such as short stories, poems,articles etc. for the College Annual ‘Parijat’.
• In the academic year the students took part in intercollegiate soliloquy Competition held at HPT College on Commemorating Shakespeare 400. PallaviPawar ,M.A.II students bagged 1st prize of Rs.1000/- & also won Best Team Trophy in the competition.
• The students are deputed for paper presentation at inter collegiate level.In the year 2016-17 five students of the department took part in Paper Presentation Competition & Rahul Nair (S.Y.B.A) won second prize of 1000/- Rs.& Mahendra Gaikwad ( M..II) Received consolation prize in it.
• In the academic year 2016-17, Eleven students of the department took part in various debating & elocution competitions held at different places.
• In the academic year 2017-18 two students of MA II won best paper award at Paper Presentation Competition held at BRD Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Nashik-Road, Nashik; Anam Shaikh won the first prize in Best Paper Category and Asmita Rupawate won Second Prize in same Category.
• The department organized Guest Lecture Series for PG students since the year 2013-14.The following Resource Persons Delivered lectures for PG students in these series.

Events

• Our department faculties, P.G. and U.G. students actively participated in demonstration of Science Experiments in Science association programme.
• Workshop and seminars are organized by the department which promotes high standard in college education by extending facility to teachers, students and researchers.
• Every year there is organization of “Best Chemistry Student competition” (BCS) for UG and PG students by attractive prizes which generate interest in chemistry.
• The BCS competition includes Poster presentation oral presentation and Chemistry Quiz.
• The 2011 year was celebrated as International Year of Chemistry (IYC) under the unifying theme “Chemistry our life, our future,” Through this theme we organize an Oral Presentation competition for post graduate students of chemistry at inter college level.
• Research methodology workshop was organised by department for M.Sc. Chemistry students to adopt the research culture among the students.
• NET/SET workshop conducted and running every year for P.G.Students
• Department smoothly running industrial visit every year UG and PG level as a part of syllabus.
• Students Participated in Various cultural and social activities.

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Teaching Faculty