
Oldest college in state eyes NAAC merit
Morung Express News
Mokokchung | November 20
Fazl Ali College, the oldest college in the state, which is all set to celebrate its golden jubilee next September, has already made its mark in the field of education. Over the last forty-nine years since inception, this premiere educational institution has churned out academicians, politicians and professionals. As it plans to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, the college dreams of being accredited by the prestigious National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and to become a constituent college under Nagaland University.
So far, the college has been qualified to be assessed by the NAAC and has been given Institutional Eligibility for Quality Assessment (IEQA) status in July. The college will be submitting a mandatory self-study report to the council this December. Nonetheless, the urge to be accredited by the NAAC has compelled the college to introduce some innovative programmes like the students’ welfare fund and students’ mentor programmes in the year 2007 in order to be accredited.
The college has introduced a students’ mentor programme where all the teachers are compulsorily assigned to take care of twelve students and advise them in their academic and even personal lives. This programme has not only helped the teachers in identifying the ‘hidden talents’ of the students, principal of the college Kuholi Chishi asserted, but also improved their personalities. Orientations programmes for teachers are also held so the teachers can be well-equipped to understand problems and enable students to use their talents. The students (called ‘mentee’, a new term but which, according to English lecturer Akok Walling, will come up in the next edition of the Oxford Dictionary) have to compulsorily meet their mentors, otherwise they will not be allowed to fill their examination forms.
Expressing happiness over the IEQA status given to the college, Akok Walling said he is happy that the guidelines for accreditation has helped the college in introducing the students’ mentor programme which was first proposed by him a few years ago.
Besides, the programme, the college has also started a student’s welfare programme in which every teacher pool in Rs 1000 and which is set aside to help needy students. A ‘Welfare Committee’ has been set up in the college and students who desire to avail the fund have to apply for it, which will then be scrutinized by the committee.
Dispelling doubts that the introduction of such programmes is driven by the urge to be accredited, Kuholi Chishi said their use have rather benefited the college a lot. Such programmes would stay even in the future she said.
She also expressed gratitude to the NAAC which has ‘opened the eyes of the college authority’ and showed them the means to attaining quality education. “It has opened out eyes a lot, we didn’t think about (such programmes) before,” said Kuholi Chishi. Kuholi Chishi also said that the college along with Science College in Jotsoma is trying to become a constituent college under NU and expressed great hope that it would be fulfilled. Once FAC becomes a constituent college, it will no more be under the state government but under the Nagaland University with full funding from the UGC.
Fazl Ali College is a well known higher educational institution in Nagaland. The oldest college in Nagaland, it was inaugurated on 8th September, 1959 with Sarwan as principal. Its motto is Academic Nulli Secundus (Second to None). The college will commemorate its golden jubilee next year in September.
There are 13 departments (Arts and Science together) with honors offered in 12 subjects. A special feature is the introduction of Functional English, with assistance from the UGC since the year 2001. This is a vocational subject and is so far offered only in this college in the entire North East India.