The Department of Sociology was started in Mizoram Christian College in the year 2020. The college is among the few colleges in Mizoram to host a sociology department. The Department gives primacy to contemporary methods of teaching to enable students to have better understanding of topics and themes central to the discipline in both basic and applied dimensions. The syllabus of sociology offers in-depth training in sociological theory and emphasize research methodology, as well as following areas of concentration in Introductory Concepts to the discipline, Studies in Indian Society, Rural/Urban Area Studies, Social Change and Social Movements, Political and Economic Studies as well as Gender Studies. An unique disciplinary and interdisciplinary orientation of academic programme is designed by the Department to guide and support students to equipped themselves with the SOCIOLOGICAL EYE in order to have a critical understanding of the world around them. The structure and content of the courses are meant to give a grounding that not only prepares students for future studies in sociology and other social sciences, but also to offer the benefits of learning to work in constructive manner in other areas of life.
Advance Academic Planning - Faculty meeting is held before the beginning of every academic session. Intiatives on - the Schedules, Course completion, Counselling, Students orientation, Parents Teachers Meeting for the new session are discussed. Steps are taken in advance in respect of – a) Distribution of classes amongst the teachers as per college routine, b) Distribution of topics to be taught by different teachers, c) First day briefing points and first day programmes for newly admitted students, d) Updating, sequencing and systematization of teaching materials and mode of procurement of books etc.
Fresher's Induction - The first day starts with - Academic Briefing, College Rules and Regulations, General Briefing with respect to College Life, Distribution of Time Table, Introduction of Faculty, Distribution of Student’s Profile Form etc. Students’ who fail to turn up on the first day, if any, are immediately contacted to examine the reason or reasons for their absence, and the list of absentees is submitted to the Principal. The Department believes in making a good start and hence normal classes are conducted necessarily from Day two of the session.
Record Keeping of Students Profile- Students’ Profile reflects students’ socio-economic background, ambitions, academic performances, schooling background etc. Students’ photo identity, contact numbers, place of residence-temporary and permanent, relationship with the local guardian etc. are kept for record, so as to closely examined and utilised to know a student’s true identity. Such information is utilized during Counselling. It also helps the teacher to adjust his or her teaching on the basis of students’ level of understanding, comprehension of English language, residential background and future plans.
Students’ Academic Profile - Apart from the general Students’ Profile, the Department has introduced STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PROFILE beginning from II semester till the Final (VI) semester.The profile reflects students’ marks in the End Semester Examinations and Continuous Assessment Tests. It also indicates whether a student has back subject(s) and if he/she has cleared the back subject, it shows the marks obtained in the particular subject(s). The Department teachers calculate the cumulative percentage and the students are given necessary counselling and encouragement. This method also seems to work well as seen from the previous Final Year Results.
STUDENTS ORIENTED SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
Mentor System: This system has been introduced to establish a better and effective student-teacher relationship and guide the students in Academic matters. All teachers work as Mentors to the students alloted to them. Students will have to go and meet their Mentor atleast once in a month for guidance. Successful mentoring relationships requires four phases: preparation, negotiating, enabling growth, and closure. These sequential phases build on each other and vary in length. The department feels that this is the primary aim in order to yield good results. Under this system, students of the same calibre are identified, formed into a group and assigned to a particular teacher for special care and mentoring. The teacher in charge is expected to keep in constant touch with his group, render all possible help so that his wards overcome their problems. The Department has formulated certain guidelines in respect of this mentoring or tutor-ward system.
Semester-wiseWhatsApp Groups’: Development in Information Technology has been utilised by forming SOCIOLOGY STUDENTS WHATSAPP GROUP. This is an official Departmental group consisting of Department Faculty and Sociology Core and a separate Sociology Elective group. This site is used for passing important information about academic matters e.g., Class Test, Quiz, Topics to be taught, materials to be brought, Co-curricular activities, Departmental Seminars, and for encouraging students particularly during Internal and End Semester Examinations.
Parents Teachers Association (PTA): The department feels that a Parents Teachers Association is needed for building relationships between parents and teachers to usher the academic performance and development of students. A Parents Teachers meet is organized at the beginning of every semester to create better relationship between the faculty and the parents. Parents Teachers WhatsApp group is also maintained for even and odd semester student’s parents/guardians. This site is also used for passing information regarding student’s academic performance, attendance and suggestions and other information on the part of the parents/guardians.
Imparting Ethics & Values: As per Department tradition, the teachers also impart value based teaching along with regular classroom lecture based on the prescribed syllabus. Another principle followed by the Department is to see that no academic period remains un-engaged even if the concerned teacher is unable to take class due to unavoidable reason. Thanks to the Principal, Pachhunga University College; the teachers have now been able to supplement the traditional chalk-and-talk method of teaching with power point presentation which is highly welcomed by the students as well.
Student Centric Pedagogy: The Department believes in maximum utilization of the allotted class-hours by introducing ‘Teacher-supervised learning’ in the classroom. The method has considerably upgraded the performance of the students in recent years. The teachers also take extra pain preparing Model Questions for Objective portion of the examination. Further, teachers conduct objective quiz competition in the 1st and 2nd year Sociology classes as a sort of revision on the topics covered. Class tests on objective type (multiple choice questions) are also often conducted. Teachers sometimes give essay writing assignments to final year students on various topics outside their syllabus to sharpen their writing ability. This practice also really counts as is reflected in the examination results.
Deschooling & Learning Through Doing: Practical work is also given to final year students to help acquaint themselves with research techniques within the college campus. Manners and etiquette, personality development, method of essay writing and facing interview techniques are also taught along with the syllabus. It is pleasing to note that even outsiders approach to avail service of the Department for job-orientation and consultation.
Faculty’s Departmental Responsibilities: The following distribution of responsibilities is given to each faculty member for developing efficiency and coherence between the faculties themselves and also for the Department -
ROUTINE AND CLASS MANAGEMENT
IQAC AND INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE
ATTENDANCE LEAVE APPLICATIONS AND DOCUMENTATIONS
EXAMINATIONS AND QUESTION BANK
CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND ROOM MAINTENANCE
COUNSELLING, STUDENTS PROFILE AND PROGRESSION
LIBRARY AND ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
PARENT-TEACHER AND STUDENT-TEACHER RELATIONS
PROPERTY RECORD AND FILE MAINTENANCE
SEMINARS, SPECIAL LECTURES,PAPER PRESENTATION ETC.
