We revisit curriculum at regularly & invite industry leaders to share their views on it, says GIHM Faculty

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, Assistant Professor Dipjyoti Datta at Gandhi Institute of Hotel Management talks in detail about the industry readiness as one of the most important aspects in today’s time to secure quality placement. He believes that preparing students for a better tomorrow is a two-way process. As hard as the institute works, the students also need to put in an equal amount of efforts by being responsive, curious about learning and passionate about improving.

Datta is an experienced industry professional and academic expert with over 14 years of rich experience.

Read the excerpts of the interview below:

Q: What is the difference between the teaching methodology in your institute and others?

A: Curriculum of all institutes more or less remains the same but what matters is the delivery of the content. We do focus on theoretical concepts but in parallel, we also make sure that students understand the concept by doing on their own. To make this happen, we make use of:

• Visualisation
• Cooperative learning
• Digital classrooms
• Behaviour management
• Professional development

Q: How are you preparing your students to be Industry ready?

A: Preparing students for industry life is a two-way process. As hard as the institute works, we also expect students to be responsive, curious about learning and passionate about improving. It’s a long process and starts from the very first day of their curriculum. Hands-on training, problem-solving skills training, troubleshooting are examples of a few tasks that we expect students to learn during the journey. Classes that are a blend of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Management) subjects aim at building the core skills that students need.

Q: What quality do your students have which other college students lack?

A: We aim at teaching the art of time management to our students. Learn to schedule and adhere to timelines is what we look after. Apart from these, other aspects that we train our students on are:

• Leadership: Student leadership means students take active roles in their education and develop positive skills in the process. The goal of inspiring student leaders is to create a culture of ownership, collaboration and community in the classroom. This we facilitate through class presentations, etc.
• Commitment: Commitment is praiseworthy because it facilitates learning. If good working conditions are provided for committed teachers, the effectiveness of the educational organisation that will lead to positive consequences for the college and students will enhance
• Work ethic: Good attendance and punctuality are two important pieces of a good work ethic, and they're easily addressed and accomplished
• Goal setting: Before you can accomplish your goals, you need to know what they are. People with good work ethics are goal-oriented and dedicated to achieving the success they envision
• Public service: A career in public service means you can pick your profession and go to work for a government or non-profit entity. Although public service professions may require a degree in a specific field, such as accounting, hotel management, nursing or law enforcement, there are often entry-level positions that require minimal formal education
• Ambition: A Student's Ambition. Being a student means having the desire to obtain something great. Ambition builds a student up and completes them into amazing human beings. We as college students need ambition because without the desire to succeed, there is absolutely no way we can
• Curiosity: to Inspire Student Curiosity. This research reminds parents, Learning Coaches, and teachers how crucial it is to engage our ...

Q: Do you think the curriculum of the courses taught in your institute fits in the requirement of the industry?

A: Yes. The quality of placements justifies the quality of the curriculum. And, GIHM has been reporting a rise in placements package year on year. Students are offered opportunities for working with the market leaders.

This is because of our dynamic curriculum. We revisit the curriculum at regular intervals and invite industry leaders and professionals to share their views on the same. We ask them about the latest trends in the industry and try to inculcate the same in our curriculum. The idea to make students industry-ready so recruiters need not spend so much time training our students.

Q: Is your college receptive to the innovation, technology, science & entrepreneurship?

A: Yes, our college is receptive to innovation, technology, science & entrepreneurship. We are second to none in making changes in our curriculum. We conduct guest lectures and workshops from industry

To make our students informed about the government working procedures, we facilitate them access to government-approved certification course. This course makes students aware of the working culture of the Indian government, as all multinational or national companies have to operate as per the guidance of the government