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About college/Vision Mission/Core Values

About college

Rajiv Gandhi Government Degree College, popularly known as Kotshera, located at Chaura Maidan, Shimla came into existence in the year 1984. Situated at a distance of about 3 Kms from the Old Bus Stand, it is easily accessible from the Mall Road, Boileauganj and Summerhill. It is at a 10 minutes’ walking distance from 103 Bus Stop and around 12 minutes’ walk from the Railway Station. The campus is situated near the picturesque and serene Inverarm Hill, one of the seven hills in the city. A narrow downhill trail opposite the historic Cecil Hotel, canopied by thick and lush green deodar and rhododendron groves, leads to the college campus. The college is ensconced amidst a pristine natural environment like The Academy of Indian Audit and Accounts, Yarrows and the renowned Annadale helipad, the college building offers a mesmerizing view of snow-clad mountains and thick woods. The college has the rare Cryptomeria japonica tree, very few of which can be found in the city.

The old building of the college was a colonial, palatial house named the Kotshera House, from which the college got its name. The pre-independence history of the place is said to have deep connections with a family belonging originally to Gujranwala in the erstwhile Punjab. The building served as the office of the Himachal Pradesh State Education Board for a few years, before being set up as a degree college. Its journey as an educational institution began by serving as the Humanities wing of Government Degree College, Sanjauli, in the year 1984.

The college has made immense progress and grown in stature all through its glorious journey. At present, the college campus spreads over wide area having strength of more than 3400 students. It is transforming into a leading co-educational institution of the state offering undergraduate courses in all three streams viz. Humanities, Sciences and Commerce. Varied job-oriented professional courses like Bachelor of Computer

Allocations, Journalism and Mass Communication, Tourism and Travel Management and PDGCA are being offered by the college to provide a cutting edge to the students. The Add-on courses (or Skill Development Courses) under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) have also been started in this institution. It offers skill-based Training to the Youth that will enable them in securing a better livelihood. This College is one of the few institutions in the state which offers English Honours to students.

It is a matter of great pleasure and distinct honour as our college has been listed under the ‘Utkrisht Mahavidyalaya Yojana 2021’. The scheme is an initiative that will work towards boosting the holistic development of colleges in the state. As a part of this initiative the college will undergo a transformative upgradation from campus to classroom. The institution is trying its best to emulate the main objectives of this scheme; that is to provide a better infrastructure and benefits of modern technology to students which would incorporate virtual classrooms, a well-equipped gym, an automated library along with self-financed courses.

The college has state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities for academic and personal growth of the students through academic, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. The institution has adequate number of well-furnished classrooms, well equipped science laboratories, an IT laboratory, a BCA laboratory, a well-stocked library, a multi-purpose auditorium, gymnasium and a playfield. The college campus provides hygienic canteen facility to the staff and students. Smart class rooms have been provided to foster teaching and learning through audio/visual aids. The institution offers social outreach activities like the National Service Scheme, National Cadet Corps, Eco Club, Red Ribbon Club, Rovers and Rangers and Women Cell to cultivate a sense of social responsibilities among the students.

The institution aspires for the socio-cultural, moral and intellectual development of its students through disseminating purposeful knowledge and imparting meaningful education. The institution works persistently to equip the students for higher education and better job opportunities and offers counselling and tutorials for the underprivileged students. The purpose of the institution is to make quality all round education available to all who enter its portals.

The teaching staff encourages the creative streak in the students and its active involvement in their academic, cultural and sports pursuits. The mission of the college is to inspire, prepare and empower its students to succeed in the rapidly changing world.

Vision

The college fosters dissemination of knowledge to ensure holistic development of the young minds and nurture them into individuals with skill sets, critical thinking, unwavering confidence, and above all a strong character embodying values of honestly, kindness, earnestness and integrity.

Mission

The stated mission of Rajiv Gandhi Government Degree College, Chaura Maidan, Shimla is :-

  • To encourage the creative streak in the students and its active involvement in their academic, cultural and sports pursuits.
  • To inspire, prepare and empower students to succeed in the rapidly changing world.
  • To achieve excellence in academics through innovative teaching and learning practices.
  • To inculcate technological skills in order to prepare students to incorporate the same in their personal and professional lives.
  • To inculcate a culture that supports and reinforces ethical, professional behaviours for a harmonious and prosperous society

Core Values of the Institute

Rajiv Gandhi Government Degree College, Chaura Maidan, Shimla follows the core values that are focused on the sustainable development of the institution and serves as a guide through changing times and helps in attainment of our vision and mission. The core values of our institution are:

The stated mission of Rajiv Gandhi Government Degree College, Chaura Maidan, Shimla is :-

  • Inspiring work environment: Stakeholders works in an environment which is based on mutual trust, respect for the rights, differences and dignity and are based on team work.
  • Honesty, Integrity and Hard Work: The institution promote, support and demonstrate mutual respect, kindness, honesty and hard work.
  • Punctuality and Dedication: The institution promote punctuality and encourages dedication among staff and students.
  • Conscientious Pursuit of Excellence: The Institution with its 3Ds approach of duty, discipline and devotion is constantly aimed at achieving excellence in every aspect of the institutional delivery.
  • Accountable Actions and Conduct: By promoting scientific temperament among students, adopting environment friendly practices, cleanliness, civic awareness measures, promoting equity and social inclusion measures the institute performs accountable actions and conduct in the society.

CODE OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

Professional ethics are values that guide how an individual or group behaves in a professional setting. Professional ethics offer guidelines for how one should behave towards other individuals and institutions in such a setting, similar to values.

Code of Conduct for Teachers

Anyone who chooses to pursue a career in teaching takes on the responsibility of conducting themselves in a way that upholds the profession's objective. A teacher is constantly under the scrutiny of her/his students and the society at large. Therefore, every teacher needs to ensure that their practises and teaching principles are compatible. A teacher must uphold the national ideals of education and should work to inculcate the same in students. A teacher must also possess and practice the following code of profession ethics:

  • Every faculty member should work within the institutional policies and practices so as to satisfy the vision and mission of the college
  • Code of conduct for teaching is mainly governed by the Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla – 5 and Department of Higher Education, Government of Himachal Pradesh Acts, Statutes, Ordinances and Service Rules. All the teaching staff members should abide by the Act, Statute and Ordinance of the University and to respect its ideals, vision, mission, cultural practices and tradition;
  • All teaching members should prepare a lesson/teaching plan, well in advance before commencement of classes;
  • During the period of service, all members of the teaching staff shall employ themselves honestly and efficiently under the Principalship of the Head of the Institution;
  • No member of the teaching staff shall engage in any political activity within the college campus;
  • All the members of the teaching staff must be punctual for classes and should adhere to the timings scheduled for other activities and events;
  • All members of staff, both teaching and non-teaching must mark their attendance regularly in the Biometric machine installed for the purpose in the college;
  • The duties assigned to the teachers consists of lectures/practical/tutorials in the allocated workload of the individual teacher. In addition, they have to undertake responsibilities of conducting evaluation and invigilation, administrative work, providing counsel to students and participating in extra-curricular activities and institutional support activities as required;
  • The working hours of the teaching staff shall be according to the prescribed timem table and any other additional duty assigned to them;
  • Mentor – Mentees System must be followed by every teacher and the teachers should take proper care of their group of students by guiding, motivating, counselling and monitoring them;
  • Every faculty member shall deal impartially with students regardless of their religion, caste, economic, social and physical identity;
  • Refrain from undertaking any other employment and commitment including private tuitions and coaching classes which are likely to interfere with their professional responsibilities;
  • Co-operate with the authorities for the betterment of the institutions keeping in view the interest and in conformity with the dignity of the profession;
  • Adhere to the terms of contract;
  • Give and expect due notice before a change of position takes place; and Refrain from availing themselves of leave except on unavoidable grounds and as far as practicable with prior intimation, keeping in view their particular responsibility for completion of academic schedule.
  • Seek to make professional growth continuous through study and research
  • Express free and frank opinion by participation at professional meetings, seminars, conferences etc. towards the contribution of knowledge;
  • Respect the right and dignity of the student in expressing his/her opinion;
  • Deal justly and impartially with students regardless of their religion, caste, political, economic, social and physical characteristics;
  • Inculcate among students, scientific outlook and respect for physical labour and ideals of democracy, patriotism and peace;
  • Encourage students to improve their attainments, develop their personalities and at the same time contribute to community welfare;
  • Refrain from inciting students against other students, colleagues or administration;
  • All staff members must refrain from any form of unlawful discrimination relating to gender/sexuality/age/marital status in their behaviour towards their colleagues, teaching staff and students;
  • All members of the staff shall refrain from verbal, non-verbal and/or physical misconduct of a sexual nature in their interactions with students, other college staff, and visitors at the college. The college has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment;
  • All staff members shall adhere to a responsible pattern of conduct and demeanor expected of them by the community and manage their private affairs in a manner consistent with the dignity of the profession;
  • All teaching staff members shall maintain active membership of professional organisations and strive to improve education and profession through them. They shall also discourage and not indulge in plagiarism and other non-ethical behaviour in teaching and research;
  • Discharge their professional responsibilities according to the existing rules and adhere to procedures and methods consistent with their profession in initiating steps through their own institutional bodies and / or professional organisations for change of any such rule detrimental to the professional interest;
  • Treat the non-teaching staff as colleagues and equal partners in a cooperative undertaking, within every educational institution;
  • Recognise that education is a public service and strive to keep the public informed of the educational programmes which are being provided;
  • Be aware of social problems and take part in such activities as would be conducive to the progress of society and hence the country as a whole;
  • Perform the duties of citizenship, participate in community activities and shoulder responsibilities of public offices;
  • Refrain from taking part in or subscribing to or assisting in any way activities, which tend to promote feeling of hatred or enmity among different communities, religions or linguistic groups but actively work for national integration.
Code of Conduct for Non-Teaching / Administrative Staff
  • Code of conduct for non-teaching staff is mainly governed by Himachal Pradesh University Shimla and Department of Higher Education, Government of Himachal Pradesh Acts, Statutes, Ordinances and Service Rules;
  • The normal working period for those in the category of non-teaching staff shall be from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM with one-hour lunch break on all working days;
  • All staff members should display the highest possible standards of professional behaviour. They should be punctual and disciplined towards their work;
  • Every staff member shall maintain the appropriate levels of confidentiality with respect to students and staff records and other sensitive matters.
  • All staff members must refrain from any form of unlawful discrimination relating to gender/sexuality/age/marital status in their behaviour towards their colleagues, teaching staff and students;
  • All members of the staff shall refrain from verbal, non-verbal and/or physical misconduct of a sexual nature in their interactions with students, other college staff and visitors at the college. The college has a zero – tolerance policy towards sexual harassment.
Code of Conduct for Students
  • Students are expected to adhere to the timetable for attending lectures/tutorials/practical and other extra-curricular activities;
  • The college rules require a student to have a minimum of 75% of the total lectures, tutorials and practical delivered separately, failing which the student will not be permitted to sit for the end-term examination;
  • All sports students playing at any level (state, national or international) must have minimum required attendance as per University rules;
  • Students getting admission on Extra-Curricular Activities/Sports quota will not be granted exemption in attendance except under special circumstances;
  • Students attendance in Annual Function, Sports Day, NCC Day for NCC Cadets, NSS Day for NSS Students, Annual Cultural Function and other college events is mandatory;
  • Students are expected to obtain clearance from the college before the term-end examination on the basis of their attendance record and participation in the activities of the college;
  • Application for leave is to be made in advance and submitted to the Principal / Head of the concerned Department. In case of illness, application for leave along with a medical certificate (issued by a registered medical practitioner) signed by a parent and counter signed by concerned teacher should be submitted within “one week” of re-joining the college.
  • Student must carry their Identity Card inside the campus;
  • Students must help to keep the campus neat and clean;
  • Use of mobile phones during the lectures is strictly prohibited. Any violation of this will lead disciplinary action;
  • Students are expected to read notices/circulars displayed on the notice board;
  • Spitting, smoking and throwing bits of papers in the premises should be avoided;
  • Students should not misuse or make unauthorised use of the college premises or items of property on the campus;
  • Students should not indulge in any kind of ragging or activities leading to harassment of any kind towards fellow student.
Organogram of Institution