Best Practice I:
Title of the Practice: HR Policy during the lockdown
Objectives of the Practice:
The Practice:
In the academic year 2020-2021, lectures were engaged online and very small percentage of the employees were reporting for work at the initial stages of the relaxation of lockdown.
The College Management on a year-on-year basis sanctions appointment of faculty members and non-teaching staff on contractual and temporary basis for filling vacant positions in the aided section for which no objection certificate for appointments from the Government are due but not issued. Appointments of this nature are also made in the self financing section. Housekeeping, gardener and security services have always been outsourced by the Institution. During the lockdown period the services of many of the human resources appointed on such basis were either not required or could not be utilized completely.
The College Management understood the hardships with respect to employment opportunities that faculty members and non-teaching staff who are usually appointed on contractual and temporary basis and the housekeeping, gardener and security staff would face, if they are laid off.
As the full-time services of faculty members who are usually appointed on contractual basis were actually not required during the complete and partial lockdown periods, instead of laying them off, the College continued their services on visiting basis.
As the classroom and other facilities were not being used, during the lockdown only 50% of the outsourced housekeeping and security staff were reporting on rotational basis. Yet the College made full payment for the services to the contractor.
Evidence of Success:
As has been the practice, the College continued to make payments of salaries/honorarium to the faculty members and staff at the beginning of the month even during the lockdown. This to an extent possible helped to ensure that the livelihood of the concerned faculty members and staff was not affected. While the College Management wanted to support the faculty members and staff during the difficult pandemic situation, it has been observed that most of the faculty members and staff have continued their services with the Institution.
Problems Encountered and Resources Required:
The College charges fees strictly as prescribed by the University of Mumbai. Over and above this, as mentioned above, the College not only continued to extend the facility for staggered payment of fees but also has not been able to collect the total fees due from some students for the academic year 2020-2021. This definitely had an impact on the income for the College.
Other than the financial resources, admin resources were required to keep track of all the faculty members appointed on visiting basis and staff appointed on contractual basis.
Best Practice II:
Title of the Practice:
Theme of the Year – ‘Water Conservation’. This theme was continued during the academic year 2020-2021.
Objectives of the Practice:
The Institution follows a healthy practice of having a ‘Theme of the Year’. A Theme of social and/or environmental significance is chosen as the theme and many activities are accordingly planned and organized during the academic year. This is done with the purpose of:
The theme for the year was ‘Water Conservation’. Water is the most precious resource. It is also on the list of resources which may soon become scarce. This theme was chosen with the intention to ‘Make Every Drop Count’. A group of Faculty Members and learners worked as ‘Water Warriors of Tolani’ during COVID times and effectively used the online platforms to create awareness about various issues related to this theme.
The Practice:
Links to articles on facts, figures, data related to ‘Water Conservation’ were shared with Faculty Members, Administrative Staff and Learners. These articles highlighted the issue of scarcity of water, major initiatives taken by the countries, small measures that can be implemented by common man in his/her day-to-day life. There was follow-up at the end of a period of three months to get the feedback from the target audience regarding the usefulness of these articles and the practice that they felt that they could adopt.
Evidence of Success:
In their feedback, many have shown interest in taking up the cause of ‘Water Conservation’ and shared the measures they feel they can follow for doing their bit for this cause.
Problems Encountered and Resources Required:
During the A.Y. 2020-2021, the usual activities such as skits, street plays could not be organized. Still the adversity was used as an opportunity and online platforms were used for spreading the message.
“Behind every Man’s success there is always a great Mentor and TCC is the hub of Mentors. This isn’t only an education body but a culture that hew’s a stone to beautiful sculpture. it transforms lives from indigence to indulgence. The faculties are doing this arduous task persistently.
Mentors from TCC help to create radical transformation with focused long term sustainable success. The impact they have on both professional and personal life is immeasurable. It is difficult to Imagine my current stature without TCC.”
C A Vishnu Gavkare
“I’m Santosh Yadav, and am a passout of B.Sc. IT Batch of 2018. I got selected from campus interview and I am working as a senior software developer in IT company name as Perceptive Solutions from last 3 years. My heartfelt thanks to the head of department and faculty for the valuable contribution, guidance, and also encouraged me to discover my own career path. I also thank training and placement cell to trained me to adapt to corporate world. My experiences at Tolani has helped me to shape my interests in both research and development. The college provides all-round development in academia, leadership, and extra-curricular. There is a vast and an in-depth learning experiences helping one to develop analytical, conceptual and practical knowledge of the subjects. Such environment is preparing students for industry as well as graduate education. The college has lots of opportunities for students to expand not only their technical acumen, but also more importantly, develop approaches for problem solving, and analysis, which aids in career growth.” – Mr. Santosh Yadav, B.Sc. IT Student, batch of 2018
Santosh Yadav
“From being a student with vernacular background in 2001 to a renowned journalist in India’s leading English News Channel in 2021 and currently as Chief of Mumbai Bureau in Zee News, it has been a journey of a lifetime. Looking back, I can certainly say that Tolani College of Commerce was a stepping stone towards my successful career. Along with imparting academic values, the Institute identified my talent and also enhanced my skills which helped me build a rewarding career in Journalism. The institute has provided me with the roots to follow my dreams and passion and I am exploring my potential in every sphere of life.
From covering major blasts & terror attacks to exposing various scams as an investigative journalist with reputed brands in the Electronic Media industry, I have come a long way in a very short span of time with pearls of wisdom I gathered at Tolani. I have always gone where there is no path and left a trail for others to follow with a touch of creativity, and for all this grooming and learning, I extend my heartfelt thanks to my alma-mater and mentors for their selfless efforts. It’s great to connect back now and forever.”
This is also to confirm that I am giving consent for sharing these details (write-up, picture, academic & professional details) on your website.
Please also find my photograph in the attachment.
Thank you.
Rakesh Trivedi
Dear All,
It gives me an immense pleasure to share that I have joined Deloitte as an Associate Analyst.
I would like to thank Tolani as it has shaped my career and even gave me the right resource and pool of professors who really supported me personally and professionally.
And also to say,I feel extremely delighted and proud to a part of Tolani as where I am today, I would say 50 percent of the contribution goes to Tolani,as it is recognized too.
My academic qualifications-
B.A.F -Tolani College of Commerce
PGPM- ICFAI BUSINESS SCHOOL (Marketing)
Current company- DELOITTE,POWAI.
Regards,
Shruti Girish
Hello Alma mater team,
I recently read a post by Prof.Hema Mehta and am responding to the call to share our professional progress.
I was enrolled in TCC during my junior years (2008-2010) and would love to share my experience and be available to help the students in any way I can.
I am currently residing in Toronto, Canada and work as Business Relationship Manager at TD Bank; one of the top 5 banks here.
During my time at TCC, I learnt that there are no shortcuts for success and given the right guidance and having the willingness to work hard, anything can be achieved. I was never the class topper, always had fun with friends but I was always encouraged to do a little more and that became a habit eventually. Just by always doing a little more, I have come a long way and would love to share this success story with anyone from the college.
I have attached a recent photograph of myself as requested and please do not hesitate to reach out if I can be of any assistance in the future.
Best of luck!
Thanks,
Soumil Popat – FY351/SY351
RITA SHRIVASTAV
Bachelor of Commerce
Batch 2006 -2009
Assistant Vice President
JP Morgan Chase & Bank – United Kingdom
I am working as an Assistant Vice President with JP Morgan Chase & Bank and profoundly would like
to share that “Genesis” is an important word and I must say “Tolani College of Commerce” is one
place where it all started for me. Graduation was just a certificate but journey that made me capable
of going that one extra mile can’t be summarized in few words. Looking back, I can certainly say that
Tolani was the most important milestone in shaping my career. Apart from lecture rooms, labs or
any international level infrastructure we could ask for, our mentors and Tolani’s vision to enable its
student with industry level capabilities made the difference. Throughout the academic sessions, I
was challenged to discover capabilities that I never knew I had. Along with academics, the college
focuses on personality development which helped me build a rewarding career. It’s been 11 years
since I am working for an industry where knowledge and discipline towards profession is an essence.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to my mentors for their selfless efforts & also Tolani Alumni Network
for bringing all the Tolanian’s on one platform.
Not everyone can say it as proudly as I can that whatever I am today is due to the temple of
learning I had the good fortune of calling “my college”. In my early days, I searched for wisdom
at the college library and while I found many words there steeped in greatness, well it was still
not knowledge. I found this knowledge from the teachers that taught there. They were living
embodiments of the college motto ‘Knowledge is Supreme’. In the years that followed I realized
if you looked around keenly enough, you could slowly mold yourself into your future self and
prepare for what is to come. Today when I look back, it comes to me fondly that all the
extracurricular activities, the impressing of discipline in terms of attending lectures or being
punctual in class and the academic discourses and workshops were like a free flowing river, the
ones questing for these could have their fill and beyond.
Though my experience may not be very extensive, but in my reckoning a life is worth living when
it is governed by a code. Currently I may be a very successful manager for a logistics firm, a
published poet, a happy family man, a bibliophile, a loved friend but there is no reason I cannot
also be a good person capable of forgiveness and of helping others, of craving for lifelong learning
and being able to dedicate myself to a cause. This was my take away from Tolani College of
Commerce, my second home, which encouraged me to seize my moment every day and hence
my advice to you all: carpe diem my friends, carpe diem!
Danesh Percy Balsara
EMINENT VISITORS
Ashwini Bhide
IAS Officer and Additional Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM)
V.V Lakshminarayana
Ex – Additional Director General of Police & Former Jt. Director CBI
Suryakant Chintaman Chafekar
Air Vice – Marshall, Recepient of Ati Vishishta Seva Medal(AVSM), Shaurya Chakra
Dr. Ajit Ranade
Chief Economist, Aditya Birla Company
Mrs.Neela Satyanarayanan
Maharashtra’s first woman election commissioner
Dr. Vithal Kamat
Chairperson, Kamat Group of Hotels
Mr. Raghav Narsalay
Managing Director, Accenture Research