Inauguration of Centre for Faculty Development and Management on 9th April 2007 By Padmabhushan R.N.Agarwal

An interesting debate has been going on since Jan 07 among the management and the senior faculty members of NMREC to bring some of the non teaching activities of the college under one unified wing of the college. The ultimate goal of this exercise is to improve the performance index of the faculty members by encouraging them to acquire enhanced teaching skills, additional qualifications & scientific temper. It was concluded that their participation in structured training programs, R&D, industrial consultancy coupled with performance monitoring and incentives will motivate and enlighten them. Consequently, this is expected to result in better quality of out going students from the college to face the competitive world with higher degree of confidence.

The debate culminated in the decision to establish the “Centre for Faculty Development and Management” – (CFDM in short). A senior faculty member was identified to head the centre as its Dean on a full time basis and was asked to evolve a suitable management structure for CFDM. Salient features of the structure finalized in consultation with the management and HODs are:

Charter of duties of the centre
Command/ control, grouping of activities and staffing
Accommodation for the centre-(165 sq. mt.) with lecture hall & office
Personal dossier creation for each faculty member
Design and scheduling of in-house group training programs
Individual-out of campus-training programs by deputation
Organizing seminars/symposia
Roll-on budget plans to augment facilities for R&D
External registration for pursuing Ph.D/PG programs

The management has implemented the above in letter & spirit in a record time. CFDM has been functioning since 09 Apr 07, after its inauguration by an eminent scientist Padmabhushan Sri R. N. Agarwal addressed the NMREC community. He advised NMREC to concentrate on faculty development, enhance the facilities and infrastructure to promote the spirit of R&D. He also advised to study the feasibility of entering into bilateral exchange programs with selected foreign universities. Collaborative research projects on latest subjects like nano materials and related technologies may also be undertaken by faculty. Developing team spirit among students is another area of importance by involving them in socially useful & productive activities and project work. His address was followed by a video coverage of Agni1 and Agni2 missile launches, which was well received by the audience.

The function was also of special significance to the students. Agni signifies a major milestone in the indigenous technology development for self reliance in the defence of our country. The announcement of organizing such a programme has aroused the interest of the students, who collected relevant information and made short presentations during the function and clarified their doubts through direct interaction with the chief guest