Best Practices

 Social responsibility refers to an individual’s obligation to work towards the benefit of society. Only during the period of education , a person can develop the sense of social responsibility. Teaching- learning process is often seen as an action of acquiring knowledge and job skills through critical and creative thinking, problem solving, communication and information technology.  The concept of social responsibility is set aside for some reason. It is important to instil social responsibility and social commitment to the future generation. It is in that light MES College Erumely put forward a need to create the educational framework including the social aspects.  ‘Social Learning and Innovation Programme- SLIP’ is such an initiative of MES Erumely to promote social commitment along with academics. The initiative is based on values such as basic human rights, justice, acceptance, affection, consideration, empathy, trust, kindness, tolerance, democracy, freedom, respect, etc.

Our institution provides constant efforts to bring about a change in students’ perspective on life through various programmes of ‘SLIP’. We consider ‘SLIP’ as the best practice because,

• It helps the students to change their attitude towards various phenomena in the society.
• It provides an opportunity to the students to think out of the box.
• It gives importance to connecting innovative ideas for a social cause.
• Enhances social commitment and responsibility among students.
• Enable the children to develop and implement projects for a social cause.

Thematic interventions on SLIP during these many years impacted our institutional community. Students were actively participated in various programmes.

The theme  interventions of Social Learning and Innovation Program

• Green Initiatives 
• Gender Sensitization Programs 
• Flood Relief 
• Covid 19 Intervention 
• Ethical Practice 
• Communal Harmony 
• Social Responsibility 
• Innovation Ecosystem

Innovation can be termed as the practical implementation of ideas to improve the existing condition. It is the result of systemic interactive learning processes. It equips the students with the ability to think out of the box and to create innovative ideas. It helps them to stay relevant in the competitive market.  Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of value. Inorder to create such capacities in students, an entrepreneur club is functioning systematically in the college, which conducts seminars on different topics and a variety of such programs to develop entrepreneurship among the students which is an essential skill in today’s job market. It prepares the students to be responsible and enterprising and helps them to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes to achieve their goals. As entrepreneurship and innovation are the key stimulants of economic growth, the students equipped with such skills turn out to be contributors in our economic growth, which is much appreciated by our society. They can create many job opportunities and can provide employment to different sections in our society and thereby improving their social mobility. Technological innovation is considered as a major source of economic growth. The students are encouraged to use technology in an advanced way and many of the academic activities are done using such platforms.The faculty members ensure that every student is getting an opportunity to develop such skills during their college life. Students are organising most of the programmes that are conducted in the college as a baby steps to learn planning and organising. The college library has a vast collection of books, articles and journals related to entrepreneurship and innovation and the faculty members make sure that the students are using these resources properly. The college is tactful in conducting seminars and discussions on these topics using eminent persons in the respective fields. Students are provided with many opportunities to work with such distinguished persons and also to explore and exploit their knowledge for the betterment of our society. Exposure to such outstanding persons inculcates students with many innovative ideas and methods to develop them into something useful like setting up a business.

• The students from our college participated in various activities which are committed to social responsibilities ,leadership quality, democratic attitude  and students created excellence learning experiences out of them.
• Best Principal , Best NSS unit, Best Volunteer Award and Mosses trophy award received for Socially committed activities.
• Appreciation for Organic Mission and Recognition for the extension activity -Jalakam are the  milestones in the history .
• Apperception received for Community Engagement Programme and Covid Related Activities.It helped to attain capacity in disaster risk reduction and Management.
• Kerala State Blood Transfusion Council (KSBTC) honoured the NSS unit for regular blood donation.
• The adopted village Edakadathy became the path of Living.
• The students of the Electronics Department assembled LED bulbs, distributed it to rural communities and got appreciation from Erumely Grama panchayath.We extended it as a project named “ VELICHAM  [LIGHT] ”.
• The Classification of data of participation helps to measure the success of the programmes.

• The activities of SLIP are connected with remote and rural areas. So it was a bit challenging  to organise them for some implementing agencies as they are not trained professionally in it.
• Academic and Non- Academic activities are organised within a limited time which has some implications on time constraints.

 MES College conducts different types of programmes in association with the ‘Punyam Poonkavanam ‘ project of Kerala police with an intention to conserve forest and wildlife along with Sabarimala Pilgrimage. This is the symbol of a sacrifice and asceticism. It needs a determination and sacrificial mind to conserve forest and wildlife. The ancient saints led their meditation in close contact with the nature. This meditation serves as a channel for self-recognition and enlightenment. Through THAPASAM  the institution creates holistic development of the students and provides basic assistance and support to Sabarimala Pilgrimage.

• Make Sabarimala free from Pollution and waste.
• Spread the message of  greenness and cleanliness beyond Sabarimala.
• Expand the sense of belonging and spiritual mentality.
• Ensuring  tolerance and harmony towards cultural diversity .
• Enhances environmental sustainability .
• To provide refreshment and  necessary commodities Ayyappa devotees.
• To provide accommodation for government officials in Sabarimala duty.
• To Manage Traffic in Peak time of Sabarimala Makaravilakku.
• To provide basic information to Ayyappa devotees who have a lack of information about Sabarimala routes.
• To provide health orientation for the pilgrimage and also the need for environmental sanitation .

Sabarimala is situated 72 km from Pathanamthitta town , 191 km from Thiruvananthapuram and 210 km from Kochi. It is the ‘Sacred Abode of Lord Ayappa’ and one of the most important Hindu pilgrim centres in the country. Sabarimala – The holy shrine is located amidst dense forests in the rugged terrains of Western Ghats. Inhabited by various wildlife species. Millions of pilgrimage from all over the Country assemble here doing the most arduous festivals called as ‘ Vishu Vilakku’ in April , ‘Mandala Pooja’ in the months of Vrischika Dhanu [ November – December ] and ‘Makaravilakku’ in mid January , coinciding with Sankramam. 

               The keynote  objective of the College is to enable an active life and participate in and exert influence over society and their everyday lives. Situated in the foothills of Sabarimala ,the College experiences the blessings of religious harmony. we aware that  it’s our responsibility to make every season of Sabarimala become a successful and meaningful one. The practice highlights the important vision  of MES College Erumely, enhances the  traditional culture of Sabarimala pilgrim center. Sabarimala is located in the Western Ghats and inside a forest area in south Kerala. There are a lot of stiff traditional practices, rituals, preparations and dress codes meant for those intending to visit Sabarimala. The keynote  objective of the College is to enable an active life and participate in and exert influence over society and their everyday lives.

An ambitious digital initiative, “THAPASAM  ”  aims  to streamline and facilitate the essentials to pilgrims at Sabarimala.The whole college contributing their part in this programme and experiencing different phases of social service. MES College Erumely organised a number of Sabarimala special intervention programmes. Major activities of the Units are

1. Clean Pamba Green Pamba Campaign
2. Cleaning the premises of Sabarimala 
3. Providing the accommodation facilities to Government officials
4. Sabarimala Information Centre
5. Free Medicated Drinking Water Supply for Ayyappa Pilgrims
6. Distribution of Healthy pilgrimage leaflets
7. Pollution Control Programme at pamba
8. Management of Traffic in Peak time
9. Erumely Sangamam
10. Providing refreshment facilities to Ayyappa devotees
11. Pumpakkoru Mulamoottil
12. pamba Sabarimala Eco-Conservation programme
13. Refreshment activity for Sabarimala pilgrimage
14. Donating essential materials for pilgrimage 
15. Sabarimala Information Center

The waste disposed by the devotees to the path of Sabarimala destroys the wildlife of the region. The High Court of Kerala has insisted  even in  ‘irumudikettu’ ,should not contain plastic materials. So our students clean Erumely, Pamba and Nilakkal during Sabarimala pilgrimage season.

On the instructions of the Kerala Pollution Control Board ,the  students  reached Pamba and instructed the devotees about proper disposal of wastes. The cleaning was led by the students in association with the  ‘Punyam Poonkavanam’ team

Information Center set up every year to provide basic information to ayyappa devotees who have a lack of information about Sabarimala routes

The institution provides refreshment facilities for Ayappa devotees like chunk coffee,Ginger Coffea free supply of Medicated and Fresh Drinking  Water,Sanitation ,Hygienic  Parking Facilities and  Foods

The volunteers prepared leaflets for the pilgrimage which consist of the important information related to healthy pilgrimage. It provides health orientation for the pilgrimage and also the need for environmental sanitation .

The NSS volunteers also take part  in controlling traffic in the area. They introduced a free black coffee scheme for the drivers who are driving the pilgrimage vehicles in the night. It will help them to alleviate their sleep mode while they are driving.

The NSS volunteers of the college also conducted pollution control programmes in association with Pollution Control Board Pathanamthitta.

The  NSS unit organized Pamba – Sabarimala Eco conservation programme in association with Forest and Wildlife, Government of Kerala at Pamba to Sabarimala was very helpful to clean non degradable wastes from forest regions.

Mulamoottil is a Programme organized NSS unit of MES College Erumely in association with Kerala Forest Department. The Students planted Bamboos on the banks of the river Pamba. The Programme aims to prevent Soil Erosion and enhance Environmental Sustainability of that area.

ED Club and Dept. of Business Administration distributed a cloth bag kit containing face masks made of cloth and hand sanitisers to each Pilgrim. The aim of distributing the cloth bag kit was to create an awareness to reduce the use of plastic bags, wear face masks and use hand sanitisers as a protective measure to contain the spread of  coronavirus while travelling.

• During the years 2016-17, 2017-18 our college has received many awards from the Government and MG University. Awards for Best Principal and Best Program Officers are the milestones in the history of MES College Erumely.
• Memento received for Participation in Punyam Poonkavanam Project , an initiative of Kerala police, Devaswom, Departments of Health and Forest and Fire , along with organisations like Ayappa Seva Sangham .
• Religious harmony of the whole College provides a sense of belonging and spiritual mentality.
• To reduce the use of plastic bags and the pollution due to the same, the volunteers distributed hand made cloth bags to the devotees as part of ‘Green Pampa Clean Pampa Project’.It Enhances Environmental sustainability and the Green Initiatives.
• Students  planting bamboo trees on the bank of river Pampa to secure the river banks and this prevent Soil Erosion.
• Students get involved with people from different states which may help the students to learn different languages ,cultures and enhance their Social Responsibility.
• Honourable Inspector General Mr. Vijayan IPS  appreciates our principal Mr.Maheen M.N by giving Ponnada [Golden Shawl]. Also our principal Mr.Maheen M.N , our programme officer Mrs. Rejoola O.M  and selected volunteers were honoured  by giving  certificates of appreciation for the Punnayam Poongavanam Project.

• Peoples come from different places ,languages and cultures. Language is a barrier which causes problems while interacting with the people of different states.
• Management of Traffic in Peak time was very difficult to handle.
• The waste materials from the shops are disposed of without any proper order and the pollution caused by this is uncontrollable.The increase of waste materials is a barrier to the volunteers.