The tutorial system as envisaged by the UGC aims at improving personal rapport between the teacher and the student and his/ her environment—both academic and social. As a pedagogic model, the tutorial system has great value because it creates learning and assessment opportunities through sessions in which students are expected to orally communicate, defend, analyze and critique the ideas of others as well as their own in a conversation with the tutor and fellow students. Tutorial sessions enrich the teaching-learning process by focusing on smaller groups and catering to the individual needs of the students. The tutor probes a student’s understanding and pushes him or her to think through topics in much greater depth than is the norm in a classroom or lecture setting. This system of learning involves an intense interaction between the student and his/ her teacher. The diverse activities conducted during the tutorial sessions enable the students to showcase their talents, boost up their confidence, and also provide a welcome break from the fixed routine and curriculum. It is through the tutorial system that students develop powers of independent and critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving abilities, and skills in both written and oral communication and argument.
Every week one hour is set apart for the tutorial sessions. Each and every student of the college gets personal attention from their tutors. The students are divided into small groups and put under the personal supervision of a tutor. Tutorial sessions supplement the lecture class with additional information, knowledge, and guidance. The students are encouraged to relate the information they have got from the syllabus with their actual life situation. They learn how to forage ideas independently and to produce a coherent exposition of them. The tutor is a personal guide and counselor to his/her tutee and keeps a record of the all-round information of the tutee.
At the beginning of every academic year, the College Council selects one of the teachers as the Tutorial Coordinator for the year. The Heads of the Department divide the students of every class into small groups and assign them to the respective tutors. The Tutorial Coordinator in consultation with the College Council prepares the tutorial guidelines for the year. Every week one hour, outside the regular class hours, is set apart for the tutorial session. The tutees are asked to fill in and submit a tutorial card that contains their personal profile, educational background, interests, hobbies, and also their carrier goals in life. In the initial weeks of an academic programme students are given a chance to express themselves individually in the tutorial sessions and the tutors make a preliminary assessment. The tutor in consultation with the tutees selects a coordinator among them to organize each tutorial session.
The tutor in charge of a group of students plays the role of a mentor. As a mentor, the tutor keeps a one-to-one relationship with the tutee based on encouragement, constructive comments, openness, mutual trust, respect, and a willingness to learn and share. Tutors direct those who require professional assistance to qualified counselors and also help the students set long-term career goals and short-term learning objectives.
Very successful interaction in the tutorial system will instill confidence in the students and help the development of their personality. Many problems faced by the students can be sorted out with the help of the tutor. A successful tutor will both be a guide and mentor to their wards. Students will have no hesitation in discussing the problems faced by them with their tutors and thereby a very cordial and friendly relationship between the teachers and students will be established on the campus.
Every tutor keeps a record of the all-round information of the tutees under his/her supervision, a diary containing the reports of each session, and the attendance of the tutees in each session. The Heads of the Department make a periodical assessment of the conduct of the tutorials in the Department and submit a report to the Tutorial Coordinator. At the end of the academic year, the tutorial coordinator submits an annual report of the years’ tutorial sessions to the Principal.
Co-ordinator: Renjitha Rajeev
Assistant Professor of Department of Commerce