ABOUT STAR COLLEGE SCHEME
“Star College Scheme” is an initiative by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to support colleges offering undergraduate programmes to promote and facilitate science teaching. The scheme aims to hone the skills of teachers by helping the institutions organise faculty training programmes with a view to offering an improved curriculum and keeping up with the current trends. It emphasises applied learning and practical training for students by providing access to specialised infrastructure and consumables. Star College Scheme is formulated with an aim to enhance conceptual clarity, develop scientific thinking and creativity among students. It enables interactive participation among different scientific disciplines and departments with a holistic approach towards science rather than compartmentalised thinking.
St. Mary’s College founded in the year 1948, with just 7 students has grown multifold nurturing around 3300 students at present. The institution is committed to the noble cause of liberating young women, especially the ones belonging to coastal areas and preparing them to assume leading roles in making societal changes. Most of the students who have passed out from the institution and scaled greater heights are first generation learners. St. Mary’s owns the proud privilege of educating such young women.
St. Mary’s College (Autonomous) sent the proposal for Star College Scheme on 10th May 2018. The fund under Star College scheme was sanctioned on 16th March 2019. Four departments of the college namely Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology have been recommended by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, New Delhi, to receive financial assistance under the Star College Scheme. For implementation of the Star College Scheme, the DBT, New Delhi has sanctioned Rs 82, 00,000 for the academic year 2019 – 2022 and for the extension an amount of Rs 28,00, 000 for the academic year 16.09.2022 – 15.09.2024. and an initial release of a sum of Rs.40 lakhs (Rs.10 lakhs per dept) under non-recurring head and Rs.14 lakhs (Rs.3.5 lakhs per dept) under recurring head for the financial year 2019 – 2020 on16.03.2019. The DBT also released second (02.03.2021), third (29.08.2023) and fourth installment (30.07.2024) of a sum of Rs. 42 lakhs under recurring head for the financial year 2020 – 2021, 2021 – 2022 and 2022 – 2023. St. Mary’s College is graded A+ by the Task Force for Colleges supported under the Star College Scheme in the 3rd Review Meeting held between 7th to 9th February 2024 at Coimbatore and the progress of the college is further remarked as “Very Good” by the Review Committee. We sincerely acknowledge the financial support rendered by the DBT.
OBJECTIVES:
The objective of the Star College Scheme is to strengthen Life Science and Biotechnology education and training at the undergraduate level to encourage and attract students to pursue a career in Life Sciences. The scheme envisages.
- Strengthening the academic and physical infrastructure to enhance the teaching and learning process of the students and to stimulate critical thinking by providing 'hands on' exposure in experimental work.
- Increasing the core instrumentation resources by procuring new equipment and upgrading existing facilities.
- Providing students access and exposure to Research Laboratories and Industries in the country.
- Providing better library facility to students and teachers in the department.
- Organising workshops / Seminars / Guest lecture for the benefit of the students.
- Conducting field trips / excursions / lab visits / industrial visits for students to optimise learning.
- Conducting faculty training programmes to update the knowledge and develop the skills.
- Organising outreach activities for school teachers and students.
- Mentoring the nearby colleges to apply for star college scheme.
