The Higher Education Review

Major issues in the rural areas are mostly concerned to non-uniform distribution of education. There are very few quality higher education institutions catering to the learning needs. Mula Education Society's Arts, Commerce and Science College, Sonai is one among such few institutions that is fulfilling the education demands in the Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra. It was founded in 1989 by Yashwantrao Gadakh Patil to expand academic horizons of the district and distribute education in an even manner. It has been operating with the vision statement 'Jo Je Vanchhil To Te Laho' meaning May whatsoever aspirations of those be fulfilled. While doing so, it is improving the quality of the evaluation and accountability of the students towards the society. The students of Mula Education Society are appreciated everywhere and treated as role models.

Mula Education Society has tie-ups with Vedanta Foundation and Symbiosis Open and Scale University to cater the skill desk; they invest in up-skilling the students for latest industrial practices. This is the uniqueness of Mula Education Society's curriculum; there are a total of 40 certificate courses, skill-based courses, add-on courses like certificate diploma and advanced diploma. It imbibes career oriented course in Soil and Water Testing, certificate course in Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Beauty Culture, Tally, Advanced Tally, Web Designing, etc. Overall, the curriculum is student centric. Other than this, the regular courses offered are undergraduate courses in B.A., B.Com, B.Sc., Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Vocation. It has added postgraduate courses in Hindi, English, History, Political Science under M.A. In addition, it is fostering M.Com courses, M.Sc. courses in Radical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. In between delivering degree courses, Mula Education Society incorporates research based education in Commerce and English.

Also, at a time when traditional college system popularity is decreasing, Mula Education Society has designed the curriculum to instill values and

ethics in the students. The education society has included mentorship program in order to do so. The mentors engage students in social outreach programs through NGOs like Yashwant Samajik Pratisthan and Pre-Foundation. The students participate in eye donation campaigns, tea plantation, river cleaning and village library construction. Through this, they learn social values. Moreover, the collaboration with Vedanta Foundation defines IT learning for the students. They provide computers and costly gadgets to the students. Benefits do not end here. The IT experts come and train the students with latest IT skills. There is an innovation and incubation center at the college that is governed by MHRD. It is focused on making students thriving entrepreneurs in the fast growing startup culture. Many students starve for knowledge and pursue higher education at abroad destinations after completing degree courses from Mula Education Society.

"At a time when traditional college system popularity is decreasing, Mula Education Society has designed the curriculum to instill values and ethics in the students"

Being an ISO 2009-2015 certified institute, Mula Education Society is involved in faculty development programs. Some of the teachers are in board of studies in academic councils, who spread learning culture among the faculties. The education society takes initiative for teachers to participate in different education related workshops and seminars so that they can get insight on recent developments in the education sphere. Every year, Mula Education Society organizes induction program to train the teachers and has a faculty development program. It is of minimal pricing which groom faculty personality. The faculties learn how to improvise while teaching and what are the best ways to mentor students. They get detailed orientation for developing better human out of meritorious students. There is an added program 'Teaching Learning Skills' are carried out by Mula Education Society in support of Madan Mohan Malaviya Training Center.

The students get mesmerizing exposure to national conference on biodiversity, biotechnology and climate change. They get subject specific knowledge like what are the applications of nanomaterials, nanomaterial properties, Indian Economy and FDI (Foreign Direct Investment), recent trends in commerce and management, mathematics.

These programs are supported and funded by UGC. For arts students, there are state level seminars done Marathi rural literature, nation level seminar on Samkalin Hindi Katha Sahitya, national level conference on Shivaji's administration. "Conference on admission to administration of civil service is also done. And we are upholding the Marathi language learning through Vyakaran Project Marathi. This helps the students in employment at language and literary studies. Science students get distinct advantage in Chemical and Biochemical science at national conference on biodiversity. We are organizing workshops on IPR. Our students are member of the institution innovation council, supported by MHRD. The students get insights on innovation and incubation from IIL (Innovation, Incubation and Linkages), where programs are supported by Savitribai Phule University," says Dr Shankar Laware, Principal, Mula Education Society's Arts, Commerce and Science College, Sonai.

B.Voc programs are there in Mula Education Society for meeting the needs of local agriculture based industry, hospitality and tourism sector. Staying one notch ahead for skilling the students, Mula Education Society has introduced food processing unit in the campus that is making students ready to join the food industry. Students get adequate financial support, technical know-how from the education society. In the green eco-friendly campus, the students and teachers get every kind of support from the administration. The students' learn the importance of extracurricular activities in well planned indoor stadiums and large play grounds. The education society's president himself steers the teachers for research publication. It's a dynamic environment for learning and growing!

Dr. Shankar Laware, Principal
Dr. Shankar Laware completed M.Sc. in Life Sciences and thereafter pursued Ph.D. in the same subject to gain mastery. He has over 28 years of teaching experience. Having spent most of the period in Fergusson College, Pune, Dr. Laware has 16 publications (books) under his achievement. He has won several awards for teaching. As the principal of Mula Education Mula Education Society's Arts, Commerce and Science College, Sonai, Dr. Laware brings enormous teaching experience and high quality learning paradigm into the academic society.