The Higher Education Review

Since its establishment in 1930, Seshadripuram Educational Trust has been producing quality students by fulfilling the needs of quality education. Under this establishment, a forthright educational institution, Seshadripuram Institute of Commerce and Management (SICM) started offering a Bachelor of commerce and Bachelor of business administration courses from 2005 onwards. The institute offers courses at affordable rates that align with the vision statement of the Seshadripuram Educational Trust; which is providing responsive, significant and eternal learning. By adhering to the norms of Seshadripuram Educational Trust, SICM has progressed in creating a sustainable learning community resource. It has become a leader in forming an advanced curriculum for every academic session and distributing the overall knowledge in asymmetric manner. In between catering to the education needs, SICM has formed partnerships and MoUs with stakeholders like NICT for Tally/SAP certificate programs, Milestone Academy for competitive examination coaching.

Operating from A Prime Location
SICM is located in the city of gardens, Bengaluru. The location has given students a plethora of public transports options to commute. From this prime location, SICM has been the guiding light of all the institutional endeavors. SICM organizes a wide range of multidimensional activities like seminars, paper presentations and minor research projects. The students have undertaken minor research project on 'Survey on non-usage of Seat Belt by Cab Drivers' and presented research papers at national and international levels. These have helped the students to interact with the changes in environment with confidence. Following these, the institute has achieved academic excellence by securing ranks and a gold medal in Bangalore University Examination in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 consecutive years. The research cell Manthana organizes activities like 'Art of Writing Research Paper' for giving students a view on research importance, 'Smart Marketer' & 'Justify Your Solution' A case study analysis competition, 'Connecting the Dots' Supply Chain Management Competition, 'Optimum Budget Analyzer', 'Best Paper Analyst' to analyze research paper on 'Financial

Inclusion'.

In other events sports and extracurricular activities, the institute has won several medals and performed with remarkable dignity over the years. SICM has a good, adequate, conducive, techno-savvy and ICT enabled infrastructure facility that makes the learning student-centric. In addition, the dedicated staffs who are engrossed in their wholesome duty of grooming and mentoring the students make the ambiance captivating. The institute also conducts bridge courses for non-commerce background entrants, provides counseling from expert psychiatrists and offers employability training on year to year basis from first year to final year. Through parents' relation center and periodical assessments, SICM identifies the slow learners and provides special remedial classes. SICM as well encourages the students to learn beyond the syllabus. They offer certificate courses, experiential learning (industrial visits, guest lectures by eminent industry personality) at every level throughout an academic year to augment job-ready professionals. There are collaborative learning measures like field trips, internal audit surveys undertaken by SICM for promoting practical learning.

"SICM instills social, moral and ethical values in the students by sending them to work with NGO forums, Government Schools"

A Place To Become Job Seekers And Job Givers
Regarding the placement opportunities created by SICM, Dr. Wooday P. Krishna, Hon. General Secretary, Seshadripuram Educational Trust elucidates, "The alumni organization helps the students to understand the actual industry scenario and placement prospects. For the academic year 2018-19, we have 106 students placed in reputed firms." In partnership with the Grimsby University, The United Kingdom, SICM gives students a chance to visit the university campus for a week, where they get training for professionalism. Midst of making students perfect, Drishti, the faculty development program (FDP) fosters workshops, conferences and seminars for nurturing a better group of faculties. Moreover, SICM provides monetary support to them. The faculties, in turn, have won the best paper awards for research in various disciplines.

Besides, SICM instills social, moral and ethical values in the students by sending them to work with NGO the strengthening of Girls students capabilities, Government Schools. "Ankura, a forum for women empowerment that upholds the strengthening of Girls students capabilities. Another forum, Aikya provides career counseling. Then there is Parinathi Centre for Gandhian

and Vivekananda Studies promoting the visions and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and Vivekananda. In association with International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF), Human Rights Resource Centre, Human Rights Education Training Program, we arrange human rights training sessions for both staff and students," explains Dr. Wooday.

Other than education, what makes SICM unique is the sporting activities present at the institute campus. Some of the main attractive sports that are available at the campus include archery, cycling, boxing and air rifle shooting. The institute is affiliated to the Karnataka State Rifle Shooting Association, Karnataka State Amateur Cycling Association, Karnataka Archery Association, Karnataka Roll Ball Association and Karnataka Boxing Association for enhancing the sports culture. There is a well-equipped gymnasium with imported weight lifting barbell set from Sweden. "Two of the students represented India in International event at France and South Korea in Asian Track Cycling Championship. The college NCC cadets won many medals in archery and shooting competitions from 2010," says Dr. Wooday. The NCC cadets have attended R D Parade at New Delhi. NCC students had also visited INS Kadam, a naval base and officer training academically to give them an insight on defense system.

What now SICM is envisioned at is imbibing entrepreneurial skills in the students at the incubation center. The students are encouraged to put stalls at the college campus. They are trained on stock exchange products, selling products. Finally, they are judged on the basis of profit and loss incurred. This incubation center modulates the students as job givers, not job seekers.

Dr. Wooday P. Krishna, Hon. General Secretary
Dr. Krishna is President's Gold Medal winner, the receiver of the Highest National Award for exceptional Humanitarian Work of high order from Red Cross. The Govt. of Karnataka has honored him with State Award for empowerment of persons with disabilities, State Youth Award for youth and community services, State Rajyotsava Award for lifetime achievement in social service. Dr. Krishna is a prolific writer in Kannada and English and has been an outstanding institution builder with exceptional contribution to the education and civil sector. From 2001, he is serving as the Honorary General Secretary of Seshadripuram Education Trust.