Institutional Distinctiveness and Best Practices
Institutional DistinctivenessBest Practices

Sarojini Naidu College for Women was established in 1956 by the then Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, as an institution for the education and empowerment of women refugees, who migrated in large numbers from erstwhile East Pakistan, presently Bangladesh, to settle in and around Kolkata who were the worst sufferers of the partition of India. The first Principal of the college was Sm. Latika Ghosh, Niece of renowned freedom fighter and philosopher Rishi Aurobinda.
Apart from imparting holistic education to the students, the college has since its inception endeavored to stand beside all those who face some constraint, be it within the college family or the society at large, with the motto of svasmai svalpam samājāya sarvasvam (a little bit for yourself and everything for society).

  • Laxmi Vikash:
    • Though a substantial number of students receive various scholarships from the different schemes of the Governments and other institutions, the college still provides relief to the students by providing them concessions in their payable fees. During the Covid period, the tuition and other fees were drastically reduced so as to provide relief to our students, many of whom were suffering from economic distress due to the ongoing lockdown and health related issues. Needy students are provided help from the Student Aid Fund maintained by the college. Amounts of Rs. 64,98,417/- and Rs. 88,37,436/- were provided as relief to the students during the years 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively.
    • The college had adopted a primary school in Mall Road, at the vicinity of the college. However, the school has closed during the lock down period due to extreme poverty and migration of the families of the students.
    • Alumni Association of the college provides the examination fees for the students, who cannot provide for the same.
    • The NSS unit carries out various Awareness campaigns all round the year. Some of the important awareness campaigns were organized on:
      • Thalassemia
      • Women’s Health and Hygiene
      • Dengue
      • Safe Drive, Save Life
      • Importance of Cleanliness, Plastic Management and Personal Hygiene
    • In light of Covid 19 situation, Poster campaign on prevention of Covid 19, Fit India Campaign involving Yoga and Zumba were also carried out.
  • Aarogyam:

    The students of the college are universal members of Students’ Health Home, a hospital at Moulali, the centre of Kolkata. The students get doctors’ consultation free of cost, medicine, pathological services and operations at nominal charges.
    The following health-related programs were conducted by the NSS unit of the college in collaboration with the IQAC and Health Committee of the college:

    • Blood test of students for Thalassemia
    • Health check-up camp in adopted school
    • Eye check-up camp in collaboration with ASG Eye Hospital
  • Brikshayan:

    Tree plantation drives were conducted every year by NSS in collaboration with the department of Environmental Science, Teachers’ Council and other Staff members in and around the college.

  • Kaachhe Dure (Near and Far):

    The college was active even during the lockdown period. The NSS conducted the following online activities during the period:

    • Online seminar on the importance of mental health during lockdown period
    • Online AIDS awareness program
    • Online observation of Constitution Day
  • Sunhera Bachpan:

    The Students’ Council of the college distributed food items to the poor people of DumDum during the lockdown and celebrated Christmas Day with street children of the area. Students’ Council members distributed Winter Clothes to Poor Children in DumDum Cantonment area.

  • Samikshan:

    The NSS unit of the college conducted the following surveys:

    • Quality of healthcare facilities available to the slum dwellers, online survey on problems faced by students from the slums to access education.
    • Books were also distributed to the needy students.
  • Sahamarmee (Empathisor):

    The NSS in collaboration with Teachers’ Council and an NGO Bondhu Ek Asha organized a fund-raiser to distribute clothes to the underprivileged children. The NSS unit of the college donated musks to the cyclone affected people. The Teachers’ Council and some NSS volunteers also actively participated helping the community after the devastation by cyclone Amphan and conducted relief work among the cyclone devastated people of North 24 Parganas. The Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff of the college donated one day’s salary to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and the PM Care Fund for the Covid affected people. NSS volunteers, in collaboration with Teachers’ Council participated in the relief work in South 24 Parganas after cyclone Yaas.

  • Hamesha saath mein:

    Again, the teaching members of the college stood by other fellow teachers and staff members, while they faced personal problems. About Rupees One Lakh was raised by the teaching members for the cancer treatment of the mother of one of our colleagues Sri Tamoghno Roy. Smt. Uma Bhattacharyya was provided with help when her brother was affected by Covid. Again, the colleagues stood by the family of Janaki Ravidas, a staff of our college, who accidentally passed away during his service. Needy students get monetary help from the  Alumni Association and Teachers’ Council for filling up examination forms.