NURTURING CHANGE AGENTS

How India's best colleges are transforming the lives of students with a strong focus on contributing to nation building

- BY ABHINAV SINGH

What is the qualification needed to be an adviser to the principal of India's best science college? As it turns out, not even a degree. Shreya Karmani, a second-year computer science student at St. Stephen's College, Delhi, recently became the intern adviser to the principal, Prof John Varghese. “The appointment came as a shock, but it was also exciting,” Karmani told THE WEEK.

Appointing an intern adviser, a first for the college, was Varghese's idea. “I chose her based on her outstanding work in [the college's] societies; she works for three days a week, for three hours, advising me on using technology effec-tively,” said the veteran educator. “Young people have a lot of information on technology.” In her three months as an adviser, Karmani, who aims to join one of the top 20 institutions in the world after passing out, has suggested offering more technology related courses. Varghese is now figuring out how to implement that.

The principal and his adviser are planning new initiatives and exploring opportunities to collaborate with industry. Karmani also looks at what other top institutions do and how St. Stephen's, which tops the list of science colleges in the 2025 THE WEEK-Hansa Research Survey and is ranked second in arts, can improve further.

While transforming its students, St. Stephen's is also using them to transform itself and society. Early this year, it launched a mentoring programme for school students in Tamil Nadu. “Our secondand third-year students mentor these students online,” said Varghese. The programme began with an initial meeting in Delhi between the mentors and the mentees. The St. Stephen's students manage the entire programme, thereby picking up organisational and time management skills. During the weekly online meetings, topics like school subjects, family, sports and society are discussed in English, giving school students speaking practice.