Dr D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, as a student-centric Health Sciences Institution, is highly committed to the welfare of its students. The fact that the students enter their respective institutions at a critical and formative age, forms the basis of a sound and dedicated Mentoring Process as practiced in this University. All the institutions have separate, comprehensive, discipline-based, Mentorship SOPs in place for Mentoring which is diligently ensured by all the stakeholders.
The Vidyapeeth follows a Mentor: Mentee system with a ratio of 1:8 to achieve a better interaction and co-operation among students and teachers and encourage holistic teaching and learning. This Mentor: Mentee system ensures that the comprehensive requirements of students including learning, social, and professionalism at personal levels are adequately addressed.
Each Dean/ Director/Principal is the Chairperson of their respective Mentorship Committees. At institutional level, a mentor list is announced by the HEI. Further, a circular is issued pertaining to the details of mentor and their allotted mentee. The mentors and their allotted mentees establish a close rapport through personal counselling and regular meetings. The records for such meetings and sessions are maintained at the Institutional levels. Logbooks of Mentor/academic files are maintained by Mentor for each of their allotted mentee.
Among various roles and responsibilities, mentors encourage advanced learners to take up short term research projects and publish their research work. Teaching staff plays an important role in mentoring the above students. Mentors play an essential role in identifying academic, social, and personal needs by slow learners.
Besides playing the role of Mentor in academic progress, mentors look after other issues of mentee pertaining to the social, personal, language barriers, ragging and emotional well-being, if any, at an individual level.
The Mentor: Mentee system is a boon to international students who come from diverse backgrounds and cultures. This Mentorship programme provides them academic and psychological support and addresses their personal as well as professional issues and guides them through various phases of academic and personal development during their stay at the Vidyapeeth. It also helps them to have a smooth integration into a new culture and environment.
Implementation of the Mentorship Process
- In all UG programs including MBBS, BDS, Biotechnology, GBSRC, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Optometry, Homeopathy, and Ayurveda, students are admitted from the 10+2 stream and therefore, a Mentor: Mentee committee adopt an approach to allot Mentor to group of Mentee students (1:8) in their first Year Program.
- Mentor: Mentee Committee/Academic Coordinator/Dean issue a circular on the allotment of Mentors and respective allotted Mentee in an Academic Year with details on contact number and email IDs, Further, an appointment letter is given to each Mentor regarding their allotted Mentees and the guidelines on Mentorship activities.
- In Medical, Dental, Homeopathy and Ayurveda, allotted Mentors are changed based on the rotation from one Department to the Other Departments. For Biotechnology, GBSRC, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Optometry, Mentors allotted in the first year remain Mentors for the complete academic tenure of Mentee. In case of Mentor leaves the Institute, again Mentor: Mentee committee allot another Mentor to that group of Mentee.
- Regular counselling sessions are arranged for Mentee and Mentors to achieve the comprehensive success of Mentoring activities. Besides the regular meeting between Mentors and Mentee, Dean/HOI/Registrar/HOD/Academic Coordinator of the respective programs conducts monthly meetings with Mentors and Mentee to ensure the smooth functioning and desired outcome from the mentorship activities.
- A hard copy Mentorship Log Book is maintained by each Mentor that has details on the Name of Mentor, Name of Mentee, Roll Number, Photographs, and contact details including information on parents and guardians.
- In the Log Book, along with Mentor and Mentees details, structured format on the Meeting/counselling details such as date, time, signatures, remarks by Mentors, Dean/Registrar/HOI/HOD/Academic Coordinators are practiced at the respective Institute to monitor and facilitate the mentorship activities.
- At the end of the Academic Year/duration of a program, a Mentorship Log Book is submitted to the Dean/Registrar/HOI/HOD/Academic Coordinators for a record purpose and maintained as per the laid rules/guidelines of the Institute.