Interview by Yash Panchal

Ms. S. Nagalakshmi is working as the HOD (Finance) at IFIM College, Bangalore. She is an enthusiastic and dedicated individual with 17 years of experience as Finance Assistant Professor. She has excellent communication and written skills. She possesses knowledge of the subject areas and ability to teach students by using various methods. She has the ability to handle the class in absence of the lead professor as well as an ability to motivate students for better learning. She teaches UG and PG subjects.

Ms. Nagalakshmi has worked in a number of institutes before joining IFIM. She has held the position of Lecturer at AMC (Administrative Management College) College, Bangalore; Hillside Institute of Management and Academy, Bangalore and Vasavi Educational Trust, Bangalore. She has presented her papers in many national/international conferences.

Ms. Nagalakshmi has received Best Faculty Award for 2014 at IFIM Institute. She also got First Prize for a paper presented in ICSSR sponsored National Conference titled “Crowd Funding – An Emerging Trend in India”. Her research papers have been published in national and international journals. She has participated in a number of workshops, FDPs, seminars, and conferences.

Ms. Nagalakshmi’s experience in the education industry

My experience has been purely academician with 17 years of experience.I’m currently working as Head of Commerce Department in IFIM College. I have done M.Com., MBA and pursuing Ph.D. in Finance. I have been part of NAAC accreditation process and organized Conferences, Guest Lectures, Industrial Visits, Workshops.

Top reasons why education industry is a great career:

  1. It’s a pleasure to work with young people and make a difference in their lives. We can make an impact in a meaningful way where the tangible results of my efforts are immediate and rewarding.
  2. It’s a multi-tasking job with different experiences every day.
  3. Teaching is enjoyable and there are plenty of opportunities to be creative in conveying information to young people.

Ms. Nagalakshmi’s philosophy of leadership

Providing strong academic leadership is the prime role of . Being Head of Commerce Department,I manage and develop the department to ensure it achieves the highest possible standards of excellence in all its activities.  As HOD, my focus will be on:

Leading from the front by taking action, demonstrating what needs to be done and keeping my team organized to make sure we’re all on the same page and contributing equally. I believe in the democratic style of Leadership and Participative Management.

Significant challenges faced as HOD in IFIM College

Teaching through projects, interrogating the value of grades, attempting to make learning more meaningful and connected to young people’s lives and interests, thoughtful ways of using technology to amplify and share student work. These are just some of the ways teaching and learning are changing. But moving to these kinds of learning environments is a big shift for many teachers. The transformation requires a leader who understands how to manage the change process is one of the challenges encountered as HOD.

Ms. Nagalakshmi on how hard she worked to receive the Best faculty award 2014 at IFIM Institute

It was one of the most memorable days in my life when I was honored with Best Faculty Award. My contributions towards Academics, Research and Institutional Building were considered and recognized.  In that year, I received Best Paper Award with Title “Crowd Funding” in one of the International Conference.

Read more about faculty available at IFIM

Ms. Nagalakshmi on her time management  

Keeping a to-do List, Prioritizing, Breaking down tasks, Insights and Planning. Making priorities that align more closely with my goals and values. Avoiding distractions.

The curriculum of IFIM College

Curriculum of IFIM College is designed to inculcate Confidence-based learning to ensure that learning takes place and mastery of a topic is achieved. It is much more than simply delivering information to students. It ensures learning by assessing precisely what people know and what they don’t know without guesswork and doubt skewing the results. It then works to rapidly remediate a learner’s gaps in knowledge and confidence.

Changes noticed in the Education Industry over the past few years and skill set required by a corporate in a student

A host of reforms have been introduced in the Education sector leading to the of the country into a knowledge haven. Usage of technology has revolutionized the education sector with online modes of education being used by several educational institutions. Education is changing in ways of technology.  Old School of Teaching is replaced with tablet-based learning.

Artificial Intelligence is going to revolutionize the world of education. Integration of artificial intelligence in the EdTech domain is helping students enhance their learning and development capabilities.  Though AI is in its infancy, it will transform the way education is created, consumed and tested.

Skill set required by a corporate in a student are as follows:

  1. Ability to engage constructively with people
  2. Excellent communication skills
  3. Very good ambassadorial and diplomatic skills
  4. Ability to manage a number of competing demands
  5. Excellent delegation skills
  6. Flexibility and adaptability to changing circumstances
  7. Develop their skills and seek advice from a variety of sources
  8. Willing and able to exercise judgment and take risks

Ms. Nagalakshmi on her relation with the students and her availability for them being the HOD in IFIM College

Improving students' relationships with teachers has important, positive and long-lasting implications for both students' academic and social development. As HOD, I try to ensure the best possible student experience through:

  1. The fulfillment of the university’s responsibilities concerning students in respect of their admission, instruction, progress, examination.
  2. Providing pastoral assistance.
  3. Develop new programmes to attract prospective students.

There will be Formal and Informal communications regarding their academics, performances, feedback, and grievances.  I empathize with students and I am also a good counselor and a motivator.

Ideal school environment for Ms. Nagalakshmi

An embraces the idea that ALL students can learn, contributes to safe learning space for students, attracts teachers who are knowledgeable, care about student learning, and adapt their instructions to meet the needs of their learners.To ensure this, we follow best learning practices by designing our curriculum aligned with our goals and implementing it through the of modern pedagogy tools taught by highly knowledgeable and experienced faculties in the department.

Top qualities that an aspiring Commerce student must possess

Top Qualities of an aspiring Commerce student can be listed as below:

  1. Passion
  2. Ambition
  3. Perseverance
  4. Adaptability
  5. Flexibility

Goals in mind for IFIM College for the next few years

Our Goal is to attain academic excellence with autonomous status and a strong research center.

Suggestions to the current youth and the aspiring students

As HOD of Commerce Department, I would say that ample employment opportunities are available in the field of Commerce both in public and private sectors.  Commerce is an evergreen course and my suggestion to current youth and aspiring students is to gain knowledge beyond the normal academic requirement. Keep yourselves updated with the help of latest technology. Out of the box thinking is very much essential in this competitive world.

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will. Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”