Institutional Distinctiveness

Our college motto is Saa Vidhya Ya Vimukte which means education liberates from ignorance. In tune with our vision ‘To create a Centre of excellence by training and empowering young minds’, one of our missions is ‘To act as a catalyst in empowering learners to become better citizens by developing a sense of social conscience and commitment’. “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it” (Robert Swan). One area of our college distinctiveness is to undertake activities to develop socially responsible individuals with a Page 77/88 15-03-2024 03:23:38 Self Study Report of KARNATAKA SANGHA’S MANJUNATHA COLLEGE OF COMMERCE sense of environmental consciousness and social commitment through value inculcation, enhancement of employability skills, encouraging sportsmanship and artistic potential. Setting an example of social responsibility, our college gives importance to the time of the student and adjusts or prepones the lectures in the absence of a teacher or a teacher takes an extra lecture. We practice the principle of thinking global and acting local for reducing carbon foot print at college level. In tune with Sustainable Development Goals which ensure the health and well-being of people, students engage with environmental protection and promotional activities at three levels 

  1. Awareness creation 
  2. Celebration of environmental days and 
  3. Green promotional activities. 

Glimpses of such activities are as below: 

  • Tree plantations – For creating close bonds with mother earth, students undertake tree plantations for air purification (Neem, Banyan, Indian Bael, Eucalyptus, Arjun, Aasopalav, Indian Almond, Khirni) and ornamentation for aesthetic sense (Gulmohar and Saptaparni). After the pandemic, keeping in mind the nutritional and health needs, herbs and medicinal saplings have been planted. Our students also participated in tree plantation drives at Venkatesh Petrol Pump, Dombivli, NRC-Naylon Plant, Ambivli, Haji Malang Hill and Nevali Naka- Mangrul at Kalyan and planted more than 500 saplings in 5 years. 
  • Celebration of significant Environmental Days Webinars, film screenings, discussion sessions, cleanliness drives, distribution of self-stitched cloth bags in the market, organisation of photo and essay writing competitions were organised to celebrate World Environment Day – 5 June 2020 and 2021, World Mangrove conservation Day-26 July 2021, World Nature Conservation Day-28 July 2021, Meatless Day-25 November 2019, Geography Day-14 January 2018 and 2019, Wetland Day-2 February 2018 and 2019 and World Earth Day -22 April 2018 and 2021. 


  • Green promotional activities 

1.Best out of Waste – Our College inculcates the habit of reuse, reduce and recycle and upcycle the waste generated in an age of increasing consumerism. We organise ‘Best out of waste’ competitions and exhibit the artefacts in the auditorium. Staff and students reuse the one sided rough xeroxed/printed paper for rough work. The blank papers from Journals are reused for making notebooks which are distributed in the adopted KDMC school and to NSS volunteers.

2.For a better understanding of green and gender centric practices in Industries, Nature trails and field visits were organised – a. 2017- Saguna Baag, Neral, an Agro-tourism centre, where learners got insights regarding the advanced eco- friendly methods of agriculture and secondary income opportunities for farmers. b. 2018 – Alibag Magnetic Observatory wherein students became aware of the impact of magnetic waves on environment and human health during their interaction with senior scientist Dr. Sudarshan Patro of India’s Space Research Centre ‘Bharati’ at Antarctica. c. 2019 – Matunga Railway workshop which received ISO-3834, ISO-50001 certification (green corating) and ISO 9000 (internationally recognized standards for quality assurance and management) and the USP of Matunga Railway Station being totally managed by women.

 3.Signing of MOUs and collaborative activities 3.a) In association with ‘Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal’ a Dombivli based NGO, our students undertook cleanliness drives, tagged trees and collected Nirmalya (dry flowers) during Ganapati festival and organised guest lectures on topics like ‘Know your city’ and ‘Mangrove Protection at Thane Page 78/88 15-03-2024 03:23:38 Self Study Report of KARNATAKA SANGHA’S MANJUNATHA COLLEGE OF COMMERCE Creek’. 3 b) Along with the company – Threco, an E solution, Mumbai – which collects hazardous EWaste, our College organised E-Waste and Plastic Waste Collection drives and managed to donate 400 kgs of E-Waste for recycling in 2021-2022.

  1. Other Green Initiatives – Compost pit has been constructed for managing the wet waste generated in our College. Plastic Bottle brick making workshop (through Peer to peer learning), rallies, debates on Plastic free India, webinars on Plastic waste management as sustainable source of energy, Video links to generate awareness about compost making at home were other green initiatives. 
  1. ADD-ON Course on Disaster Management and Mitigation benefitted 73 young minds who were guided by experts from National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM)-Delhi and Aniruddha’s Academy for Disaster Management and received training regarding preliminary help to be provided in disaster affected areas. 
  1. Community Engagement activities (blood donation camps, AIDS awareness campaign, Constitution Day celebration, Anti-addiction oath taking, cleanliness drives, Voter’s awareness programs, artificial rose making, eco-friendly Ganpati Idol making) over the last five years helped in establishing friendly relations with locals and developing leadership, belongingness and team spirit among students.