Experience @JCC

Holistic Development & Academic Excellence

Jagannath Community College (JCC), in collaboration with Jagannath University, Delhi NCR, Bahadurgarh, successfully organized a three-day Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on “Holistic Development & Academic Excellence” from 14th to 16th July 2026. The programme aimed to strengthen academic, research, technological, and emotional competencies of educators and promote innovative teaching-learning practices.

Objectives of the FDP

• To enhance understanding of research methodology and publication ethics.
• To familiarize educators with digital tools and innovative pedagogy.
• To promote interdisciplinary learning and professional collaboration.
• To encourage student-centered and inclusive teaching practices.
• To strengthen educators’ professional competencies for academic excellence.

Day 1 – 14 July 2026

The First session was conducted by Dr. Bhavleen Rekhi on “Digital Tools & Pedagogy for 21st Century Educators”. The session focused on technology-enabled teaching, digital content creation, blended learning, AI-enabled educational tools, and learner-centric pedagogical practices.

The session focused on the foundational concepts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its growing relevance in higher education. Dr. Rekhi explained the emerging role of AI in teaching, innovation, and student-centered pedagogy, emphasizing how intelligent technologies can enhance academic processes and improve learning outcomes.

Second Technical Session

Theme: Digital Tools & Pedagogy for 21st Century Educators
Resource Person: Dr. Bhavleen Rekhi

Dr. Bhavleen Rekhi conducted an insightful session on the effective integration of digital tools and artificial intelligence in higher education. She highlighted that educators should not rely solely on ChatGPT; rather, a variety of digital tools can be used to enrich, beautify, and amplify teaching, research, and academic work. The session focused on transforming teaching-learning processes through technology-enabled pedagogy and responsible AI integration.

The major points discussed included:

• Role of digital tools in modern teaching-learning processes.
• Responsible use of ChatGPT and other AI tools in education.
• Use of multiple digital platforms to enhance academic productivity.
• Technology-enabled student engagement and interactive pedagogy.
• Importance of innovation and digital readiness among educators.

Day 2 – 15 July 2026

The technical session of the 2^nd day of FDP was conducted by Prof. (Dr.) Sumit Narula, Dean – Times School of Media, Bennett University an eminent academician and expert in research integrity and publication ethics. The session was highly informative and professionally enriching, focusing on contemporary research practices, publication ethics, plagiarism prevention, Journal selection, and quality assurance in scholarly publishing. The deliberations were particularly relevant for faculty members and research scholars engaged in academic research and publication.

Prof. Narula emphasized the growing challenges in the academic publishing ecosystem, especially the proliferation of fake journals, predatory journals, and cloned journals. He explained the distinguishing features of genuine indexed journals and fraudulent publication outlets that often imitate reputed journals by copying their titles, ISSN numbers, website layouts, editorial boards, and indexing claims. Participants were sensitized to the risks associated with publishing in such journals, including loss of academic credibility, non-recognition of publications, ethical violations, and adverse implications for career advancement and research evaluation.

Day 3 – 16 July 2026

Session 1 – AI in Research

Theme: AI in Research
Resource Person: Dr. Naveen Nandal, Associate Professor, DIHE

The first technical session of Day 3 was conducted by Dr. Naveen Nandal, Associate Professor, DIHE on the theme “AI in Research”, introducing participants to AI-assisted research tools, data analytics applications, literature review support, and ethical considerations in AI-enabled research.

The session was highly relevant to contemporary academic and research practices and provided participants with practical exposure to the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence in scholarly research. Faculty members and research scholars actively participated in the session and gained valuable insights into the effective and ethical use of AI technologies in academic work.

Session II – Understanding Trauma in Educational Settings: Enhancing Faculty Well-Being and Student Support

The second technical session of Day 3 was conducted by Dr. Chinu Agrawal, Founder Director, Feeling Minds & President, ISMHAA on the theme “Understanding Trauma in Educational Settings: Enhancing Faculty Well-Being and Student Support”. The session emphasized emotional resilience, mental health awareness, empathetic communication, and trauma-informed educational practices.

Dr. Agrawal discussed the psychological challenges faced by students and educators and emphasized the need for creating emotionally safe and supportive learning environments. She highlighted the significance of emotional resilience, mental health awareness, empathetic communication, and trauma-informed educational practices in promoting effective teaching-learning processes.

Value Additions

• Enhanced understanding of research methodology and publication standards.
• Improved awareness regarding plagiarism prevention and publication ethics.
• Hands-on exposure to digital teaching tools and AI-enabled educational technologies.
• Strengthened capability for blended and technology-supported teaching.
• Increased awareness of emotional well-being and trauma-informed education.
• Promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration and professional networking.

The Faculty Development Programme on “Holistic Development & Academic Excellence” was conducted successfully and achieved its intended objectives. The programme provided a comprehensive platform for academic enrichment, research capacity building, technological upskilling, and emotional empowerment. It reinforced the institution’s commitment to quality education, innovation, ethical scholarship, and holistic development.