One of the strongest sources of support for RKSMVV students is the SWC, a TC sub-committee dedicated to address students’ needs. Several mechanisms or schemes are in place to extend support to the students in whichever form required: academic, financial, or psychological.

Mentoring: The Mentor-Ward system, introduced in 2014, has proved to be a very successful method which helps the students cope with their problems, as well as develop a bond with their college. The SWC ensures that the mentor-mentee groups meet at least once a month for an hour. A specific slot is allotted in the time table for this purpose. A “Know Your Ward” form is given to each mentor at the beginning of the semester. This helps her monitor their academic and co-curricular performances, as well as mentor and support them throughout their stay in the College. Mentors are also required to submit a report at the end of each semester. Besides the scheduled sessions, the mentees can approach their teacher-mentors at any point of time for assistance. Counselling: The SWC arranges for a common counselling session for each batch of students at the beginning of their first semester. Through the Psychological Counselling Cell, further need-based individual counselling is provided to students by two in-house trained teacher-counsellors during designated slots. Girls are sent for these individual counseling sessions on the recommendation of the respective Departments.

Health and Hygiene Camps: The SWC, in collaboration RKSM Matri Bhavan, a leading women’s hospital of the city, organizes yearly health checkup and thalassemia detection camps for the first year students. Workshops on menstrual health and hygiene are also held for students as well as neighbouring slum residents. SWC members, along with student volunteers are also in charge of the maintenance of the sanitary pad vending machines.

Feedback: The SWC, jointly with the IQAC, is in charge of the entire feedback system. Feedback forms for stakeholders (students and guardians) are prepared, circulated, collected and sealed for analysis and action.

Financial Assistance: Teachers contribute to the SWC Fund set up to provide assistance to deserving students. Students are required to apply through a prescribed form, which are thoroughly scrutinized by SWC members before funds are released. Preference is given to those who do not receive assistance from other sources. Funds are provided for Tuition fees, Examination and Admission fees; transport and canteen charges; stationery, photocopying and printing charges; medical emergencies etc. Workshops: The SWC works closely with the Gender Resource Centre, Internal Complaints Committee, and Anti-Ragging Cell to organize Gender Awareness Workshops and Sensitization Programmes on issues like Child Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence, Acid Attacks, Gender nonconformity etc.

Outreach: The SWC, along with the NSS, plays a major role in organizing student outreach activities, like the Blood Donation Camp and Donation Drive, where spare clothes, books, toys and stationeries from teachers, staff and students are collected, sorted and distributed among the neighbouring slum dwellers.

Amphan and Lockdown Relief: The Student Welfare Committee raised over Rs. 2,00,000 in order to stand by the students affected by the devastating Amphan cyclone and the Covid 19 related Lockdown. Generous donations from teachers and staff of RKSMVV, ex-students, and friends and well-wishers, added to the existing SWC fund for needy students. Teachers and monastic members worked tirelessly to contact students; most of them from remote areas severely affected by the cyclone and practically cut off from the rest of the world. Once contact was established and the nature and extent of their losses assessed, the donors were provided with their bank details to make direct bank transfers to the students’ accounts. Similarly, students whose families suffered financial setbacks because of the Lockdown, have also received assistance, some in the form of monthly contributions. The SWC has been able to touch the lives of over 100 students and their families so far.

Post Lockdown Support: Moreover, to ensure that not a single student misses her online classes, the SWC has created a mobile phone bank (new and used), and has provided phones to a number of students, and has paid for the net and data connections for many more. It pays for the monthly data of about 25 students till date, and will continue to do so till the situation normalizes and offline classes resume.