Department of English
An Introduction
Situated in the midst of beautiful saffron fields and awe-inspiring mountain peaks like Wustarwan, the town of Pampore presents a picturesque view to the eyes. Also known as ‘souni pampar’ and famous for hosting various religious personalities, notably Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (R A), Sheikh Noor-din-Wali (R A) and being the birth place of Habba Khatoon and Wahab Khaar (R A), the Govt. Degree College of Pampore has a significant historical, cultural and religious baggage. Established in 2012, the college has strived hard to uphold its cultural, historical and religious values. With the establishment of GDC Pampore in 2012, the Department of English was one of the few departments to have been established within the nascent institution.
The Department of English of GDC Pampore started its journey with an awareness of the rich literary heritage of the town of Pampore. From the sufist works of Wahab Khaar (R A) and the Romantic lyrics of Habba Khatoon, the Department takes pride of being a part of the hallowed township of Pampore and its intellectual legacy. The Department took its initial shape in the hands of the then Assistant Professor and Head of the Department (HOD), Prof. Ishaq Ahmad Wani and since then it has never halted in its progress towards a bright future. Many more heads of the department and Assistant Professors have added sheen to the department and helped it in achieving a standard of its own.
Our Vision
Our vision at the department of English is to impart knowledge and education of a national standard and at the same it hopes to reach the international standards in English language and literature. We hope to create an independent and technical methodology to teach English Language to students by establishing a multi-purpose English Language Laboratory. Not only do we hope to make the department fully technical when it comes to the teaching of English Language, but at the same time we aspire to achieve a standard in inculcating creative and intellectual spirit in our students by conducting various creative workshops on writing and reading. We, at the Department of English, envision to create a fully functional English Literary Club/ Society which would provide students a platform to undergo a proper, rich creative experience.
Our Mission
Our mission is to
- Cater to the needs of the students and help them become fluent in the global language English, keeping in view the geographical, demographic and linguistic context of the town of Pampore.
- Not only make the students become proficient in the English Language, but also help them achieve high intellectual literary standards.
- Empower our students by teaching them via modern methods and technology.
- Develop the right attitude among the students towards reading English not only as a language, but for its vast intellectual possibilities and the ensuing employability thereof.
- Channel the right kind of talent with regard to writing in English and boost the morale of creative and imaginative alumni of our institution by providing them the rightful intellectual atmosphere.
Faculty Details
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Name
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Qualification
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Designation
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Ms. Aaliya Bashir
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Master of Arts in English with NET/SET
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Assistant Professor
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Dr. Mohammad Huzaifa Pandit
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PhD, MA, SET
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Assistant Professor
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Programmes Offered
1. Ability Enhancement Compulsory Course in English (AECC) (2 Credit Course)
The course includes English Communication/ MIL Communication. The said course is based upon the content that leads to knowledge enhancement, linguistic and literary competence. It is mandatory for all disciplines.
Learning Outcomes: The learning outcomes for the course include a set of basic skills in English communication. The course makes the students aware of various digital skills available as well
as the knowledge of myriad stylistic variations. Not only do the graduate students reflect the attributes of skill in business communication but a critical aptitude and reflexive thinking is also developed.
The students after passing out with AECC as one of their subjects are expected to possess the following Graduate Attributes (GA):
- Professional skills in the global language English which in itself generates various employment options.
- Proficiency in speaking English and ability to read texts closely.
- Development of Writing Skills
- Demonstration of the basic knowledge of digital platforms
- Ability to recognize the professional and social utility of the subject\
2. General English (6 credit Course for Arts & Commerce; 2 Credit Course for Science)
The course focuses on introducing students to various literary and intellectual figures of history and literature. It develops English Communication skills as well. It is mandatory for almost all the disciplines.
Learning Outcomes: The said course helps in developing proper communication skills and the ability to read and analyze extant scholarship.
The students are expected to possess the following Graduate Attributes (GA) at the time of the completion of their degree:
- Ability to speak and write clearly in standard, academic English
- Ability to listen to and read carefully various viewpoints and engage with them
- Ability to interrogate one’s own ethical values and be aware of ethical issues
- Ability to transfer the various communicative and reading skills to other domains of one’s life and work
- Creativity through language
3. Skill Enhancement Courses (SEC) in English (4 credit Course; 2 Practicals; 2 Theory)
The department offers Skill Enhancement Courses in English Language Teaching (ELT) and English Writing Skills (EWS). The said courses aim at developing both the speaking and writing skills of the students.
Learning Outcomes: The said course aims at developing the ability to understand, speak and write in English proficiently.
The students are expected to possess the following Graduate Attributes (GA) at the time of graduation:
- Ability to speak and write in English both at the basic and advanced levels
- Ability to communicate ideas and opinions in English language as it moves from the classroom to life at large
- Proficiency in phonetics and pronunciation
- Development of writing skills
4. English Literature as a Core, Discipline Specific Elective; and as a Generic Elective (6 Credits)
These courses introduce the students to English Literature and develop the ability to understand and engage with texts in a comprehensive way.
Learning Outcomes: The said courses in English Literature develop the ability to read texts closely, paying attention to linguistic and stylistic variations, innovations. It also helps in exploring the various themes, generic conventions and historical contexts.
The graduates are expected to possess the following Graduate Attributes (GA):
- Ability to read and analyze texts
- Ability to place texts in historical contexts and be sensitive to their social relevance
- Ability to substantiate critical readings of literary texts
- Ability to evaluate ideas and literary strategies
- Ability to retain and build on critical reading skills
- Ability to infer, cherish and practice human values.
Enrollment of Students in Various Courses
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Batch
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Semester
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Course
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No. of Students Enrolled
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2017
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5th
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General English
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177
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2017
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5th
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English Literature
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01
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2018
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4th
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General English
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230
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2018
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4th
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English Language Teaching ( Skill Course)
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32
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2019
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2nd
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Communicative English
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317
|
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2019
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2nd
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English Literature
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02
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Teaching-Learning Methodology
The department has a student friendly methodology for teaching and learning processes. In addition to the lectures delivered by teachers in the classroom, the faculty members also teach through tutorials conducted for various groups of students. The faculty practizes a two-way approach to teaching and learning and the method of give and take vis-à-vis knowledge transfer is prioritized. The faculty members provide a healthy atmosphere for the transfer of ideas between the teacher and students in the classroom. The traditional mode of delivering lectures is made more interesting to the students by engaging in various classroom group discussions and power point presentations (PPTs).
At the same time the traditional mode of teaching is complemented by making use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching. It helps in improving the process of teaching and learning. Various audio -visual aids are used to make the process of teaching and learning more appealing. Not only do we educate by using short educative videos but various movies made on some particular novelists, poets and novels are shown to the students in the smart classroom to make them conversant with various issues, historical and social contexts.
Methods of Evaluation / Assessment
As the institution is affiliated with the University of Kashmir, the department follows a proper mechanism of evaluating the students as per the guidelines set by the said University. The department relies on a proper external examination mechanism devised by the University of Kashmir to evaluate students fairly. Furthermore, the department conducts a timely internal assessment of students via class tests, presentations and group discussions. A continuous assessment of students is conducted to evaluate the students’ learning progress. At the same time it helps the teacher to determine the slow learners as well as advanced learners within the classroom, which helps the department further in organizing remedial classes for slow learners.
Academic Calendar
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Serial No.
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Date/Month
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Name of the Event/Activity
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1.
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2nd February
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Celebrating the Birthday of Khushwant Singh; A seminar on the importance of being a creative writer.
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2.
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18th March
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Debate competition on the importance of English as a universal/global language.
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3.
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23rd April
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Celebration of Shakespeare Day;
A skit/drama competition based on the plays of William Shakespeare.
|
|
4.
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11th May
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Celebrating the birth anniversary of Saadat Hasan Manto; A Seminar on the topicality and importance of Manto’s Afsanas (Short Stories) and his writings.
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5.
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25th June
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A play performance based on the famous plays written by various dramatists.
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6.
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4th July
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A quiz and a spelling bee competition based on the basic and enhanced knowledge of English Language.
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7.
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21st August
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A visit to smart classroom; Novel/drama or any other movie based on the life of famous writers to be shown to the students.
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8.
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27th October
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Celebration of the birth anniversary of Sylvia Plath; A poetry recitation competition based on the poems of Sylvia Plath.
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9.
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8th December
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Remembering Agha Shahid Ali on his death anniversary; A seminar on his contributions to English Literature.
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Government Degree College Pampore