Centre for Writing and Communication
Introduction
While reflecting on the essential requisites for a good educational institution, the introduction to National Education Policy 2020, highlights the assurance that “every student feels welcomed and cared for…(and)…a wide range of learning experiences are offered” (5). This leads naturally to the conclusion that “the fundamental principles that will guide both the education system at large, as well as the individual institutions within it are,” inter alia, “life skills such as communication (5) .” The policy document reminds us later that this focus has been a part of “a long tradition of holistic and multidisciplinary learning…(at) universities such as Takshashila and Nalanda” in India (36). The claim that communication is among the most indispensable soft skills, the document tells us, is borne out by the fact that it is mentioned among the 64 kalas or “arts” mentioned in “ancient Indian literary works such as Banabhatta’s Kadambari,” histories of ancient Indian universities as well as in most conceptions of “liberal arts” in the West. In keeping with the significance accorded to communication skills in NEP 2020 for the role in facilitating a “holistic and multidisciplinary education (that) would aim to develop all capacities of human beings -intellectual, aesthetic, social, physical, emotional, and moral in an integrated manner…(and) will help develop well-rounded individuals that possess critical 21st-century capacities”, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, University of Delhi, has established the Centre for Writing and Communication, SBSC (36).
Coordinator
Mr. Gaurav Kumar, Department of English
Email Id:Â adh.gaurav.kumar@sbs.du.ac.in
Vision
The Centre for Writing and Communication (CWC), SBSC, established under the sagacious leadership of our honourable Principal, Prof. Arun Kumar Attree, is a one-of-a-kind space for DU. It intends to blaze a trail of best practices for HEIs by emerging as a one-stop hub for students who want to improve their English language proficiency, need guidance on independent research, creative writing or publication, or want to perform well during an interview, entrance exam, competition, or any such events that test a multitude of communication and interpersonal skills, thus. This is in accordance with the NEP 2020, which is firm about “developing a research mindset in the country” through all possible means (46). The Centre intends to provide the academic resources, pastoral care and mentoring for students, and a space for interdisciplinarity that constitute the foundation for any HEI’s endeavour to grow as an institution that focuses on research and writing as much as teaching and student support. Eventually, we should be able to design structures and courses that will enable us to engage with students, employees, and faculty members enrolled/associated with our college as well as those from other institutions/organizations by offering online/offline resources/courses focused on specific disciplines, areas (thesis, brainstorming, creativity, citation, etc.), skills (communication/interpersonal/soft skills) or fields (marketing, scientific research and communication, etc.).
Mission
The Centre for Writing and Communication intends to develop communication, critical thinking, and research skills within the college community by working with a diverse section of students, teachers, and external experts and offering a multidisciplinary understanding of best practices in writing, communication, and research. The primary impetus for the establishment of the Centre was the aspiration to ensure parity among our students and give each of them an opportunity and a relaxed space to work on their communication and soft skills so that their creativity and critical thinking can flourish unhindered by lack of confidence or exposure to the English language. This should enable our students to meet any challenges of higher education, competitive exams, research, or the global job market. To this end, the Centre has resolved to offer English language support to students comparatively unfamiliar with English through Add-On courses focused on English Grammar and core competencies of Listening, Writing, Reading, and Speaking, guided conversation/practice circles, personalized tutoring sessions and regular workshops/events on academic/creative writing, research, and publication.
Objectives
In order to actualize its vision and mission statements, the Centre has started its journey with a focus on the following objectives:
- Offering English language support to students comparatively unfamiliar with English through Add-on courses focused on English Grammar and core competencies of Listening, Writing, Reading, and Speaking, guided conversation/practice circles, language buddy programs (peer-mediated learning), individual consultations, and personalized curation of resources (books, webpages, movies, etc.) that will help them become better, confident communicators.
- Helping students develop and practice the requisites of oral communication, critical thinking, and soft skills in order to prepare them for competitive exams, interviews, presentations, etc.
- Familiarizing students with fundamentals of academic writing and encouraging them to produce a body of writing/research suitable for publication, archiving, etc., through regular workshops and lectures by professionals/experts in various fields as well as faculty members from various departments.
- Developing a mechanism to offer students the space to review and improve their communication pieces (e.g., assignments, papers, presentations, speeches, a piece of creative writing, etc.) during one-on-one tutoring sessions.
Events
The Centre organized an interactive workshop titled “University Assignments without Tears: A Workshop on Academic Writing” on 30th November 2023, wherein faculty members from all departments of the college introduced students to ideas such as “thesis”, “rubric”, and brainstorming”, which are essential requisites for writing good assignments and research papers. During the workshop, crucial advice for writing specific to particular majors/disciplines (e.g., Economics, English, etc.) was offered by faculty members and students were introduced to the idea of research as well as the possibility of turning their assignment ideas into research papers for publication in the future.
The Centre organized a talk titled “Chronicling a City | Unboxing Bengaluru” by senior Journalist and writer Malini Goyal on Monday, 4th March 2024, for an audience of around 90 students. During this talk, the learned speaker discussed her research and publication journey for the book Unboxing Bengaluru: The City of New Beginnings in order to introduce students to the idea and art of thinking, researching, and writing about a city or any other object, especially with the aim of getting it published.
The Centre organized an interactive workshop titled “What’s AI Got to do With It: A Comprehensive Workshop on the Promises, Perils, and Purposes of Artificial Intelligence” on 12th November 2024, led by Dr. Sudeep Raj Kumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Hindu College, and Mr. Gaurav Kumar, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Shaheed Bhagat Singh college. During the workshop, students were introduced to various concepts and resources for understanding and harnessing the AI revolution through three modules, namely, Understanding Artificial Intelligence, Rethinking Artificial Intelligence, and Tools of the Trade: Using AI. The workshop generated an enriching discussion on the implications of AI for our understanding of memory, intelligence, skill, or employment in the future, and ended with a hope for more CWC workshops on AI as well as on the concepts of writing and communication in today’s world.
