The Amrita College of Nursing celebrated its sixteenth anniversary on November 1, 2018. Dr. Prem Nair, Medical Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), inaugurated the day-long programme by releasing the college magazine ‘Rithu Salabangal.’ During the day, five scholarly sessions were held on general topics which were highly relevant today.
In this world of universal connectivity, it is virtually impossible to exist today without an e-mail, WhatsApp or Facebook account. But, in spite of the numerous conveniences it brings, the cyberspace is not without dangers. Being a topic which universally affects everyone, the first session on the day was on cyberspace and the challenges associated with it. Through the session, Mr. Binoy Joseph, Senior Civil Police Officer, Cyber Crime Investigation Cell, Kochi City Police, took the audience through various topics like online frauds and other cybercrimes. Talking about social media, he elaborated on the sensible use of social media and the level of security provided by each application. He concluded his session by discussing online banking and other financial transactions. Pinpointing the security loopholes on the internet, he advised the audience to never share the ATM pin through any kind of electronic messaging including SMS, WhatsApp or e-mail.
In the next session, Dr. Kochurani Joseph, Director, Institute of Public Speaking and Placement, Ernakulam, talked at length about the various aspects of Women Empowerment and discussed various kinds of empowerment through economic, psychological, psychosocial and political measures. Feminism also came into focus during the session and she made it clear that it is only one subset of the larger concept of women empowerment.
‘Facing challenges gracefully’ was the topic of the next session and Dr. Sisy Jose, Assistant Professor, Obstetric and Gynaecological Nursing, Government College of Nursing, Kottayam, took the audience through various scenarios where a person might encounter challenges in his/her life. Her session covered family issues, interpersonal issues, social issues and personal issues of students. She concluded the session with by proposing strategies to deal with the challenges.
Post lunch, another important topic was discussed in detail by Adv. P. K. Sajeevan, Former Public Prosecutor, Ernakulam. His session was on ragging, a social menace that used to plague almost every professional institution. In light of new laws on ragging, he explained the legal consequences of the act, which is now a criminal offence. His session made it clear that this criminal act could destroy the lives of the perpetrators as the punishment includes 3 years of debarring and denial of admission into any other colleges. He concluded the session with a question and answer session.
The final session was on NAAC, by Prof. Sheela Pavithran, Vice Principal and Professor, Amrita College of Nursing. She explained in detail about the grading, certification and upcoming inspection process. Her session was concluded with a statement on the current grade of AIMS and the target the institute was trying to achieve.
Overall, the audience found the Anniversary celebrations to be a remarkable event with informative sessions and jubilation. The program concluded with the national anthem.
