Introduction

The Department Academic Mentorship Programme (D-AMP), under the aegis of the Institute Student
Mentorship Programme (ISMP) deals with students in undergraduate departments who are facing severe
academic problems. The programme identifies select senior students from each department to act as mentors
for a set of junior students and help them cope with any academic problems they may face in the department
or otherwise.

The primary aim is to ensure that the weak students clear their backlogs and get their academic careers back
on track. The D-AMP mentors, along with the Faculty Advisors and Department Faculty Coordinators, work
towards achieving this goal through early identification and constant monitoring of the students in question.
D-AMP mentoring is a combination of both mentoring and monitoring to focus the energies of the students in
the right direction.

Objectives:

1. To help the academically weak students improve their performance.

2. To make sure that every student has a motivated and well-rounded senior student from his/ her own
department, someone whom he/she can connect with, to be approached in case of academic
needs/problems.
3. To help the students structure their academic calendar for the smooth and timely completion of their
studies.
4. To act as a communication channel between the faculty and students; and respond proactively to the
needs of both
5. To provide inputs regarding and help carry out any new initiatives of the D-AMP that would be
beneficial to the department such as course mentoring, collecting detailed information regarding
courses and reference material, curriculum review and restructuring, increasing awareness about
opportunities in the department among the student body, etc

Structure of D-AMP

The D-AMPs act under the supervision of the respective D-AMP Coordinators (DAMC) in consultation with the
ISMP Co-ordinators. DAMC will discuss Plans-of-Action and new initiatives with the ISMP coordinators. The
structure of each D-AMP consists of the following:

Department Faculty Coordinator:

One Faculty member from each department to be nominated by the Head of the Department and mutual
consent of the faculty member, is to act as the faculty in-charge of the D-AMP in each department. The DAMC
must work closely with the Faculty Coordinator to implement their programmes effectively.
Faculty Advisors:
The Faculty -Advisors of each undergraduate batch play a vital role in the running of the programme. Apart
from assisting the students in matters pertaining to general academics, registration and course adjustment, a
Faculty Advisor is the Faculty member who best knows the students. A D-AMP mentor may refer a ‘problem
case’ to the Faculty Advisor of the concerned student, who may then step in and ensure that the student
improves his/her performance.

Department Academic Mentor Coordinators:

One or two well-rounded students from each department with strong leadership qualities would be made
responsible for the day to day functioning of the D-AMP of the Department they belong to. They would report
directly to the Department Faculty Coordinator and the ISMP Coordinators.

Department Academic Mentors (DAM’s):

Select students from the 3rd/4th/5th year from each department will constitute the team of their respective
D-AMP. Each of them would be assigned a group of students, usually junior to them, who are academically
weak. He/she would be the direct point of interaction with those students and should report special cases for
the consideration of DAMC/ SMP Cabinet Members.

Role of Department General Secretaries:

Department General Secretaries (DGS) play a vital role in functioning and aiding of the respective DAMP.
Though they might not be directly involved with mentoring, their inputs in terms of planning the initiatives and
functioning of the D-AMP are pivotal for fruition of the plan of action.

Functioning of D-AMP

The D-AMP is responsible for the academic well-being of the students in the department. The coordinators
and mentors are assigned certain duties and privileges to help them achieve this goal.

Duties of the Coordinators:

 The DAMCs select the team of Department Academic Mentors (DAMs) at the beginning of their term
in consultation with the Cabinet. Selecting a team of responsible, sensitive and dedicated mentors is
very critical to the success of the DAMP

 The DAMCs oversee the day-to-day functioning of the DAMP. For this, they must keep in regular touch
with the DAMs and mentees to ensure that the objectives of the programme are being fulfilled

 At the beginning of each semester, the DAMCs, in coordination with their team of DAMs and the
Faculty Advisors charged with the department will formulate a course plan and timeline for each
mentee, keeping in mind the abilities of the mentee and the continuity and academic content of the
 courses. In the ideal case, a mentee should be able to cover up all his backlogs and pass out on time,
i.e., with the rest of his batch

 The DAMCs must relay concerns of the DAMs to the Faculty Coordinator. In particular, if a DAM feels
that a particular student is facing academic/emotional problems that cannot be handled by him/her,
the DAMCs must report the matter to the Faculty Coordinator immediately

 The DAMCs must ensure accountability of all DAMs. As such, they may recommend suspension of
DAMs from the team for dereliction of duty/non-performance to the Faculty Coordinator/ ISMP
Co-coordinators

 The DAMCs must appraise the ISMP coordinators and Department Faculty Coordinator with
developments at least once a fortnight and submit performance reports to the above once a semester

 In certain departments, D-AMP Faculty Coordinators are a part of the Department Undergraduate
Committee; and hence it is imperative that DAMCs relay continuous inputs from the student body on
the various academic aspects pertaining to their interest

Role of the Faculty Coordinator:

Faculty Coordinator is someone who acts as a bridge between the D-AMPs and the Department. A formal
identification and representation of D-AMP in the department is provided by the Faculty Coordinator. He/she
closely works with the D-AMP for discussing the problem cases and the future plans of action, and gives
his/her valuable inputs for the same. Wherever needed, he/she pushes the point within the department and
ensures the best possible decisions are taken within the academic purview.

Duties of the Department Academic Mentors:

Each Department Academic Mentor is assigned a set of academically weak students in his/her department.
Their primary duty is to monitor and encourage academically weak students to cope with academic pressure
and perform well.

 The Mentor is required to ascertain the reason for poor performance in academics and accordingly
determine the amount and nature of help required to improve the performance of the mentee.
He/She should interact regularly with the mentee, at least once in two weeks

 The Mentor should monitor the students' performance throughout the year and keep closely in touch
with the Coordinators and Faculty Advisor and if necessary and Student Counsellor and encourage
them to cope with academic pressure and perform well

 The Mentor is advised to scan the sophomore batch for early identification of problem cases.
Indications might include a steep drop in attendance, alarmingly low mid-semester marks, a significant
drop in SPI over past semester or withdrawal from social interactions.

 The Mentor should also look out for courses where the entire batch is facing problems so that they
can be solved through suitable corrective measures so as to pre-emptively prevent FRs in a particular
 course

 In the case of students who seem to suffer from psychological problems, the Mentor is expected to
promptly bring the concerned student to the attention of the Faculty Coordinator/ ISMP Coordinators
and to arrange a meeting with them. The mentor is discouraged from taking any curative action on
his/her own, without intimating the faculty. The mentor is expected to monitor the student, according
to instructions from the faculty/counsellor/psychiatrist as the case may be.

Privileges of the Department Academic Mentors:

In matters pertaining to academics, which require preventive or curative action to be taken in the interest of
the wards, the mentor has the responsibility and the right to bring the case to notice of the concerned Faculty
Adviser, who would in turn take the necessary action. In matters that affect the wards, and can only be
resolved at the institute level, the Student Mentors have the right to bring the problem to the notice of the
Institute General Secretaries, and demand prompt action for the same. It is however desired that the mentor
team works in harmony with the elected student body. Apart from these, the D-AMP is expected to undertake
any activities or new initiatives that would be beneficial to the department, such as course mentoring,
collecting detailed information regarding courses and reference material, curriculum review and restructuring,
increasing awareness about opportunities in the department among the student body, etc. that are are taken
up by the D-AMP coordinators.

Selection Procedure:

Department Academic Mentorship Programme Coordinators

One/two students from each department, preferably a second/third time mentor and invariably a final year
student are selected by the SMP Heads in consultation with the previous year’s DAMCs, Cabinet, and Faculty
Coordinator. This happens within 15 days of the selection of the new SMP Heads.

Department Academic Mentors

The DAMCs select their team of DAMs for the next year through a process of application, extensive feedback
and interviews. This should happen by the second week of March so as to give enough transition time
between the old and new team – for the maximum benefit of the mentees. The final selection of DAMs is
entirely at the DAMCs discretion, thought they are free to, and suggested to, consult the ISMP coordinators
about the same.