Interview: Dr. Shalya Raj, President of Subharti University|Collegedunia

Interview by Sakshi Aggarwal

Dr. Shalya Raj is the President of Subharti K.K.B Trust, she did her graduation from SDM College of Dental Sciences, Dharwad and completed her masters in Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics from Subharti Dental College. Innovation has always been her forte and forays into the unknown has been her strong point. She combined the benefits of engineering and dentistry for the benefit of patients and did her doctoral thesis on the novel concept of computational fluid dynamics. She is a lady who has her mind set and plans made. She is independently looking after the directorate of distance education in the capacity of the director. She is a popular teacher, academician, good clinician and above all a dedicated human being. These qualities make her an integral part of all cultural and social events of the University.

She is the driving force behind the Swami Vivekanand Subharti University which has been established under the aegis of Subharti K.K.B. Charitable Trust, Meerut, which has acquired a commendable record of service in the field of Education, Healthcare and Social Welfare.

Experience in the education industry

For me, imparting education is rather a noble practice of inculcating the young talents with innovation and academic learning to secure their bright future. As far as my experience is concerned, I started my journey with the formation of Subharti Group of Institutions Naac (A) in 2008.

Fulfilling the objective of learning is the major aspect that makes education the best practice. ‘Padhega India, tabhi toh badhega India’ appears to be a truth indeed as the progress of a country solely depends on the wisdom of youth. Education is the only way to attain the astuteness.

Significant challenges faced in Subharti University

When you run a university or any other large-scale organization, you often face challenges in terms of infrastructure, staff satisfaction, demands of the students, etc. I must say, facing challenges is an ongoing process and you can overcome the same using the nuggets of your wisdom. Sometimes a few unsocial elements try to put you in a bad light for baseless reasons but it is my job to mentor the young brains and no such element or reason can create hurdle for me. I put 100% efforts for the same.

Future goals in mind for Subharti University

To be an institute that is aligned with the requirements of the industry today and continuously improving to cater to the evolving industry needs. I envision to see our students placed in senior positions across various verticals in the industry. The goal is to make Subharti university a hub for nurturing leaders and influencers!

Suggestions for the current youth and the aspiring students

Focus is the key to success, this is what I would like to convey to the youth and students aspiring for courses in different disciplines. Don’t let any factor deviate you from your objectives. Set your goals, curiously chase them with determination and see the results in terms of success. Today’s youth should concentrate on skill development with innovation to build a better tomorrow.

Growth of students through placement opportunities available at Subharti University

As far as opportunities at Subharti University are concerned, I would like to mention that the first question that strikes the mind of a student is the placement when it comes to choosing a university/college. At Subharti University, the corporate visits by leading MNCs, banks, automobile companies, and IT companies ensure tremendous placement of the students. Let me share few stats of last year, reflecting our excellence in this regard. A PG student bagged the whopping package of INR 54 LPA in Cadence Design Systems whereas an UG student signed an offer letter of INR 17 LPA from Mercedes-Benz.

We endeavor hard to make our placements better and better. The university runs centers of excellence in association with top-notch organizations like Tech Mahindra, KPMG, Oracle, Steria, GlobalLogic, IBM, and Apple Inc. Every year, we witness a remarkable boost in the number of companies which explore talent while on-campus recruitment drives of Subharti University.

Know more about the top placement opportunities at Subharti University here.

Relationship with the students at Subharti University

The ancient “Guru-Shishya” tradition has been followed since ages. But as we all know ‘change is the law of nature’; hence, this bond has also emerged in a new shell, abided by the fundamental principles of teacher-student relationships. Nowadays, the students and mentors share a friendly bond wherein the students don’t hesitate in conveying their suggestions and sharing their views. The term ‘interactive learning’ is the result of this bond, which helps us ensure the more productive classroom sessions. We have 1000 faculty harmony between students and mentors ensures unity in diversity.

Path towards attaining the positions of elite

Generally, the word ‘elite’ portrays a person superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of a group or society. But, I would define myself as the one who acts in a close coordination with the faculty, staff and students in the university. We all perform our duties sincerely and nobody is restricted to express their views in my presence. Our work culture associates all of us as a cohesive unit to produce the wondrous results.

It is our collective efforts that make Subharti University be counted among the elite educational institutions operating In India. The innovation we instill our students with lets us stand apart.

School culture at Subharti University

In my opinion, the vibes of positivity are imperative for a fresh mental state and we leave no stone unturned for creating a happening ambience within the campus. The extracurricular activities, cultural events, gymnasium, etc. are sure to prosper the multidimensional growth of the students. We focus on organizing the recreational activities for the mind, body and soul rejuvenation of the students. It also helps them perform better in their scholarly endeavors.

Thoughts on Education being digitalized

In this age of digitization, we lay special emphasis on the digital enrichment of our students. Our computer labs are equipped with the advanced systems and software to impart the training according to the digital advancements.

Moreover, we have ‘Google Experience Centre’ in our premises where the students get hands-on experience in Apple technology along with the recent advancements by Apple Inc. Additionally, practical skill orientation programs are conducted at the centers of excellence in association with top-notch organizations like Tech Mahindra, KPMG, Oracle, Steria, GlobalLogic, IBM, Mindtree, and Wipro Technologies etc.

On encouraging ideal school environment at Subharti University

For me, the ideal school environment can be defined as an abode where the residents (students) from the different castes, creed and cultures dwell in unison with a purpose of attaining the education. When it comes to Subharti University, the harmony between the national and international students at our campus is adorable indeed. Our initiatives like a friendly football match between Indian and African students also reinforce their bond. Also, we get full support from our students to make the campus free from any ragging activities. We have a lot of highlights at our campus such as: