FAQ-09-Owners Managers Principals of Academic training Institutions

FAQs/09

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of Owners/ Managers/Principals of Schools/other Academic Institutions desirous of conducting and managing ‘Prayas Foundation Course (PFC)’ in their institutions and supporting ‘Prayas’ in their other activities.

Question No. 1: Which program of ‘Prayas is most important?

Answer: ‘Prayas Foundation Course (PFC)’ is most important program which includes personality profiling as well as planned development initiative and is therefore an integrated personality identification and development program which brings paradigm shift in the thinking and behavior of participants. Bringing positive change in thinking and behavior of individuals is the most challenging task and it is facilitated by PFC. Once the behavior of people change and their personality becomes internally driven, proactive and self motivating then they can become master of their future and the obtain success in the areas of their studies, work or profession with peace and happiness. The quality of human resource determines the quality of development of the country. Therefore this being most important program, it is the flagship program of ‘Prayas’ The most important aspect of this course includes assurance to reply to all queries of participants about the topic being brainstormed and availability of long-term mentorship on payment of annual charges of Rs. 1000 (one Thousand) in normal case and only Rs. 500 (Five Hundreds) in case of candidates belonging to weaker sections of society. .

Question No. 2: What is purpose of Prayas Foundation Course?

Answer: This program aims at developing an internally driven, proactive and self-motivating personality in participants to enable them to face all challenges of their life successfully with happiness and peace. The most important aspect of this program is that it does not restricts entry of applicants on the basis of their economic condition as its charges are fixed on twin principles of ‘No Profit No Loss’ and ‘Cross-subsidization’ and as such 05 seats are reserved for candidates belonging to economically weaker sections of society. Suitable discount is given to them depending upon their ability to pay. Considering the acute economic disparities in India, this is most desirable feature of this program.

Question No. 3: What is age of a child or students for taking admission in Prayas Foundation Course?

Answer: The minimum age for participation is Prayas Foundation Course is 13 years or students who have passed 8^th standard or are studying in 8^th standards or above.

Question No. 4: Why this course is not conducted for students who are studying in classes below 8^th standard or children aged 13 years or below?

Answer: We must understand and note that the personality of an individual starts emerging quite early in his/her life and continues to change or develop in meaningful ways throughout his/her lifespan. According to Paget’s’ theory of cognitive development, there are four stages of personality development which correspond with the age of child. They are sensorimoter (up to 2 years), pre-operational (2-7 years), concrete operational (7-11 Years) and formal operational (11 years to 15 years). Therefore up to 11 years of age the personality of an individual is in fluid stage and takes definite shape only after 11 years and this process goes up to 15 years. However as the result of high school (10^th Standard) is very important for motivation for further studies and a child of 15 years is likely to pass 10^th standards, it has been decided to permit admission of a student of 13 years to the Prayas Foundation Course so that he or she get about two years time after completion of the course to prepare well for the examination of 10^th class with a proactive personality. A child of 13 years age may be studying in 8th^th or has passed 8th^th standard as admission for formal education of 1^st standard for a child is recommended only at the age of 5 years. Therefore neither the personality profiling is done nor is ‘Prayas Foundation Course’ conducted for students or children who are studying in classes below 8^th standard.

Question No. 5: Why our students of our institution should join Prayas Foundation Course, when they are attending our courses regularly besides attending occasional motivational lectures from eminent personalities? What is so special about this course?

Answer: In general your institution has time to give only subject knowledge to students and is under tremendous pressure to somehow complete the prescribed course and therefore has no adequate time to get their current personality profiled through scientific methods, their strengths & weaknesses identified and remove them in a systematic manner. ‘Prayas Foundation Course (PFC)’ precisely does this and helps in developing emotional, social and ethical/spiritual intelligence in participants. Students of your institution even though having very high IQ (Mental Ability) may not be able to score high marks in examinations due to negative personality traits like unwillingness to do hard labor and do planned and focused studies and may not be able to obtain good jobs after completion of their studies due to low emotional, social and spiritual intelligence. PFC identifies and removes imbalances in personality traits and thereby facilitates better academic performance besides bringing positive changes in behavior of participants thereby facilitating development of enabling conduct for achieving success with peace and happiness. This is difficult for your institution to do under the current framework of education and occasional lectures by eminent persons do not give desired outcome with regard to behavioral changes as it require longer mental engagement with certain thoughts conducive for paradigm shift in thinking and behavior. Therefore it is desirable for your institution to organize PFC for your students to improve their performance as well as prestige of your institution.

Question No. 6. Our students are busy from early morning to evening in formal obtaining education and tuitions thereafter. As such where is time of 90 minutes daily with them for this course?

Answer: As all time spent in obtaining formal education including tuitions under the current framework of education will be finally of no practical use for your students/trainees without ensuring positive thinking, habits and self driven, proactive behavior which is developed by PFC, taking out 90 minutes by rearranging current educational schedule of your institution is not only desirable but absolutely necessary. Moreover once students complete PFC successfully, need for taking tuitions after school hours will reduce drastically as a result of development of the habit of self-struggle to study and understand a subject on one’s own in place of dependence on tutors. In the long-run, this will not only save money but also the precious time which is currently being spent on tuitions or coaching. In fact overdependence on spoon feeding, in place of self drive, proves to be very dangerous in the long-run. Life is not a 100 meter run but it is a marathon and therefore requires long term vision on the part of institutions like one being run by you/your management. If you run this course for your students in such a fashion that no student is left out of it, the overall performance and prestige of your institution would improve beyond your imagination. There is a saying that if there is will there is a way.

Question No. 7: At present our students are already very tired from existing study/tuition schedule which is very tough and will have no energy left for PFC as they will further get tired by attending it. As such how they can participate in PFC for additional 90 minutes each day 6 days a week?

Answer: This is to inform that PFC is not a usual run of the mill course like your classes or present day tuitions, where the teacher or tutor teaches students some difficult concepts and students run from one class to another and gets mental as well as physical fatigue. While participating in brainstorming sessions of PFC students will not be taught any difficult topic by any teacher which they have absolutely no knowledge at all and have to struggle mentally to understand it. Rather they will be encouraged to submit only one page each day on a subject or topic of their own interest & choice and listen to suggested short duration audios and videos before connecting themselves with the group through their smart mobile phone having internet connection and our App. While in brainstorming sessions they are encouraged to express their views freely on topics on general nature which are very relevant for their day to day life, families and society around them about which they already have some knowledge and will also get chance to hear views of other participants and react to them. In fact they will be refreshed in this process of brainstorming and will be more ready for their next class, tuition or coaching in a relaxed mood with higher energy level. So question of getting tired by attending PFC does not arise. In fact it will relax them mentally which is very important for better results.

Question No. 8: At present, parents find difficult to pay our fees, and as such arranging Rs. 750 for personality profiling and counseling service or Rs. 5000 to finance PFC further may be difficult for them. How do we convince them to deposit this fee?

Answer: Considering the current rates for such services, the personality profiling and counseling fee of Rs. 750 and fee of PFC of 6 months duration of Rs.5000 is quite moderate. The expected benefits from PFC are many times more than its fee and as such it may be prudent on the part of parents to arrange Rs. 5000 per student studying in 6^th class or above. Moreover this fee has to be deposited in two installments. This course will bring positive change in the life of the participant forever and he/she will be able to manage his/her studies on his/her own in a much better manner than he/she is doing at present. Positive change in day to day conduct of your students would enhance the prestige of your institution. We are quite sure that you can convince parents of students studying in your institution to pay the fee of this course (less than Rs.200 per month) in addition to the current fee being paid by them. Parents would be more than happy when they witness positive change in day to day behavior of their children and will do anything to pay the fee of PFC which is the source of this change. Therefore you can persuade parents to pay additional fee which is less than Rs. 200 per month per participant.

Question No. 9: Our institution is already developing personality of students through various short-term programs and lectures by eminent persons and as such what is need of this course?

Answer: As already said above, the focus of most of Schools/Colleges/Universities is to complete the syllabus somehow and as such they have no time to develop positive personality traits. Short term programs or lectures by eminent persons are not able to change the behavior of students as retention of values from such programs is very low. Behavioral change requires relatively longer mental engagement with various positive thought and concepts for creating internal consciousness about right type of behavior. PFC facilitates development of internally driven, self-motivating and proactive personality through brainstorming sessions being organized regularly for six months after ascertaining the current personality profile of participants through time tested psychological instruments which is difficult for Schools/Colleges to ensure due to pressure of course and several other activities which they have to undertake. As complete technical guidance and support for conducting and managing this course is provided by ‘Prayas’ to your institution including training to the faculty nominated by your management, your institution has to just manage this course digitally as per our guidance.

Question No. 10: Why our students should join this course so early? Can’t they join it later on after completing their studies?

Answer: You are aware that the most important stage in the academic life of a student is the result of the high school examination which forms the basis for selecting a particular line of study in higher classes and opting for job/occupation/profession after completion of the studies. Therefore, for obtaining maximum benefits, his/her personality deficiencies, if any, should be properly identified and removed much before this stage. Change in thinking and behavior of an individual does not happen from piecemeal lectures and it takes longer time for new ideas or thoughts to take firm roots in his/her mind. Therefore PFC is run for students of 6^th standards and above for a minimum duration of six months. Therefore students should join it at the earliest rather than waiting further. Why should they wait for something which is so important for their studies and the career thereafter?

Question No. 11: What is importance of Emotional, Social and Ethical/Spiritual Intelligence over the IQ (Mental Intelligence) of an individual in getting jobs or pursuing any occupation or profession? If a student has high IQ then he/she can easily get a good job and earn good money. Why he/she should join PFC which claims to develop emotional, social and ethical/spiritual intelligence?

Answer: It is an established fact that no employer will like to give job to an applicant who may have very high IQ but underdeveloped EQ and SQ. Any job or profession including self-employment require working with people in teams, in hierarchy consisting of juniors (subordinates) and seniors (supervisors or managers or officers) and as such an individual with underdeveloped EQ and SQ is bound to fail in his/her on the job performance due to his/her inability to seek full cooperation of other members of team, juniors and seniors and as a result may lose his/her job in the long run or face stagnation in his/her career. Therefore a student may not be offered good jobs if his/her emotional, social and ethical/spiritual intelligence is underdeveloped irrespective of his/her good academic performance and high IQ. Since PFC ensures development of emotional, social and spiritual intelligence through the process of brain storming after profiling of his/her personality and ascertaining current level of EQ and SQ, students of your institution should join it if they wish to have a successful, peaceful and happy life not only as a student but also as working adult thereafter.

Question No. 12: How we would know that the personality of our students, who have participated in PFC, has actually developed in positive direction due to participation in this course? Do they get a certificate or report at the end of this course?

Answer: Just after joining this course (during first month of commencement of PFC) a personality test of each participant is held through time tested Psychological instruments and based on results of this test, the profile of his/her current personality (called entry profile) is prepared and kept in his/her folder maintained with ‘Prayas’. Again at the end of PFC (during the last month of the course) a repeat personality test is held and a revised profile (called exit profile) is prepared. A Personality Development Report (PDR) is prepared for each participant clearly highlighting the special features of the personality of the participant and the changes which occurred in his/her personality due to participation in PFC by comparing these two profiles. PDR also contains recommendations for future. It is given to concerned participant on conclusion of this course. Your institution, students and their families can easily find out the positive changes which have taken place in their personalities as a result of participation in PFC.

Question No. 13: What preparation is required on part of a participant before going for PFC class? Where will our students get time for such a preparation?

Answer: Students need not do any preparation before attending PFC classes except see or listen short duration videos or audios related to the topic scheduled to be discussed as suggested by us and just write one page daily on any topic of their choice and submit it on the App and when connected to the group, they have to just express their views on the topic of the day and react to the views of others according to their existing knowledge or pure common sense. The knowledge of a participant about an issue under discussion will get enriched during the course of brainstorming and they will be able to take decision about desired behavior or conduct jointly with co-participants.

Question No. 14: What are responsibilities of our institution with regard to conduct and management of PFC for our students?

Answer: Institution has to do the following

It would register itself with ‘Prayas’ by depositing nominal one time registration fee of Rs. 500 (Rs. Five Hundred Only) digitally through the link provided for this purpose and download the auto generated receipt. Then they will be assigned a membership number by Prayas and notification will be issued to them.
While making a group or a batch for PFC, care will be taken to ensure that age differential in participants being included in a particular group or batch does not exceed 3 years.
The normal duration of PFC is 6 months on the presumption that one brainstorming session of 90 minutes duration would be held 6 days a week. In case the duration and frequency of sessions vary, the duration of PFC would be changed accordingly. The probable duration will be planned in advance in consultation with ‘Prayas’ through concerned field manager of ‘Prayas’.
No new candidate will be inducted into a group/batch once PFC has commenced.
Not more than 15 members would be inducted in one group. the course will be held through a mobile App.
Institution would nominate its teachers to conduct PFC, with sufficient number of standby teachers and email their particular to ‘Prayas’ for training through webinar free of cost.
After training the teachers so trained would be designated as “Vyaktitva Vikas Margdarshak or VVM‘.
In case any VVM stops conduct of PFC due to any reason the Institution would provide his/her replacement out of standby teachers trained by ‘Prayas’ who have to discharge the responsibilities of VVM. A notice of minimum one month will be required to be given to “Prayas’ and he or she can stop the conduct of the course only we the replacement has taken over the responsibility.
VVM would ask each member of the group to types one page daily on any issue or subject of his/her own interest and would commence the brainstorming session of the day only after ensuring that each participant has loaded his material on the App.
VVMs would obtain written feedback of each member of a batch at the end of PFC about the methodology, contents and utility of PFC and keep it in his/her folder. The feedback can be posted on the group App also.
The total fee of PFC is fixed at Rs. 5000 (five thousands) only. Institution has to deposit share of Prayas (30 % of the total fee within 10 days of its collection by Institution from parents/ students). If institution fails to ensure this then 7 days notice would be given by Prayas and the MOU would be terminated after said period if the amount due is not received within this period. Institution would be entirely responsible for all the consequences of such termination including ‘Prayas’ being absolved of all their duties and responsibilities pertaining to PFC.
‘System generated receipts would be issued by ‘Prayas’ to the institution for the amount received from them.
Authorized officials of Prayas would be free to connect in brainstorming session and see how it is being conducted. They may submit their suggestions to VVMs or the Institution and also submit feedback to Prayas.

Question No. 15: What will be Duties & Responsibilities of ‘Prayas’ with regard to PFC?

After receipt of 30 % of the fee digitally, ‘Prayas’ would do following

Register each participant and assign unique roll number to be recorded on this folder and to be used for future references.
Train the teachers nominated by Institution trough webinars in handling brainstorming sessions .
Supply of questions for brainstorming along with model answers to institution through digital mode in batch of 10 questions at a time. However VVM would demand next set of questions when 5 questions still remain to be discussed.
Regular updating of syllabus of PFC based on periodic feedbacks.
Preparation of entry and exit profile as well as the Personality Development Report (PDR) through mobile App. With this the responsibility of ‘Prayas’ in reference to a particular group would stand discharged.

Question No. 16: What are benefits of attending this course?

Answer: Benefits of this course to your students include better understanding of themselves, improved self-discipline, better time management, better relations with members of their family, relatives, friends and others, better academic performance, better management of future life, success in jobs/occupations, increased happiness, and improved social prestige. This program will bring positive changes in their life. Participants are assured of resolution of all their queries in a time bound manner during the course and a long-term on line mentoring facility after conclusion of the course on payment of nominal annual charge of Rs. 1000 (one thousands only) per student.

Question no 17: How can my institution enter into partnership with ‘Prayas’ to conduct and manage ‘Prayas Foundation Course’ and support them in other activities related to personality development?

Answer: If your institution wishes to enter into partnership with us to conduct and manage our ‘Prayas Foundation Course’ and support us in our activities related to personality development, please download the ‘Institutional Membership’ form and Institutional MOU and go through them carefully. If you agree with the terms & conditions then fill the form and sign MOU and send them to us after paying one time non-refundable registration fee of Rs. 500 (Five Hundreds only) digitally through the payment links provided for this purpose. We will provide full technical support to our member institution including training to the faculty nominated by the management.

Question No. 18: How can I visit the office of Prayas?

Answer: We encourage contact through digital modes. At present we have two offices. The registered office is located at H-19, Phase IV, Rapti Nagar Gorakhpur 273013 and the corporate Office is located at 513, Fifth Floor, Felix Square, Sushant Golf City Lucknow 226030. You can visit our Gorakhpur office after taking prior appointment by dialing mobile numbers 7080210612 and 7080210614 and our Lucknow Office by dialing mobile number 8127569995 and 7080210615.