We lay immense emphasis on soft skills development of the student, to develop professional etiquettes, says Principal

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, Principal Guru Nanak Institute of Hotel Management Aniruddha Das talks at length about the importance of practical exposure for the students. He elaborates on various initiatives such as experiential learning teaching methodology, industry-ready curriculum, industry visits, etc. The idea is to facilitate quality and lifelong learning experience for students.

Das is a visionary leader, having noteworthy experience of 28 years in the field of the hospitality industry and education. He has always been enthusiastic about educating the youth and has made an outstanding contribution in academics, specifically in hospitality organizations and reputed hospitality institutes.

Read the complete interview below

Q: What are the three things that your institute is doing that will enable it to differentiate itself from the competition?

A: I believe the curriculum at most of the institutes remains more or less the same but what matters is the delivery of the content. We at GNIHM have taken the responsibility for the quality learning experience of students with the help of the following factors:

1. Industry-ready curriculum: GNIHM has always kept itself abreast of the latest changes in the industry. In order to cater to the current requirements of the dynamic Hospitality Industry, GNIHM tunes its curriculum by soliciting inputs from the industry stalwarts
2. Experiential Learning: Through experiential learning at GNIHM, students learn problem-solving and decision-making skills and broaden their outlook which is required in the Hospitality Industry. Because of the diverse culture on the campus, students learn to respect diversity and develop empathy towards each other. Through various events and activities, students learn to be team player and lead the team, if needed.
3. Technology-driven: GNIHM boasts of modern equipped practical labs and teaching techniques, offering a wealth of online learning material in the form of lecture and practical videos specially developed by the GNIHM Faculty team.

Q: What are the top three initiatives undertaken by you that are helping your students become more industry ready?

A: Industry readiness is the utmost crucial factor that defines the success of any curriculum, the institute and its practices. To help students become industry-ready, we -  

1. Promote Experimental Learning & Application in its curriculum by including case studies, lab. work, research-based assignments, field trips, etc.
2. Expose students to Experience-based Learning & Application through internships, practicum, short-term industry experience, seminars and webinars, food festivals, etc.
3. Lay immense emphasis on soft skills development of the student, to develop professional etiquettes, networking abilities and interpersonal skills – attributes which are integral to the successful hospitality professional

Q: What are the key attributes that a student should have in order to qualify for your institution and perform well?

A: Apart from the basic eligibility criteria, we look for the following factors in every student during the selection process-

1. Good communication skills, especially, good spoken English skills
2. An open mind and a positive attitude to learn
3. A hospitable nature and ability to work in a team
4. Readiness for hard work
5. Patience and listening skills

And, to perform well in the curriculum, students must be -

1. Punctual and regular in class, with a minimum of 75% attendance in all subjects taught in a semester
2. Disciplined with a professional body language and maintenance of strict grooming standards
3. Proactive and practice creativity and originality in work, sincerity in academics and practical work
4. Participation in institutional activities and events
5. Skills such as teamwork, interpersonal and people skills, critical reflective thinking, problem-solving, planning, listening, and a clear understanding of the industry
6. Hospitality specific skills, events, sales, promotion, overall food-related skills, and lodging management (which become evident in project work, food festivals, entrepreneurial assignments, etc.)

Q: Which programme/s would you say is/are your best? What is it that helps your institution differentiate itself for this programme?

A: GNIHM hosts Hospitality Programmes, at the Master’s level, at the Bachelor’s level and at the Diploma level, which caters to the need of students coming from different cross-sections of societies, academic qualification levels and professional needs.

Programmes Offered are:

• MBA Hospitality and Hotel Administration – two years duration
• Bachelor of Hotel Management & Catering Technology – four years duration
• BSc Hospitality and Hotel Administration – three years duration
• BA International Culinary Arts – three years duration
• Diploma in Hotel Operations/ Food Production & Bakery/ Food & Beverage Service/ Accommodation Operations

One programme out of the above-mentioned courses that stand out for its excellent industry-relevant curricula and depth of practical coverage is the three-year degree course, BA International Culinary Arts. Students get exposure to modern culinary techniques, learn the latest plate presentation skills, get practical guidance from celebrity chefs in the college kitchens and get international culinary exposure in their internship placements in five-star hotels abroad.

Q: What are you doing to improve/drive better campus placements for your current students and alumni? What kind of jobs routinely come to campus? What would you say are the key recruitment trends for your university/college (observed over the past five years at your institute)?

A: GNIHM has a dedicated Training & Placement Cell that looks into the placement of final year students. The faculty members together with the training & placement officers screen the students and match the profiles with the candidate profiles of various recruitment companies. The method of screening includes objective-type tests on the hospitality core subjects, mock panel interviews, group discussions, student presentations and extempore speaking on current topics. Besides this -  

1. The institute conducts specialisation classes in the final semester of the course, along with soft skill and grooming classes, to get the students ready for facing campus Interviews.
2. Every year, the institute invites top-notch companies to conduct placement drives on the campus at the beginning of the final semester. The students are selected for different types of roles depending upon their skills and abilities.
3. Recruiters from a wide variety of industries – hotels, restaurant chains, catering companies, hospitals, airlines, retail industry, BPOs & KPOs, event management companies, facility management organisations, etc. visit the GNIHM Campus for conducting Campus Interviews.
4. The institute’s placement record in the last five years has been excellent, being comparable to the best in the industry, with all the students doing extremely well in their chosen roles. Students get recruited as Management Trainees, Operational Trainees and at Associate levels, depending upon the recruiter’s employment policies, interview performance and course undergone at the institute.
5. Some of the renowned corporate recruiters are mentioned herein: Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, Taj Group of Hotels, JW Marriot, ITC Hotels, Hyatt Group of Hotels, Novotel, Holiday Inn, Hilton Hotels, Ritz Carlton, Orchid Group of Hotels, Sarovar Group of Hotels, Spicejet, Indigo Airlines, Aditya Birla, Spencers, etc.