Interview by Yash Panchal

Tithi Bhatnagar, GD Goenka University

Tithi Bhatnagar is working as Associate Professor (Psychology) Asst. Dean, School of Humanities and Social Science (SoHSS) at GD Goenka University, Gurgaon.

Dr. Bhatnagar’s experience in the education industry

I believe that education is a noble profession and not a transaction. Teachers/Professors help shape the thought process of young minds and give them a direction. This is the best workspace because you help students. You not only acquire knowledge, but the wisdom to use it. This space is full of ideas, creativity, learning, life!

Significant challenges faced in GD Goenka University

We are in our initial years and for we have done pretty well. Besides the challenges that any University faces in its nascent stage, none significant really.

Goals in your mind for GD Goenka University

We at SoHSS aim for our students to be thoughtful, sensitive, who are morally and socially responsible citizens

and who have a sense of purpose in life. This would be the USP of GD Goenka University for me. We aim to achieve this through a combination of classroom learning coupled with hands-on experience and research-based insights.

Suggestions for the current youth and the aspiring students

Follow your heart, do what you love to do and you will excel in whatever you undertake. Success and money will then follow naturally.

Views on the growth of students through placement opportunities available at GD Goenka University

We at GD Goenka, have a full-fledged Corporate Resource Centre (CRC) that works very closely with each School focusing on their students’ requirements. We also do profiling for the students and groom our students through Personality Development, Communication, Skill-Based courses. Ad-Hoc can be arranged as and when required.

Dr. Bhatnagar on establishing a relation with the students

For us, trust is the key. 

We trust our students and encourage them to communicate with us

Regular feedbacks, mentoring sessions are designed in such a way that helps us to build that with the students. We understand their needs and help them.

Dr. Bhatnagar on her path towards attaining the positions of elite

Our international collaborations with many Universities of repute and exposure toward the same, state of the art infrastructure, best of the Faculty, Syllabus updated with the latest in the field, regular academic and co-curricular activities, and evidence or learning are some ways.

Dr. Bhatnagar on building a positive school culture or climate

Trust and understanding, transparency, mutual respect, streamlined processes, encouragement to all students, the policy of inclusion and no discrimination, identifying strengths and playing by them, mentoring, and counselling to mention a few!

Views on Education being digitalized

With the advancement of technology, digitalization will inadvertently take its due . Education is no exception. The good about it is that it connects you to the entire world, you can study from “The Experts” in the field, self-study becomes easy and fun. However, no one can substitute the real teacher figure in the class.

You can acquire the knowledge through digitalization, but it has to be coupled with the understanding and wisdom one needs to be not only educated, but an educated and wise person.

Ideal school environment for Dr. Bhatnagar

My ideal notion draws inspiration from R.N. Tagore’s “Where the mind is without Fear, and the Head is held High, into that Heaven of Freedom my Father, let my Country Awake”. I wish that students realize their dream and work towards attaining it with the knowledge and expertise they need to do so. We have many Positive Psychology courses at SoHSS, which help them in this direction.