‘Institute-building is as important as teaching today’

Teaching is in her blood. Her grandfather was a schoolteacher, who in his career took up administrative roles. Her father, although a medical professional, is practicing and passionate about training and reading to upgrade his knowledge and sharing it with the new entrants in the profession even today after his retirement. She inherited a flair for teaching from her family. Meet Dr Pragya Arya, Assistant Professor (Operations and Decision Science) and Area Chair at Apeejay School of Management, Dwarka.

“I knew that a practical experience in the industry would help add value once I joined the academics. Hence, after working for two years in the industry, I took up a career in academics. It gives me a sense of satisfaction as I feel I am directly contributing to nation-building and impacting a person’s life positively,” Dr Arya shared.

In an email interview, the assistant professor talked about memorable experiences as an educator.

How important is institute-building for an educator, particularly in a value-based brand like Apeejay?

In today’s time, institute-building for an educator has become as important as teaching itself. At present, the expectations of the industry from college graduates are changing rapidly. To be abreast with industry expectations, an institute must upgrade its functioning and delivery of the courses at the same pace as industry. This requires changing the pedagogy, evaluation mechanisms, and many other operational activities to match the institute’s output with industry expectations. Teachers in an institute cannot separate themselves from such changes and developments, as they are as integral parts of an institute as the students themselves.

How would you describe your teaching style?

I am an Operations and Decision Science faculty. It entails execution at ground level. When I teach, I make sure that the concepts I teach in my classes look relevant to my students. For that, I ensure that through real examples, day-to-day issues that organisations face (and sometimes even us in our personal lives), and comprehensive case studies, my class can match a particular concept with its actual application in the industry. This builds confidence in the students that what they are studying is relevant to the industry, of which they are soon going to be a part.

Are there any specific goals or objectives you have for this course/semester?

Ensuring that my students are not intimidated by numbers and numerical-based courses. This will also lead to building the foundation for analytics, which is a buzzword nowadays, as I am also involved in teaching subjects in Business Analytics specialisation. Developing an interest of students in Operations and Decision Science as a specialisation that offers lucrative and exciting career opportunities across diverse industrial sectors.

What advice would you give to students who want to succeed in your class?

First, always choose a specialisation in which you are confident that you will be able to perform well. Don’t go by the mob mentality. Times keep changing, and the only way you can survive in changing times and tough competition is by excelling in your performance. And that can only happen if you are passionate and confident about what you do.

Second, don’t forget that there is always a scope for improvement. If you have been the topper, apart from your hard work and dedication, it is also because others were not better than you. If you think that there is nothing about your personality that needs improvement, you are in big trouble. Self-introspection and being true to yourself in that process are necessary for a successful professional and personal career.

Third, have the right attitude towards learning – be regular in classes, go back and revisit whatever has been taught in class daily, and try to relate all class teachings with practical developments around you. Finally, ensure that you have done your bit before complaining or pointing out issues. Try to do so along with a possible solution.

Can you share any memorable or inspiring experiences you’ve had as a professor?

In my two-and-a-half-year tenure at Apeejay School of Management, my mentees have bagged the best Summer Internship Project award twice. Mr Loveesh Bali, from the PGDM 2021-23 batch, who is working with InsuranceDekho, and Mr Rohan Pandey, from the PGDM 2022-24 batch, who has been placed in S&P Global. For an educator, his/her student’s achievements also become their own. I would like to take this opportunity to mention two qualities that both of them had – self-driven individuals and comprehending and implementing my instructions at different stages during the project.

Any scholarly work or paper you have published?

I value two case studies published in Richard Ivey’s collection. The case studies are real case studies based on Shoppers Stop Limited (SSL). The entire exercise of data collection for the case, interviewing employees at SSL, case manuscript writing, and revisions helped me enhance my information analysis and academic writing skills. Apart from that, I have one paper titled Modelling Environmental and Economic Sustainability of Logistics, published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration, which is indexed in the ABDC list.

What have been your achievements at Apeejay?

Apeejay School of Management has provided me with ample opportunities for honing my technical as well as interpersonal skills. After a year at ASM, I assumed the role of Area Chair. I express my gratitude to the ASM management for their trust in my abilities and their recognition of my work. I was designated by ASM to deliver a two-week course on Creative Thinking at Uniglobe College, Kathmandu, Nepal. I have been part of the orientation programme for batches of PGDM twice, in 2022 and 2023. I have also served on the core committee for national and international conferences, as well as many other conclaves and events organised by ASM.