KIIT has a 'Tutor-Mentor Programme', in which a teacher is placed as a mentor of a small group of students, enhances the all round development of the students by ensuring an appropriate classroom environment, broadening curriculum participation and strengthening the bond between the students and the teachers. Mentors provide emotional as well as academic support, guidance, motivation, pose themselves as ideal role models for the mentees and also help them in their career growth.

1.0 Mentoring System

The KIIT deemed to be University has institutionalized the Tutor- Mentor system since 1997, the year of establishment as institution. In the system the student is termed as mentee and the faculty member as mentor.

Excerpts from the guidelines for the mentors towards effective mentoring system is furnished below. In this section the generic issues to be addressed by mentors are furnished. An overall introduction to category of mentors is also furnished.

Excerpts from the Guidelines for tutor mentors

1.1 Background

Effective and Close teacher-learner interaction has proved to be a key factor in learning and success of a student. In recognition of this, The KIIT University has institutionalized the Tutor-Mentor system since the beginning. In the system the student is termed as mentee and the faculty member as mentor. This document prescribes the guidelines for the mentors towards effective mentoring. In this section the generic issues to be addressed by mentors are furnished. An overall introduction to category of mentors is also furnished.

1.1.1 The Issues

Academics (regarding the status of classes, attendance, course progress, difficulties in understanding the subjects of study, registration, marks etc.)
Career (issues relating to placement / higher studies / entrepreneurship)
Emotion (issues relating to anyone in family/friends or a person whom he/she gives the utmost importance, quarrel/misunderstandings, money, recent happenings etc.)

Discipline (altercations/fights, threats, bunking, fines, complaint from the hostel/teachers etc)

Grievances (regarding any problem faced by the student during and/or after the classes which may not be addressed properly)

Any other issue(s) not coming under the above categories.

 1.1.2 Mentor

The mentors are to take care of the following activities related to the mentees: Registration, Academic information, interaction with guardians, attendance status, health conditions, general conduct and etiquettes, Brand awareness promotion. They are the first tier contacts to receive and initiate appropriate steps towards grievance redressal.

Mentor Counselling Committee: The senior mentors are supposed to groom mentors and counseling mentors. They may conduct sessions/workshops periodically towards ensuring effective mentoring program.

1.2 Mentor's Appointment

At the beginning of the academic year, the Dean/Director of the Schools will notify the mentors, counseling mentors and senior mentors from among the faculty members of the school. Following guidelines may be followed during mentors' appointment.

• For a group of students a faculty may be nominated as mentor. The head of the school may nominate a demonstrator only if he/she is sure of potential of the demonstrator to work as an effective mentor.
• The group size for undergraduate students should preferably be thirty. Deans / Directors are however empowered to choose the group size.
• For female students, in no case a male faculty member will be nominated as mentor.
• The head of school will nominate counseling mentors from among the faculty. The faculty member with good rapport establishing skills and rational decision making skills may be preferred.
• The number of counseling mentors will be one for a student group size of 200.
• Senior mentors will be nominated by the Head of Schools from among the senior professors.

1.3 Mentors' Responsibilities

To ensure a cooperative and supportive environment to the mentees towards facilitating learning and engagement in active scholastic work.

• • To hold frequent and regularly scheduled meetings with the mentees and make himself/herself available or accessible for the mentees as often as needed.
  • To keep the guardians informed on student's academic progress, attendance and discipline related issued (if any).
  • To keep the students and guardians informed of organizational achievements.

• To help the mentees develop a thorough understanding of the academic programs and the required regulations.
• To identify opportunities for students to disseminate their skill in discipline specific or extra-curricular activities.
• To provide direction to enhance and reinforce the mentee's discipline specific or interdisciplinary methods and skills.
• To identify need of counseling and arrange regular interaction with the counseling mentors. The number of mentees in need of counseling should not be more than 1/4th of group size

1.4 Documentation Requirement

Number of students per mentor: 25-30
Frequency of meeting: 1/Month (every 2^nd Saturday of the month) with the group.
Further, as and when required the mentees as well as Tutor Mento can conduct meetings. 

Efficacy of the System: The mentoring activities lead to multiple outcomes across a broad spectrum of activities. The mentee-mentor relationship can be complex and thus efficacy is not easily measurable. The University collects feedback from mentees on mentors and also from mentors on mentees. The efficacy is assessed from the following parameters.

• % of mentees without any backs (From examination results)
• Achievements of mentees (From mentors)
• Mentor contacts used (From mentees)