I am Dr. Archana R. Patil, working as an assistant professor in  the VIVA College of Arts, Commerce, and Science. I completed my master's in the commerce stream in 2011. I cleared the Maharashtra State Eligibility Test in 2014. My Ph.D. is in commerce, and I have done research on plastic money. I am approved as an assistant professor from the University of Mumbai for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. I worked as a guide for postgraduate students. I also worked as an examiner and moderator at the university level. I have been making my contribution to this noble profession since last 12 years.

From underprivileged to successful

I came from a poor, rural family where there was no touch of education at all. I had no one around me who could guide me in my education. Due to poor financial conditions and a lack of educational institutions at my place, my uncle took me with him. Uncle and Aunty raised me well. Today, whatever I am is just because of them. I am thankful to God for giving me the hands of additional parents on my head. I have done M.Com. from VIVA College, Maharashtra.  I have completed my PhD from JJTU University, Rajasthan.

Work journey of Dr. Archana R. Patil

Initially, I was not at all clear about the selection of my career. When I was about to complete my post-graduation, our HOD asked us to enter the Teaching field. Some of my classmates took it seriously, but I was the one who ignored her advice. I completed my M.Com, and then I started thinking about the future. That was the time I realized that I should start earning an income. One day, sitting idle, I thought of the teaching field. I already had the quality of teaching. I used to clear the doubts of my classmates while studying. I used to teach my siblings. I heard appreciation from them for my teaching skills. It motivated me to become a Teacher. I started my teaching career after completing my education. All my teachers and heads supported me a lot. Gradually, I developed an interest in teaching. I took further steps to develop myself to become a good teacher.

Students in the present era

As a teacher, I noticed a huge difference in today’s students as compared to our generation. My initial batches around ten years ago were different from the current ones. I teach commerce-related subjects. In theory subjects, it is a challenging task to engage students with positive interest. The new generation is already smart. It is not wrong if we say students are one step ahead of teachers. They can study on their own from ready-made textbooks. The Internet is also there to help them. In this situation, the job of the teacher becomes more challenging. One cannot just stand in the class. Students expect something extraordinary from their teachers. They look for mentors, guides, and counselors in their teachers. I developed my teaching style in this way. I focus on clearing concepts from the given syllabus. I prefer giving examples of current situations, which helps build the interest of students. I keep motivating students to upgrade their knowledge. Whenever possible, I also guide them to keep a positive view of life, as the current generation lacks patience. They always try to find a shortcut to success. A teacher is one element of society that can shape the lives of students after their parents.

Effect of positivity on life

I will give only one piece of advice to students that be positive in life and stay calm in every situation. When there is a question, there is an answer. Increased competition created barriers to career development. If you want to survive, choose your career wisely. Your parents are educated. Teachers are there to help you. The world is giving you a good number of opportunities. The sky is limitless. Open your wings and fly!

Recommended books

I suggest college students to read “How to Win at College,” which is authored by Cal Newport. It gives insights into becoming a good college student. My other recommendation is “How to Become a Straight-A Student.”. It is also written by Cal Newport. Here, the author has given some tips to students about how to achieve good grades with short but effective studies. Nick Winter’s “The Motivation Hacker” is one of the inspiring books in which emphasis is placed on willpower. When we have nothing and good willpower, we can fetch anything.

Favourite memory 

As I mentioned earlier, the teaching field is not my pre-decided career. It is rightly said that whatever happens, it happens for good. I realized that God had pushed me to the right place. I started teaching as soon as I finished post-graduation. I further upgraded my qualifications. In my upgrade, getting a doctorate degree became my big dream, and I started walking towards it. One day, I achieved my dream, and taking a prestigious degree on stage is one of my favourite memories of my career.