510908: SOFT SKILLS
Teaching Scheme: Examination Scheme:
Practical: 2 Hrs/Week Term Work: 50 Marks
Objectives:
1. To encourage the all round development of students by focusing on soft skills
2. To make the students aware about of the importance, the role and the content of soft skills
through instruction, knowledge acquisition, demonstration, and practice
3. To develop and nurture the soft skills of the students through individual and group activities
4. To expose students to right attitudinal aspects and to build the same through activities
The coverage of soft skills that help develop a student as a team member, leader, all round
professional in the long run have been identified and listed here for references. As the time
allotment for the soft skills laboratory is small and the fact that these skills are nurtured over
years, students are encouraged to follow up on these skills as self-study and self driven process.
Unit I (6 Hrs)
Self Development and Assessment: Self-Assessment, Self-Awareness, Perceptions and Attitudes,
Values and Belief Systems, Personal Goal Setting, Career Planning, Self-Esteem, Building of Self
Confidence
Unit II (6 Hrs)
Verbal and Nonverbal Spoken Communications: Includes planning, preparation, delivery and
feedback and assessment of activities like: Public speaking, Group Discussions, Oral Presentation
skills, Perfect interview, listening and observation skills, Body Language, Use of presentation
graphics, Use of presentation aids, study of Communication Barriers
Unit III (6 Hrs)
Written Communications: Technical Writing – Technical reports, Project Proposals, Brochures,
Newsletters, Technical Articles, Technical Manuals, Official / Business Correspondence:
Business Letters, Memos, Progress Reports, Minutes of Meeting, Event Reporting, Use of Style,
Grammar and Vocabulary for effective Technical writing, Use of Tools, Guidelines for technical
Writing, Publishing
Unit IV (6 Hrs)
Ethics and Etiquettes: Business Ethics, Etiquettes in social as well as office settings, E-mail
etiquettes, Telephone Etiquettes, Engineering ethics, and ethics as an IT Professional, Civic Sense
Unit V (6 Hrs)
Leadership and Interpersonal Communications: Leaders – their skills, roles, and responsibilities,
Vision, Empowering, delegation, motivating others, organizational skills, Problem Solving and
conflict management, team building, interpersonal skills. Organizing and conducting meetings,
decision making, giving support
Unit VI (6 Hrs)
Other Skills – Managing Time, Meditation, Understanding roles of Engineer’s and their
responsibilities, Exposure to work environment and culture in today’s job places, improving
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personal memory, Study skills that include Rapid Reading, Notes Taking, Complex problem
solving and creativity.
References for students for self-improvement by self-study
Topic 1: Any good book like
1. Shiv Khera, “You Can Win” – Macmillan Books – 2003 Revised Edition,ISBN 0333 93740 6
2. Stephen Covey, “7 Habits of highly effective people “
Topic 2 and 3
1. John Collin, “Perfect Presentation”, Video Arts MARSHAL.
2. Jenny Rogers, “Effective Interviews”, Video Arts MARSHAL.
3. Raman, Sharma, “Technical Communciations”, OXFORD. ISBN 0-19-566804-9
4. Sharon Gerson, Steven Gerson”, Technical Writing process and product”, Pearson education
Asia, LPE Third Edition.
5. R Sharma, K. Mohan, “Business correspondence and Report writing”, Tata McGrawHill
ISBN 0-07-044555-9
6. Videos for Technical Education Catalog, National Education and Information Films Ltd,
Mumbai.
7. Management Training and Development Catalog, National Education and Information Films
Ltd, Mumbai.
8. XEBEC, “Presentation Book 1, 2, 3”, Tata McGraw-Hill, 2000, ISBN 0 – 040221 – 3
Topic 4 and 5 and 6
1. Tim Hindle, “Reducing Stress”, Essential Manager Series DK publishing.
2. Sheila Cameron, “Business students Handbook”, Pitman Publishing.
3. Dr R L Bhatia, “Managing Time for a competitive edge”.
4. Lorayne, Lucas “Memory Book”.
5. Robert Heller, “Effective leadership”, Essential Managers DK publishers.
6. Newstrom, Keith Davis, “Organizational Behavior”, Tata McGraw Hill.
7. Sasikumar, P Dhamija ,”Spoken English (with video cassettes)” Tata McGraw Hill
ISBN 0-07-460358-2
It is proposed that experts from industry be invited to conduct lecturers and work shops to
understand the industry soft skill requirements,
LIST OF POSSIBLE ASSIGNMENTS
1. Write a Personal essay and or resume or statement of purpose which may include:
a. Who am I (family background, past achievements, past activities of significance).
b. Strengths and weaknesses (how to tackle them) (SWOT analysis).
c. Personal short-term goals, long-term goals and action plan to achieve them.
d. Self assessment on soft skills
2. Students could review and present to a group from following ideas:
a. Book review.
b. Biographical sketch.
c. Any topic such as an inspirational story/personal values/beliefs/current topic.
d. Ethics and etiquettes and social responsibilities as a professional.
3. Students will present to a group from following ideas:
a. Multimedia based oral presentation on any topic of choice (Business/Technical).
b. Public speaking exercise in form of debate or elocution on any topic of choice
4. Students will undergo two activities related to verbal/nonverbal skills from following:
a. Appearing for mock personal interviews.
b. Participating in Group Discussions on current affairs/social issues/ethics and
etiquettes.
c. Participating in Games, Role Playing exercises to highlight nonverbal skills.
5. Students will submit one written technical documents from following:
a. Project proposal.
b. Product brochure.
c. Literature survey on any one topic.
d. User manual.
e. Technical help.
6. Students will submit one written business documents from following:
a. A representative Official correspondence.
b. Minutes of meeting.
c. Work progress report.
7. Students will participate in one or two activities from following:
a. Team games for team building.
b. Situational games for Role Playing as leaders, members.
c. Organizing mock events.
d. Conducting meetings.
8. Faculty may arrange one or more sessions from following:
a. Yoga and meditation.
b. Stress management, relaxation exercises, and fitness exercises.
c. Time management and personal planning sessions.
d. Improving memory skills.
e. Improving leadership skills.
f. Improving English conversation skills.
g. Reading comprehension skills and Notes taking skills.
Students are expected to keep a personal record of ANY SIX activities that they undertook
in the Soft skills Laboratory in the form of a journal. All students need not do the same
assignments. Colleges have a freedom within the framework to customize set of activities to
be followed.
Guidelines for Conduction and Assessment of Laboratory Work
1. This laboratory can be seen as a departmental activity with one of the faculty as coordinator.
2. Professionals from HRD departments of companies could assist in training sessions.
3. Certain activities can even be team activities such as technical report submission or joint
presentations.
4. Popular science, INTERNET, Magazines, Newspapers, and Training MEDIA from BCL,
BBC, Management Institutes, and Management Gurus can also be used as resources.
5. Generally an exercise can be designed to allow multiple skills exposure for example a group
task encouraging discussions, team building, value sharing, leadership and Role Play all at
the same time.
ASSESMENT Guidelines
1. WRITTEN Communications 20 Marks
a Students could submit for example
b Personal resume, essay
c Technical document or business document.
2. Spoken communications 20 Marks
a One elocution event of say 8-10 minutes individually
b One group discussion or group presentation event
3. Overall participation in soft skills based lab activities 10 Marks
a Attendance and enthusiasm
b Participation and contribution in event management, organizing
c Group games, group exercises, interpersonal skills observed.
d Quality of journal for soft skills laboratory indicating personal progress, participation.
Guidelines for batch wise Time management for laboratory sessions (Two hour session at a time)
A Semester allows for 12-14 sessions. Students can do Lot of preparation at leisure time.
1. Batches could be of size 25 to 30 students.
2. Written communication exercises could be done for whole batch at same time (3 sessions)
3. Spoken communications exercises can be done with around 10-15 students covered in one
two-hour slot so total need for one exercise. (2 sessions).
4. Group discussions could be done for groups of 5-8 students at a time for half hour so total
need for two group discussions for each student of the batch will be required. (2 sessions).
5. Sessions could be organized for trainers to give directions, knowledge, experience sharing or
common viewing of training material on Video etc. (4 sessions).
6. Group exercises for team building, role-playing and interaction with professional.
(3 sessions)
Reference http://www.unipune.ernet.in/stud_info/Syllabi/Syllabus_2008.html
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