ASTHA is inspired by the vision of Sri Aurobindo and is committed to fostering an inclusive environment while functioning as an equal opportunity employer. The institution ensures regional and linguistic inclusion by welcoming students from diverse backgrounds, including speakers of Odia, Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Urdu, and Tamil, along with dialects such as Sambalpuri, Kui, and Kurmi. Communal inclusion is reflected through fair representation of minority communities, while equal opportunities are extended to women and persons with special needs.
The institute promotes national pride and responsible citizenship by celebrating national and regional events such as Kargil Diwas, Utkal Diwas, Independence Day, Republic Day, Constitution Day, and Gandhi Jayanti with dedication. Citizenship values are further strengthened through community-oriented activities like blood donation camps, cleanliness drives, and waste management awareness programmes. The Preamble of the Constitution is displayed prominently, the National Anthem is sung during every congregation, and the Institutional Pledge reinforces duties towards the nation.
Institutional values and professional ethics are deeply embedded in the culture of ASTHA, emphasizing competency-based education, commitment to excellence, community service, good governance, service to the nation, and service to the divine. Nationalistic pride combined with universal human values defines the institutional ethos. Initiatives like YUGMA stand as a strong example of promoting human values, brotherhood, and harmony. Through these continuous efforts, the institution nurtures tolerance, mutual respect, and social cohesion among all stakeholders.

One of the core values of the institute is Service to the Nation. In sync with this value, the institute inculcates in its students and employees a sense of national pride and being a responsible citizen.
• Days of national importance (15th August, 26th January, 2nd October, 25th January, 5th September etc.) are celebrated with utmost gaiety and fervour.
• The days to pay tribute to our martyrs are also observed with dedication and piety. The Preamble of our constitution is displayed in all the important places of the institute.
• Community service activities like cleanliness drive, blood donation camp, go green campaign etc. are carried out regularly under the banner of SEA (Social & Environmental Awareness), FUN WITH PURPOSE, and YOUTH CONNECT.
• Institute has its unique pledge that reminds everyone to be a dutiful citizen.
• National Anthem is sung at the end of every event, meeting or congregation.
• Institute has been appreciated by the Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar for its efforts in inculcating citizenship behaviour among the members.

Best Practice 1

Competency-Based Learning through Competency Incubator and Assessment Centre (CIAC)
The lesson plan of Competency-Based Learning through the Competency Incubator and Assessment Centre (CIAC) is designed to bridge academic learning with industry requirements through active collaboration with corporate mentors. It focuses on developing job-ready skills by integrating real-world projects, case studies, and hands-on training guided by industry experts. Continuous assessment and feedback from mentors help in identifying competency gaps and enhancing student performance. This approach ensures holistic development by aligning theoretical knowledge with practical workplace expectations.
CIAC Objectives:
• Develop managerial competencies.
• Enhance entrepreneurial skills.
CIAC Overview Competency combines demonstrable traits for performance. CIAC integrates training and assessments for managerial growth.
CIAC Practice
CIAC includes a unique module each semester for holistic development. Training and one-on-one counseling are key components, ensuring students are job-ready and entrepreneurial. Success Evidence Recruiters include ONGC Videsh, Dabur, Axis Bank, Reliance Digital, and more. Students Placed: 155 Packages: 4.8 LPA (highest), 3.0 LPA (median)
Self-Employed Students: 11
Challenges
• Need for expert trainers.
• High cost and time demands exceed current fee structures.

Best Practice 2

Organisational Behaviour (OB) Lab
OB Lab Objectives:
• Enhance personality.
• Foster self-reflection and behavioral change.
• OB Lab Practice Tools like MBTI and VARK, along with counseling and Out-Bound Training (OBT), improve empathy, leadership, and teamwork. These activities shape positive attitudes, essential for corporate readiness.
OB Lab Success
• Campus Recruiters: 54
• Regular Recruiters: 14
• Students exhibit humility and confidence, valued by industries. Institute is preferred destination for campus recruitment.
Challenges:
• High costs and reliance on specialized trainers.
• Both initiatives align curriculum, industry needs, and student interests, building competencies and positive attitudes.

YUGMA

What is the responsibility of an HEI-- providing degrees or developing dutiful citizens?
Dutiful citizens develop only through education that emphasizes values. Human Values and Spiritual Goals are extremely necessary in today’s world that is posed with climate change, communal disturbances, international warfare and so on. Thus, making spiritual education and human values indispensable.
But, how does this proliferate?
Institute’s distinctiveness lies in integrating spiritualism and human values through YUGMA, a National-level Oratory Contest that brings the Youth of the world together for two days at the Campus to showcase their patriotism, creativity, value-system and conscientiousness through speech, discussion, presentation and debate. It is inspired by the Divine Mother of Pondicherry and Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy of universal brotherhood.
Outcome:
In 2024-25, foreign nationals also participated. More than 500 committed citizens witnessed life changing moments while deliberating on human conscience. The feeling of oneness that emerged, endorsed the institutional motto of “Ensuring Complete Transformation”. Budding doctors, engineers, fashion designers, lawyers, managers, advertisers, botanists, linguists have all been a part of this journey since 2015. And YUGMA, is ensuring creation of more and more compassionate and empathetic citizens of the world.