Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today presided over a pivotal meeting of the J&K Higher Education Council at Raj Bhawan.
The session witnessed the presence of Rajeev RaiBhatnagar, Advisor to the Lt Governor; AtalDulloo, Chief Secretary; Prof. Dinesh Singh, Vice Chairman of the J&K Higher Education Council; Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary of the Higher Education Department; and Vice Chancellors from various universities across the Union Territory.
The council, under the leadership of the Lt Governor, deliberated on strategies for a comprehensive and holistic transformation of the education sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Emphasizing the critical role of education in societal service, Lt Governor Sinha urged stakeholders to focus on maximizing human potential. He underscored the necessity of evaluating the value of each higher education course to ensure they align with the expectations of students and employers.
“One of the objectives of higher education is to prepare future leaders. Under the Higher Education Council, we will conduct an honest assessment of the effectiveness of subjects and evaluate the return on investment made by universities,” stated Lt Governor Sinha.
Key topics of discussion included the implementation status of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 across J&K universities, updates on the Design Your Degree (DYD) Program, and initiatives aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, start-ups, and tangible skill programs. Proposals for new joint programs and initiatives for the academic year 2024-25 were also reviewed.
Lt Governor Sinha reaffirmed the UT Administration’s dedication to enacting effective policies and reforms in the education sector. He commended the council members and stakeholders for their contributions towards transforming Jammu and Kashmir’s higher education landscape. He emphasised the importance of innovative programs like Design Your Degree, urging timely implementation.
“Curriculum and classroom learning should foster problem-solving skills among students. We must equip our higher education institutions to nurture future entrepreneurs,” he added.
Prof. Dinesh Singh, Vice Chairman of JKHEC, highlighted the significance of understanding the essence of the Design Your Degree program within the broader context of the National Education Policy. He stressed the importance of educational institutions recognizing their strengths and weaknesses and empowering students to redefine classroom learning.
Rajeev RaiBhatnagar, AtalDulloo, Vice Chancellors, and council members shared insights on NEP 2020 implementation and the sustainability and expansion of the DYD Program. The council also explored ideas for greater inter-institutional cooperation for credit and resource sharing.
The meeting was also attended by Santosh D Vaidya, Principal Secretary of the Finance Department; Dr.Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor; Vikramjit Singh, Commissioner Secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce; Prof. KaviArya from IIT Bombay; ShobhaBagai, Director of the Cluster Innovation Centre at Delhi University; and Prof. Sheikh Ajaz Bashir, Principal of Amar Singh College.
In another meeting, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today chaired a review meeting of the Hospitality and Protocol Department.
The meeting was attended by AtalDulloo, Chief Secretary; Satish Chandra, Chairman of J&K Real Estate Regulatory Authority (JKRERA); Santosh D Vaidya, Principal Secretary Finance Department; Dr Rashmi Singh, Commissioner Secretary, Hospitality & Protocol and Principal Resident Commissioner; Dr.Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor; Bhupinder Kumar, Secretary Public Works (R&B); AchalSethi, Secretary Law and other senior officers.
The Lt Governor emphasised on the measures to streamline the operations of the department and to make quantifiable goals to increase revenue.
The Lt Governor took appraisal of the assets and ongoing tourism and guest house construction projects. He stressed upon maximum utilisation of guest houses for tourists, convention centres and conference facilities and provide one stop solution for tourism and hospitality related needs.
The Lt Governor called for promotion of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives. He said the adoption of PPP model will enhance efficiency and generate additional revenue for the department.
The meeting also discussed the rental structure at various government-run guest houses and renovation of the infrastructure.
Lieutenant Governor ManojSinha today interacted with the youth delegation from Maharashtra, at Raj Bhawan.
In his address, the Lt Governor welcomed the Youth who are on a five-day visit to J&K for YuvaSangam, under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative. He said the initiative aims to strengthen people-to-people connect between youth, including on-campus and off-campus students, of the two regions.
“YuvaSangam reflects the spirit of NEP 2020 with focus on experiential learning and youth are provided with opportunity to explore the rich diversity of the country and diverse facets of ancient heritage. During the tours, multi-dimensional exposure under five broad areas- Tourism, Traditions, Development, People-to-People connect and Technology is provided to the youth delegation,” the Lt Governor said.
The Lt Governor highlighted deep spiritual, cultural, emotional and creative bond between J&K and Maharashtra. He said since Bhakti-Kaal, the two region’s traditions are deeply rooted in devotional beliefs. He also informed the delegates that land has been provided to construct Maharashtra Bhawan in J&K UT.
