Jammu: Only education can lead to a brighter future for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said on Monday, asserting that it is his dream to make the union territory an “oasis of talent”.
Inaugurating a conference on the implementation of NEP-2020, he said Jammu and Kashmir is gifted with not only scenic beauty but also brilliant minds.
“I have a strong conviction that the New Education Policy will have far-reaching effects in the union territory,” he said at the Jammu University.
“Only education can help bring about a brighter future for J&K. It is my dream to make Jammu & Kashmir an oasis of talent, having abundant wealth of knowledge, enterprise and skilled youth.”
The conference on NEP-2020 has been jointly organised by Jammu University and the Department of Higher Education. Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank congratulated Sinha through a video message for taking the lead in implementing the policy and assured full Central support.
Sinha said Rs 300 crore has been released to set up new colleges and completing those under construction and Rs 2,392 crore for school and higher education sector. The Centre has released an additional fund of Rs 500 crore for health & medical education, he said.
Amid the pandemic, the LG stressed the immediate need to intensify research on epidemiology, virology and infectious diseases in universities.
Quoting the American writer-philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson, he said, “‘The secret of education lies in respecting the students’. As such there is a need to incorporate students’ feedback into our education system with emphasis on processing the feedback for scientific assessment.”
Sinha said the new education policy would ensure local empowerment while creating global talent.
He asked teachers to reorient themselves to the changing dynamics of the education ecosystem. “The new education policy will not only enable us to harvest true potential of technology, but help us achieve equitable and inclusive education. It also focusses on faculty and institutional autonomy”, said the LG.
The LG laid emphasis on involvement of corporates, philanthropists and top education experts to ensure students get opportunity through scholarships.
He said he is a firm believer in free exchange of knowledge and ideas as it is crucial for thriving education institutions and breakthrough innovations.
Advisor to the LG, K K Sharma, said the motto of the NEP-2020 is to run an integrated education system. “It is basically a multi-disciplinary approach where the students coming from the rural area i.e. socio-economically disadvantaged students will be benefitted,” he added.
Highlighting the key benefits of the NEP-2020, the LG said that the New Education Policy aims to overhaul the entire pedagogy, in schools as well as institutions of higher education.
“There is need to bring all education institutions in line with the New Education Policy. There is need to incorporate new skill sets, innovative activities, new research programmes, scholarships, e-learning modules and vocational training into updated syllabus,” said the LG.
The work on setting up incubation centres and technology centres in Jammu should be expedited while ensuring a greater industry-academic relationship. Innovation be promoted through competitions and similar activities, remarked the LG.
“I am a firm believer in knowledge exchange which not only have its impact on local community but also influences the talent pool at the global scale. Discussion is redundant unless we have sincere communication,” said the LG.
He said free exchange of ideas is crucial for thriving education institutions and breakthrough innovations.
Highlighting skill development, the LG remarked that Jammu has a rich heritage of art and craft including silverware, weaving, wood crafting and phulkari.
According to the LG, the students be given internship in such skills and technology could be used to give branding and marketing to local artisans. He also called upon the students of Jammu to enthusiastically take up research according to their interests.
Appreciating the youth of J&K, the LG said that the nation requires talented individuals, who adopt to the changing global scenario and help make Jammu & Kashmir a fountainhead of knowledge, innovation, prosperity. “I believe that the New Education Policy fulfills aspirations of J&K youth and helps create a Dynamic Knowledge Society in the region,” he concluded.
