Commissioner/Secretary HED discuss plan for introduction of new courses in colleges
SRINAGAR: Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kashmir Prof Talat Ahmad and Commissioner/Secretary, Higher Education Department Talat Pervez Rohella said on Saturday that the introduction of more skill-based and innovative courses in the colleges could go a long way in increasing the employ ability of students and lead to a better job scenario.
Chairing a meeting to discuss the formulation of course modules for additional skill-based courses to be introduced in colleges, Prof Talat Ahmad said; “Offering more skill courses would certainly lead to a better job scenario. Therefore, in tune with what is envisaged in the New Education Policy-2020, we will have to reorient our courses and syllabi, wherever required, to help increase the employ ability of our college students.”
He said the overall objective should be to further improve upon the academic credentials of teachers and students.
“This can be done by holding workshops and seminars in the colleges so that our students and teachers get exposed to the new ideas that are being envisaged for their better academic and research objectives,” Prof Talat said.
The four-hour-long marathon meeting attended by vice-chancellors and directors/heads of various academic, research and technology institutions across Jammu and Kashmir was held on directions of K K Sharma, IAS, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor to discuss “Hub and Spoke model for skill domains, Innovation and Incubation.”
Prof Talat assured the University’s full support to the Higher Education Department, Spoke and Hub Institutions to realise the objectives of “this new academic vision being laid in the larger interest of the student community” in a time-bound manner.Addressing the participants, Rohella said this employ ability enhancement programme is being rolled out to “bring about a considerable change” in the higher education scenario across Jammu and Kashmir and “increase the employability index.”
He said the technology development centers will be established in various colleges to impart the skill training.This, he said, is being done in line with the objectives of the NEP-2020 which lays a great thrust on skill development, entrepreneurship, innovation and incubation.
Rohalla sought study modules (of varying credits) from heads of various participating institutions to roll out the programme without any delay. He said the Higher Education Department would provide all requisite facilities, including funds and manpower required to make the programme a success, vis-à-vis both short and long-term objectives.
“We will start with a pilot programme and then go on adding more courses to the study basket for students to choose from,” he said. “Eventually these credit-based courses, which shall be largely offered alongside the regular courses being offered to the students, would graduate into full-fledged certificate, diploma and degree courses.”
He said the credits earned will have a transfer policy as per the University Grants Commission guidelines.After thorough deliberations, it was decided that a high-level committee shall be constituted to formulate a robust policy implementation document on such courses (including credits/credit transfer/human resource etc.) for adoption by the concerned academic institutions, and also to serve as a model example for other academic institutions in the country to follow.
Heads of various institutions, who spoke on the occasion, gave their suggestions to make the programme a success. These, among others, included Prof Manoj Dhar, Vice Chancellor University of Jammu; Prof Mushtaq Siddqui, Vice Chancellor, IUST, Awantipora; Prof Nazeer Ahmad, VC SKUAST-K; VC BGSBU Rajouri; Dr AG Ahangar, Director SKIMS Srinagar; VC SMVDU Katra; Regional Director IIMC Jammu; Director IIM Jammu, Dean Academic Affairs KU Prof Akbar Masood, Dean Academic Affairs Cluster University Srinagar Prof Peerzada Mohd Yusuf, Registrar University of Kashmir Dr Nisar Ahmad Mir and Director NIFT Srinagar., Dr Javed Ahmad Wani.Director Colleges, Heads/Directors/Representatives from IIIM J&K; ISM Srinagar; IIT Jammu; Narayana Hospital Katra; NIT Srinagar; CDI Srinagar; IHM Srinagar, INTACH Jammu, NIFT Srinagar, Nodal Principal Jammu; Principal Amar Singh Colleges Srinagar; Regional Director ICA J&K, also spoke on the occasion.