Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 17: Stressing on creation of a proper academic atmosphere on campus in all higher educational institutions across the State, Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar today said that the Principals of the Degree Colleges need to lead by example so that the students are inspired and consider them as their role models.
The Minister was speaking on the occasion of one day Conference of Principals of Government Degree Colleges of the State organized by the Higher Education Department. The Minister said there is need to generate proper academic atmosphere in educational institutions in the State which can happen only through teacher skill development. “Refresher courses and skill development programmes should be made mandatory for academicians across the State,” Akhtar said.
Minister for Public Works, Floriculture, Gardens and Parks, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari and Minister of State for Education, Information and Culture, Priya Sethi were also present on the occasion.
Emphasizing on developing students with skills, the Minister said that it is important that Colleges offer latest courses that equip students to meet the demands of the private sector. He said students should be imparted applied knowledge, rather than bookish in subjects like Tourism, Sericulture etc so that they are equipped for the job market.
The Minister directed Principals of Government Degree College for Women, Nawakadal and Anantnag, where subjects like Tourism and Sericulture are being taught to develop a mechanism through which students with these subjects can be tracked. This tracking system will help determine career growth of students with these subjects. The Principals were asked to submit a feedback in this regard within one month.
On the occasion, Commissioner Secretary Higher Education Sarita Chauhan gave a brief on issues pertaining to various ongoing construction works being carried out by different executing agencies in colleges across the State. The Minister for Public Works assured to follow up these issues on priority so that the projects are completed on time and academics do not suffer.
Urging the concerned officers for timely completion of construction works, Education Minister directed Chief Engineer R&B, Jammu to be the nodal officer for monitoring the status of such works under execution by different agencies in both the divisions of the State.
The Minister also took review of Rashtriya Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) a Centrally sponsored scheme for improving access, equity and quality in the State’s Higher Education System. The Minister said that to improve the standard of higher education in the State it is important to bring in academic reforms such as introduction of semester system, Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) in Government Degree Colleges of the State.
He said that though the CBCS has been introduced at the PG level in the State Universities, the process to introduced this system in Government Degree Colleges should be hastened. “Giving choice to students in selection of allied elective subjects besides the core ones will add value to their degrees”, the Minister said, adding that student should be made aware about such programmes through developing a counselling system in the colleges.
Minister of State for Education, Priya Sethi also spoke on the importance of introducing reforms in the State higher education system, so that overall quality of State institutions is improved and learning outcomes given an impetus. She added that there is need to have adequate availability of quality faculty in all higher educational institutions across the State to impart quality education.
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