JU to launch Disaster Management courses for Army personnel

JU Vice-Chancellor addressing a press conference on Monday. -Execlsior/Rakesh
JU Vice-Chancellor addressing a press conference on Monday. -Execlsior/Rakesh

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 1: Jammu University has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Army’s High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) Gulmarg for starting Certificate, Diploma, Undergraduate and Post-Graduate courses in the disciplines of high altitude studies and disaster management in mountainous regions.
This was informed by JU Vice-Chancellor , Prof Umesh Rai, while talking to media persons on the campus, here today.

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“This landmark initiative is aimed for academic and technical advancement of Army personnel and JU students. While UG and PG degree programmes are specifically for the Army personnel in the Disaster Management, the Diploma and certificate courses are meant for the university students also,” he elaborated.
As per the MoU, which shall be formally shaped on May 3, the Disaster Management Centre of the Department of Geology in JU shall start three skill based certificate courses in collaboration with the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) Gulmarg in Disaster Management with focus on Search, Rescue and Survival, Snow Craft and Avalanche Rescue and Rock Craft and Mountain Rescue.
The Vice-Chancellor said that these certificate courses will enhance the capabilities of the participating students in managing the disaster, particularly in mountainous, high altitude and glaciated regions.
“The skills imparted shall make the students trained in rock craft and snow craft which will help them in developing of adventure sports in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said and added that these skills will help in generation of employment.
Besides these certificate courses, the Vice-Chancellor said that the University is also formulating Undergraduate Degree and Post-graduate Degree programmes, especially for the Army personnel in Disaster Management giving due weightage to their experiential learning.
During the press conference, the Vice-Chancellor was flanked by Prof Rajni Kant, Dean Research Studies; Prof Arvind Jasrotia, Registrar; Prof Pankaj Srivastava, Convenor, JKSET; Prof Sundeep Pandita, Director, Disaster Management Centre; Prof A S Jasrotia and Dr Vinay Thusoo, Incharge Media Cell.
Prof S K Pandita, while elaborating on the details, said that the theory and basic training component of these courses shall be conducted by the Disaster Management Centre of the University of Jammu while advance practical training part shall be conducted by the HAWS.
Among others, Prof Seema Langar, Dean, Faculty of Sciences, Prof Savita Nayyar and faculty members of the Geology Department were also present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Prof Pankaj Srivastava, Convenor, State Eligibility Test, informed that applications are being invited for the JKSET/LASET – 2023 from May 5th, 2023 onward and the candidate can apply online mode till June 5th 2023. “On the popular demands of the students from J&K , this year a new subject “Tourism Management and Administration” is added to the JKSET examination, which shall be held on 1st October 2023 at 10 different cities of UT of J&K and UT of Ladakh,” he said.