Rs. 89.29 cr released under RUSA for higher edu spread in JK
JAMMU, NOVEMBER 23: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today impressed upon the institutes of higher learning in the State to explore more and more corporate linkages for not only enhancing the employability of their alumni but also to bridge the gap between academia and the industry.
Chairing the 3rd meeting of State Higher Education Council here today, the Chief Minister said the fast and rapid changes taking place in the industry should be regularly incorporated in the course curriculums so that the students after completing their degrees are able to respond to the requirements and challenges of corporate world properly. This, she said, would not only enhance the absorption of young pass outs in the corporate sector easily, it would also cement the relation between academia and industry, making the courses much more application based.
The State Higher Education Council was constituted in 2013 as a requirement under Rashtriya Uchittar Shiksha Abhiyan(RUSA) for accessing funds and overseeing higher education activities in the State.
Mehbooba Mufti, who is also the chairperson of the Council, said such corporate linkages would also ensure financial stabilisation of many of such institutes making them self sustaining and widen their perspective in planning. She suggested that course curriculum be looked into periodically to suit the changing job needs in and application requirements of the corporate world.
Recalling the contribution of former Chief Minister, late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in giving higher education a push, the Chief Minister said during his previous tenure the late leader not only got three universities and number of colleges established, in his last tenure also he had put the subject in mission mode. She said the late leader wanted to see Jammu & Kashmir emerge as a hub of educational activities not only in the country but outside also with students from far and wide coming to seek knowledge, hone their skills and return back with good jobs. She said the present Government is committed to pursue the dream of the late leader and asked the heads of educational institutions to work in that direction with commitment.
Referring to the employability of courses in the universities, the Chief Minister suggested setting up of more nursing colleges and paramedical institutes in the State in view of the job demand within and outside the country. She said similar such courses be replicated in colleges which have ample job opportunities. She also suggested starting coaching classes at many colleges for students who intend to undertake national level competitive exams.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister was informed that 13 colleges would be completed in the State this year under RUSA. She was also informed that the transit campus of IIT Jammu would start functioning from April next year.
On the funding pattern of the scheme, the Chief Minister was informed that Ministry of Human Resource Development has released Rs. 77.55 crore as central share and State Government has released a share of Rs. 11. 74 crore as State share so far and out of this funding Rs. 55.66 crore have been utilized under various components, though the physical progress has been much more.
Similarly, under the scheme, Rs. 31 crore have been released to Universities of Jammu and Kashmir as infrastructure grant out of which Rs. 15.96 crore stand utilized till October 2016, the Chief Minister was informed.
Earlier, Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar briefed the Chief Minister about the Council and the activities undertaken in the higher education sector in the State. He said a programme of optimisation of college infrastructure has been initiated under which evening classes have been started at Kashmir University, benefitting some 1500 students. Similarly, he said, two nursing and two architectural colleges each have been started at Srinagar and Jammu in evening mode.
The Minister informed that the Centre has accorded approval to the setting up of an off campus of Indian Institute of Management at Srinagar for which the process of identification and acquisition of land is in the final stage. He said many start-up initiatives have been launched at many colleges which are sure to give skill development a boost. He said coaching facility for students to appear in many national level exams has also been started at many colleges.
Making her intervention, Minister of State for Education, Priya Sethi laid stress on introduction of online system, including admissions and activities, in all colleges of the State. She also suggested setting up of small entrepreneurial units as part of extracurricular activities in the colleges.
Chief Secretary, B. R. Sharma; Financial Commissioner, Planning, B. B. Vyas; Principal Secretary, Finance, Navin Kumar Choudhary; Commissioner-Secretary, Higher Education, Dr. Asgar Samoon; Commissioner-Secretary, School Education, Shaleen Kabra; Secretary, IT, Saleem Shishger; Vice Chancellors of several universities; Project Director, RUSA; Mr. Tariq Ahmad; members of the council and other officers were present in the meeting.
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