Excelsior Correspondent
GANDERBAL, June 6: The Steering Committee meeting of the Design and Innovation Centre (DIC) of Central University of Kashmir (CUK) was held online and offline at the varsity’s Green Campus with Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mehraj ud Din Mir in chair.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice-Chancellor, said, the University was among the few varsities across the country, which bagged the prestigious project in December 2018 and the University has spoke centres across Kashmir and Ladakh, with each having a dedicated Coordinator. He said the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and Government are happy with the project and appreciated it.
Prof Mehraj ud Din said that in consultation with the functionaries in Department of Higher Education, ten colleges were identified and the project launched.
He said the project has been further extended for one more year and the authorities in the Department of Higher Education have expressed their earnest desire to add up more colleges to the list. The Vice-Chancellor said the candidates in these spoke centres have produced quality merchandise, which would have been exhibited during the meeting, but could not, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Project Director, and Registrar, Prof Fayaz A Nika, while deliberating upon the operative aspects of the project said, DIC is a prestigious project of CUK intended to develop innovation and entrepreneurial culture.
He said the DIC is offering programmes in four areas including diplomas in Kashmiri food production and processing, design and dress making, Kashmir and Ladakh craft and herbal medicine and aromatic technology, adding till date DIC has trained 143 individuals in these crafts.
Prof Nika said the scheme has been drafted carefully and is being implemented in letter and spirit, adding the DIC has sanctioned 11 research projects, the prototypes of which have been received for further examination.
He revealed that the project has well defined parameters and properly laid down plan of execution.
Director Colleges, Prof Yaseen Ahmad Shah and former Director Colleges Prof Zahoor Ahmad Chatt were special invitees, who also spoke on the occasion and underscored the need of promoting skill development at different levels of education.
Controller of Examinations, Prof Parveen Pandit, also emphasized the need for promoting skill development in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Addressing the meeting in online mode, Coordinator Prof NA Nadeem, underscored the need of implementing plan of action formulated during the previous Steering Committee Meeting, in letter and spirit.
Prof. Nighat Basu, who is the Coordinator of spoke centre at Government Women’s Polytechnic College Bemina, which offers programmes in dressmaking, said the main objective of DIC was to promote the innovations.
Dean School of Life Sciences, Prof. M Afzal Zargar, Dean School of Education, Prof Syed Zahoor Geelani, Dr Firdous Ahmad Sofal, Dr Asif Khan and Ashiq Najar, also spoke on the occasion.
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