Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Sunday said that enhancement of opportunity to the students to seek higher goals in science and technology created by the State government during the last about five years has given considerable fillip to the accessibility for higher education in the state. He said opening and upgrading of various University campuses, Degree and Technical Colleges and Polytechnics in the State has expanded the orbit of receiving modern education for youth nearer to their homes. “This has also catapulted the employability of the students to get lucrative and remunerative jobs in the open job market”, he said and added that he wants to create such an educational environment in the state where youth will be so educated and trained that the government employment would be least choice for them. He said this is all the more necessary in a financially deficit state like Jammu and Kashmir where the total revenue by all resources is Rs.6500 crore per annum and the salary paid to government employees annually in Rs.13500 crores and losses on supply of electricity is Rs.2000 crore per year and the payment of pension to pensioners about Rs.2000 crore.
Addressing the students at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU) near here, on its Foundation Day today, the Chief Minister underlined the need of introducing more and more subjects of present and future relevance so that the students after completing the higher studies are absorbed easily in the open job market at the national and international levels. “The higher educational institutions particularly universities should link up with the leading players in the fields of industry, science, technology, IT, ST and other related disciplines and include subjects of their requirement in the curriculum”, he said adding that employment fairs by the leading business houses should form the regular activity in the universities. He said he has already talked to some leading business houses of the country in this regard and would talk to more others.The Chief Minister asked the students to get fully acquainted with the initiatives of Udaan and Himayat programmes sponsored exclusively in Jammu and Kashmir by the Union Government to create opportunity of jobs for the educated youth of the State in private sector all across the Country. “You should avail this opportunity as it is only for Jammu and Kashmir and no other State in the Country has this programme”, he said and impressed upon the students to explore possibilities of attaining gainful employment through these schemes after completion of studies.
Omar Abdullah asked the students to give fullest attention towards studies and seek excellence in academic as well as extra-curricular activities. “Holistic human resource development with highest principles of human dignity and moral character should be the benchmark of education”, he said and asked the students to prepare themselves for facing a different world after coming out from the university campuses. “You have to face different challenges and undergo different experiences in your post campus life”, he said and advised the students to show their capability and merit to lead the state and the country in all fields of the life in future.The Chief Minister advised the students to develop friendly relations with each other, extend help and support to each other and make the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah Residential University not only a seat of high educational excellence but a centre of nurturing amity and brotherhood. The Chief Minister while congratulating the students, faculty and management of the University on its Foundation Day and the growth the University has achieved during the last 10 years, expressed confidence that the march of the university on road to progress will continue. He said his government would provide all possible help for the strengthening of infrastructure, faculty and other amenities in the University.
Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated Rs.2.73 crore-Solar Power Plant, Rs.3.21 crore- Boys Hostel, Rs. 1.65 crore Girls Hostel, Rs. 60 lakh Health Centre, Rs.38 lakh Basketball Court and a Super Bazaar in the University campus. He also laid foundation of Rs.1.26 crore Administrative Block of Polytechnic College, Rs.1.74 crore Laboratory Block, Rs.3.70 crore Scholars House, Rs. 3 crore Examination Block, Rs. 5 crore Central Library Block, Rs.3.90 crore Bio-sciences Block and Rs. 3 crore Mathematical Sciences Block in the campus.The Chief Minister expressed the hope that the creation of new infrastructure in the University would facilitate the imparting of education to the students besides creating educational temperament.Present on the occasion among others were Minister for Higher Education, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Minister for Haj and Auqaf, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, Deputy Chairman Legislative Council, Javed Rana while the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. I. A. Hamal presented the University report.