Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar Tuesday said the state government is pursuing for increase in seats under the Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS) to benefit maximum number of students from Jammu and Kashmir.Speaking at an awareness workshop on PMSS at Women’s College Gandhi Nagar here, the Minister said with the sustained efforts of the State Government, the flagship Scholarship scheme, which was earlier marred by various hiccups, is now attracting more and more students and last year around 3500 students get admission in various colleges, including some of the prestigious institutions, outside the state under PMSSS. “Fortunately, far less complaints have been received this year regarding the implementation of the scheme,” he said.Pitching for increase in seats under PMSSS, the Minister said this year more seats would be allocated for technical courses to help students pursue various job-oriented courses. He said that during 2015-16 over 3500 students from Jammu and Kashmir were selected and got admission in some top professional colleges of the country under PMSSS.He said taking serious note of the complaints of the students about the problems in getting the due benefits after their admission, the state government took up the issue with All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and other agencies and streamlined the implementation by isolating certain elements in the process.
He said after the corrective measures by the state government in consultation with AICTE not only admission process has been streamlined but issues of students selected in initial areas have also been addressed to certain extent.Highlighting the objective of the scheme, the Minister said that it provides path-breaking opportunity for the J&K students for capacity building, education, enabling and empowering them to compete in the routine academic courses, besides enhancing employment opportunities for them. He thanked the Union Human Resource Development Ministry and AICTE chairman Prof Anil D Sahasrabudhe for taking keen interest in ensuring that these objectives are realized and the youth of the state are empowered in the real sense of the term.A large number of students, college staff and representatives from AICTE attended the workshop, where resource persons sensitized the students about the Scheme by highlighting its objectives.The Minister also listed various initiatives taken by the state government to give a turn around to educational activities in the state, particularly in the backdrop of the unrest in Kashmir.He said it is for the first time that full-fledged winter academic activity is going on in Kashmir schools to revive the educational spirit among the students and compensate the loss due to the unrest. He said all the schools across Kashmir valley are open where classes are going on regularly.“Over 1.10 lakh students are being benefited by the winter tuitions, winter camps and under the innovative Chief Minister’s Super 50 coaching over 1000 students are being prepared for NEET and other competitive tests,” he added.The Minister urged all the stakeholders including teachers, parents, institution heads and experts to contribute towards making Jammu and Kashmir real hub of quality education.
The Minister especially thanked AICTE by conducting such awareness workshops to disseminate information amongst the students. He laid stress that by availing this scholarship the students could nourish their dreams to rise high and build good future.The workshop was jointly organized by the State’s Education Department and AICTE.Earlier, in his welcome address Commissioner Secretary Higher Education, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon explained to the audience the main objective of PMSSS which he said is aimed at building capacities of JK youth.Prof A P Mittal, Member Secretary AICTE also spoke on the occasion and informed the gathering about various initiatives in education.Ms Madhuri Sahasrabudhe made a power-point presentation on the importance of interaction in developing mutual trust and bonding and shared her personal experiences as a first lady head of an institution. Prof Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, AICTE guided stakeholders of its selection procedure and eligibility criteria. He laid emphasis that all the students having annual income of Rs 6.00 lakh per annum should avail this scheme.Principal Secretary School Education, Mr Shalin Kabra also addressed the workshop.Information brochures about PMSSS were also distributed among the students on the occasion.The workshop was attended by Director Colleges, Higher Education Department, Director School Education, Prof. Dileep Malkhede, Adviser AICTE, A.K.Singh, HOD, School of Architecture and Landscape, SMVDU Katra, Mr. Anand Sharma, Dy Director RIFD-PMSSS, Mr. R.K.Ganju, Asstt. Director, RIFD-PMSSS, Ms Mithilesh, Representative of Nursing Council of India, Dr R S Rathore, Regional Officer AICTE, New Delhi, Registrar Central University of Kashmir, Nodal Principal, Principals of facilitation centres Principals of Higher Secondary Schools of Jammu Division and other eminent members of the society.Mr Ajit Angral, Principal Science College, presented formal vote of thanks while Dr Kiran Bakshi, Principal, Govt. P G College for Women, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu welcomed the guests.