In a day-long workshop held here today, Chief Secretary B.V.R. Subrahmanyam today highlighted the importance of knowledge improvement of quality education.He said that the present dispensation is holding education as a topmost priority and will provide full support to higher education institutions for the enhancement of quality education in the State.The Chief Secretary was speaking at a one-day workshop organized by the Department of Higher Education in collaboration with National Higher Education Resource Centre on the roadmap for quality enhancement in Education Institutions of J&K at SKICC here.On the occasion, Commissioner Secretary Higher Education, in her welcome address, highlighted the available opportunity and possible challenges which might be encountered in the pursuit of the targets of quality enhancement and excellence.She stressed upon the participants to set short, medium and long-term targets and also devise a road map for achieving the set targets.Joint Secretary, MHRD, Government of India, Ishita Roy, announced that there shall be a special dispensation to enable all the un-covered Higher Education Institutions of the State to get their NAAC Accreditation which in turn shall qualify them for financial assistance from about 23 Ministries of the central government.
Chairperson National Higher Education Resources Centre and National Coordinator Rusa, Prof B. Venkatesh, said that the pass outs from institutions of the State should continue to excel in the ever-changing demands of the market by focusing on the promotion of innovation, research, entrepreneurship and self-employment.The speeches were followed by a discussion amongst the participants and the participating Vice-Chancellors and College Principals were given time to present their perspectives with regard to the road map for quality enhancement in their respective institutions and also for the State as a whole.Issues like GER, NAAC Accreditation, Teacher training, filling up of vacant positions, bridging infrastructure gaps, introduction of skill-enhancing programmes, creation of enabling environment, strengthen of extracurricular aspects etc. were thoroughly discussed.Vice-Chancellor Kashmir University Prof. Khursheed Iqbal Andrabi, Vice-Chancellor, IUST Awantipora Prof. Mushtaq Sidiqui, Vice-Chancellor BGSB University Rajouri Prof. Javid Masarat, Vice-Chancellor University of Jammu Prof. Manoj Dhar, Vice-Chancellor Cluster University Jammu Prof. Anju Bhasin, Vice-Chancellor Cluster University Srinagar Prof. Sheikh Javid, and Principals of various Degree Colleges, Registrars and other senior functionaries of the State Universities also participated in the workshop.