Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar today reviewed the preparedness and progress for establishment of the Cluster University in Jammu. Setting up of Cluster Universities in Srinagar and Jammu will not only augment the existing higher education facilities in the State, but help diversification of the academics with introduction of latest job-intensive courses at the graduate and post-graduate levels.Akhtar said the two Cluster Universities are being established in the State under centrally-sponsored Rashtriya Ucchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) to run series of additional and novel courses in the existing city colleges, with one of the Colleges each in Srinagar and Jammu acting as the lead college.He said a grant of Rs 55 crore each has been provided under RUSA for development of additional infrastructure for these Cluster Universities. “The Cluster University in Jammu will comprise GGM Science College, Government MAM College, SPMR College of Commerce, Government College for Women Gandhi Nagar and Government College of Education, Canal Road. Similarly, the Cluster University in Srinagar will comprise Amar Singh College, SP College, Women’s College MA Road, GDC Bemina and the College of Education, Srinagar,” the Minister said adding that in Jammu GGM Science College will be the Lead College for the new University while in Srinagar Amar Singh College will be the Lead College.
The Minister said that the process for building requisite infrastructure has been set into motion in the concerned colleges at both the cities and the admissions would start from the current academic session. He said each Cluster University will offer post-graduate and diploma courses in social sciences, liberal arts, humanities, engineering, science, teacher education, languages, entrepreneurship development, management and other job-intensive courses. “These Universities will also have business models of their own in the fields of food technology, floriculture and boutique technology to inculcate entrepreneurial skills among the students,” he said.Reviewing the preparedness made by administrations of the colleges and construction plans for development of additional infrastructure in these institutions, the Minister said the concept underlining the cluster university is to provide opportunities to more and more students to pursue various post-graduate, under-graduate and diploma courses in different streams and subjects through regular mode.
The Minister reviewed the blueprints of construction plans and gave certain suggestions to the executing agency R&B and managements of each college with regard to the development of infrastructure and different courses being introduced under Cluster University.At Government College for Woman Gandhi Nagar, the Minister called for developing entrepreneurship capabilities among the students, particularly from the department of Food science and Technology, by involving them in running college canteen. He also suggested that the students of Home Science Department can start flower shop and Boutique as they have a stake in the field. He said that students could learn a lot by becoming stakeholders in these ventures adding that the government would extend full support to the college for making these business units successful. The Minister also reviewed the functioning of Model Schools in Jammu.Minister of State for Education, Priya Sethi, Commissioner Secretary Higher Education and other senior officers of the concerned departments were present on the occasion.