The Principal Secretary, Higher Education, Rohit Kansal today said our education system has to reorient itself to impart skills to students that are in consonance with modern day requirements. He maintained that the lower level cognitive jobs that are repetitive in nature had turned obsolete and were being replaced by jobs that required a different set of skills. He called for moulding the educational curriculum to impart the skills that are needed in the workplace of the future.He made these remarks while opening the 2-day National Conference on ‘Integrated Approach in Science and Technology for Sustainable Future (IAST-SF 2022)’ here at MAM College. The national conference is being organized in hybrid mode and has received papers and presentations from scholars across 20 states and UTs besides participation from 5 foreign countries. Besides papers from renowned scientists, the conference would also provide a unique opportunity to a number of students to pitch up their startup ideas in a special session on Monday.
Speaking on the age of technology and innovation, Kansal said that the challenge for scientists is to amalgamate technology with sustainability. The Principal Secretary further remarked that science and technology has an added challenge of creating a fair, just and equitable world order. He said that technology with disparity in terms of environmental or human hazards is not recommended anymore.He asked for creating solutions that are based on justice, parity and sustainability to benefit not just 1.4 billion Indians but the 7 billion people inhabiting the planet.He stated that India needs to become a US $10 trillion economy in the next decade and a half, grow by 8-9% annually and create 10-12 million jobs annually. He said that education, skills and innovation were a critical determinant to the success of this endeavour.He cited the examples of use of drone technology in agriculture and public health, electric mobility and decentralized clean energy as some of the ways forward.He complimented the college management for hosting the conference in collaboration with Degree College, Ukhral. He said that senior colleges need to involve newer colleges and guide and handhold them. He added that such collaboration in academics and research is important for new colleges in order to raise standards to get the necessary accreditation. He asked other colleges too to follow the suit.He also announced that MAM College Jammu would be developed as innovation hub and given support under NEP 2020.
In her key note address, Dr Sulekha Chattopadhyay, Senior Analyst, California Public Utility Commission said that we have to break this huge problem of environmental degradation into smaller ones to tackle one by each. She said that by addressing the transportation system she wants to contribute her bit. She said that electric vehicles are future transportation solutions and have great commercial value in terms of their sale and least maintenance requirements. She said that India by virtue of its greater size and longer coastline has an enhanced potential both in terms of solar and wind power. She advised the local stakeholders to work for tapping this potential for reaping sustainable benefits.Prof JS Tara, Convenor Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), Jammu Chapter gave a brief overview of the history and working of ISCA. He encouraged all the budding scientists to be part of this association to bring greater scientific understanding among the masses in the country.Principal MAM College, Prof GS Rakwal in his welcome address said that the conference is an endeavour to bring together innovators, academia, industry, researchers, scholars to exchange ideas and share experiences for sustainable development of our societies. He said that it would encourage the use of innovative and unique features of the scientific knowledge to effect change in the way people use resources and technology.The Principal of GDC, Ukhral, Prof Ranvijay Singh presented vote of thanks to all the participants in the first session and said that at the end of 2 days we all would have greater understanding of the subject than we currently have.Dr Vishal Sharma, Convener of the conference also spoke on the occasion.