JAMMU: Principal Secretary, Skill Development Department (SDD), Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, today chaired a meeting with senior officers of various departments to discuss issues regarding credits earned by the candidates in various Polytechnics and ITIs of Jammu and Kashmir.
Special Secretary, Higher Education Department, Rakesh Bajyal; Dean Jammu University, Professor Vinay Chauhan; Director SDD, Sudershan Kumar; Additional Secretary, SDD, Rajesh Bastora; Deputy Secretary, School Education, Umesh Sharma; representatives of IIM Srinagar, Dr Muqbol Burhan and Central University Jammu, Dr Yashwant Singh respectively were present in the meeting.
Vice Chancellor, Cluster University Jammu, Dr Bachan Lal; Dean Cluster University, Dr Sahijahan; Dean, SMVDU, Dr Sumeet Gupta; Joint Registrar, BGSBU, Professor Suneet Gupta; representative of UGC, Kashmir University, Central University Kashmir, IUST and other concerned officials participated through video conferencing.
Threadbare discussion was held on credit earned by the candidates of various Polytechnics and ITIs.
It was informed in the meeting that around 21000 candidates have been trained by various ITIs and Polytechnics besides other Skill Development Institutes during this year. Besides, efforts are being made to impart industry specific skills to enhance employability of the trainees.
The meeting was further informed that various vocational institutions in J&K are imparting quality training programmes and students even from IIT Jammu and NIT Srinagar have been trained by these technical institutes. It was informed that out of 18 newly established Polytechnics in J&K, 10 Polytechnics are operating in their own buildings while the remaining 8 Polytechnics are functioning from rented buildings.
Principal Secretary directed the department to examine whether credits earned by the candidates in various Polytechnics and ITIs in J&K are acknowledged by the institutes where these candidates may enroll for higher courses.
He further asked the officers to examine the UGC/AICTE guidelines in this regard and in case there is no provision for credit consideration by the institutes offering higher technical/ certificate/ diploma engineering courses, the same should be examined for suitable action on part of the government.
Principal Secretary asked the senior officers of concerned departments to suggest innovative ideas to further streamline the skill courses for employment generation for pass out candidates besides giving them higher study opportunities as per NEP 2020.

KR Desk