Amitabh Mattoo chairs meeting on ‘Knowledge Initiative’ in Kargil

KARGIL, OCTOBER 10: Advisor to Chief Minister, Professor Amitabh Mattoo today convened a meeting of the Working Group for operationalization of ‘Knowledge Initiative’ in the State to review the status of work being carried out by the Group to chalk out modalities for stepping up of the educational sector in Kargil district.

Chairman and Chief Executive Councilor Kargil, Kacho Ahmad Ali Khan, Executive Councillor for Education, Advocate Muhammad Amir, Financial Commissioner (Coordination), Resident Commission J&K Government, New Delhi, K.B Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner Kargil, Haji Gulzar Hussain, a delegation of prominent academicians and experts from Jawahar Lal Nehru University New Delhi and Australia India Institute Delhi Chapter, heads of various social and religious organizations of Kargil, besides other concerned officers attended the meeting.

Professor Mattoo said that the purpose of holding the meeting is to solicit suggestions from the stakeholders from different walks of life and to understand from the academicians about how to improve the education system in the district. He said that the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is keen for the upliftment of the education sector in the State and has given her full support in this regard.

Reiterating the commitment of the Government to undertake concrete and practical measures to revamp the educational scenario of the State through ‘Knowledge Initiative’, Prof. Mattoo said that the Working Group is functioning hard to explore the most feasible, socially relevant and realistic activities to give a face-lift to the education system in all the three regions of the State.

The Advisor said that as a part of the mandate of the knowledge initiative efforts are underway to develop human resources in the state, generate excellence in research and innovation in Higher Education besides the creation of world-class institutions and spaces for excellence. He said that focus shall be laid on all levels by adopting the best global practices and technologies thereby paving way for the formulation of a vision and blueprint to be implemented in the next 2 to 3 years time.

During the meeting, members of the working group interacted with the people from different walks of life and sought a range of proposals for formulation of short-term as well as long-term plans to be put forth before the Government for necessary consideration and policy formulation.

Meanwhile, the academicians, students and civil society members strongly pitched for the introduction of skill development and job oriented courses based on the modern curriculum in the district.

The various stakeholders were also unanimous to put forth suggestions pertaining to curriculum reforms, rationalization of teaching staff and duties, counseling of students at secondary level, feedback system from teachers to policymakers at regular intervals, introduction of subjects like Biotechnology, Geography, Biochemistry, Statistics, Home Science, Psychology, Arabic, Persian, IT etc. They also emphasized upon the need of opening up of examination evaluation centre at Kargil itself for early declaration of results.

The stakeholders and academicians also impressed upon the Working Group to frame a proposal recommending the Government for the establishment of a Separate Girls College and Cluster University for Ladakh with Kargil as Nodal College with complete autonomy for academics – admissions, examinations, evaluation etc. and incorporation of Degree College Kargil into State Plan from District Plan.

Issues with regard to separate recruitment policy for teachers at the primary, middle and high school levels based on requirements, regular conduct of orientation and refresher courses, exposure tours to institutions of repute for faculty and students within and outside the state and a range of other related issued were also discussed threadbare.

On the occasion, Prof. Mattoo assured that he will take up all the projected demands with the concerned quarters and also promised to take up the demand for provision of 10 computer sets each for Government Girls and Boys Higher Secondary School Kargil.