Srinagar, Oct 10: Minister for Education Sakina Itoo on Saturday stressed the need to shift the focus of higher education from degree-oriented learning to skill development, saying academic qualifications alone would not help young people secure livelihoods unless they were equipped with practical skills.
Talking to reporters in south Kashmir on the sidelines of the re-inauguration of a project, Sakina Itoo said thousands of educated youth were struggling to find opportunities after completing their degrees.
She said some educated youth were suffering from depression, while the government was working to introduce skill-based courses to help them become self-reliant.
“It is not just about getting degrees. We have lakhs of young people who get degrees and then sit at home and suffer from depression,” she said, adding that the government was trying to help such youth acquire skills and stand on their own feet.
The minister said the higher education sector had witnessed mushrooming growth of degree colleges in the past, and many institutions lacked adequate faculty, infrastructure and subjects aligned with students’ interests and emerging demands.
“But over the past two years, the government worked hard to address these shortcomings by providing faculty members and introducing subjects according to demand,” she told reporters.
She, however, acknowledged that some gaps were yet to be plugged in the higher education sector.
Itoo said the government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was also working to strengthen college infrastructure by providing buildings, desks, laptops, internet connectivity and smart classrooms.
“With regard to the newly established colleges, we faced land disputes and other local issues which continued to affect a few colleges, but efforts are being made to improve facilities in these colleges across Jammu and Kashmir,” she added.
She said there had been an improvement in student enrolment, with admissions in colleges increasing by 17 per cent this year.
She attributed the increase in admissions to the collective efforts of the department and its officers since the formation of the National Conference government.
The minister said the Higher Education Department (HED) had started the process of reviewing the availability of academic streams in colleges.
“We will focus on introducing subjects that students really want to pursue instead of continuing courses with little or no enrolment,” she said.
“We are introducing subjects such as horticulture, agriculture, tourism and music,” she added.
She said there was a need to align higher education with local economic opportunities and students’ talents.
Itoo said horticulture, which forms a key part of Kashmir’s economy, could provide significant livelihood opportunities for educated youth, while music and other specialised subjects could help students develop their abilities and build careers.
Itoo also underlined the importance of sports alongside academics, saying students needed opportunities to remain physically and mentally fit.
She said the government had inaugurated sports facilities, including a hall in the Tangmarg-Gulmarg constituency, to enable students to participate in sporting activities, particularly during winter, when snowfall often restricts outdoor movement among youth.
“The department will continue to introduce changes aimed at making higher education more relevant to students’ needs. The support and participation of young people is important for the success of these initiatives,” she added.
