Srinagar, Sep 19: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) held a consultative meeting Saturday to discuss developing vocational courses aligned with local needs and emerging employment opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting at the JKBOSE headquarters in Bemina was part of the Board’s process for seeking dual recognition from the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) and developing a new vocational course in agriculture.
The consultation brought together experts from vocational education and agriculture, including Dr. T.N. Giri, director, Vocational Education, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), and Prof. V.S. Mehrotra, head, PSSCIVE, NCERT, Bhopal, besides experts from SKUAST-Kashmir, SKUAST-Jammu, and the Department of Agriculture, J&K Mehrotra, head, PSSCIVE, NCERT, Bhopal, besides experts from SKUAST-Kashmir, SKUAST-Jammu and the Department of Agriculture, J&K.
Addressing the meeting, the JKBOSE chairman said the Board was among the few boards in the country to have received a Letter of Intent from NCVET, describing it as an important step toward strengthening vocational and skill-based education in schools.
He said the Board was focusing on sectors with significant potential in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly agriculture and tourism, to help students develop skills relevant to local employment and livelihood opportunities.
In his welcome address, JKBOSE Director Academics Dr. Parveen Singh stressed the need to strengthen links between school education, skills and job-market requirements.
He said vocational courses should remain relevant to the socio-economic context of Jammu and Kashmir and align with the National Education Policy 2020, which calls for greater integration of vocational education, experiential learning and skill development into mainstream schooling.
Experts discussed curriculum development, competency-based learning, sectoral and industry relevance, practical training, assessment and certification.
The participants also stressed the need for courses that respond to emerging employment opportunities and promote local relevance, employment and entrepreneurship.
The consultation is expected to contribute to JKBOSE’s submission for dual recognition under NCVET and the development of a structured vocational education framework for schools across Jammu and Kashmir.
