Higher Education deptt unveils ‘SIGMA’, other ICT based initiatives

Srinagar, Jun 15: Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Higher Education Department, Shantmanu, Sunday unveiled significant new ICT based initiatives aimed at bolstering academic excellence and fostering stronger connections between the department and colleges as well as students.
The launch, attended by the college principals and faculty, marks a pivotal step towards enhancing the transparency and streamlining data flow within the Higher Education system.
A cornerstone of these advancements is the launch of website of the Directorate of Colleges J&K, www.directorcollegesjk.in, developed entirely in-house, which introduces innovative features like The Policy Planning and Development Portal, Staff Services Portal and SIGMA – Student Integrated Grievance and Messaging Application.
The ACS had desired for redressal of student grievances in a timely manner and the launch of SIGMA will work in that direction, said Director Colleges, Dr. Sheikh Ajaz Bashir.
The Policy, Planning and Development Portal provides dashboard access to the Principals of Degree Colleges as a one-stop place for submitting the data, getting actionable insights, facilitating informed decision-making and promoting “Ease of Doing”. The portal will ensure a paperless and non-repetitive data flow between the Directorate and colleges, with dynamic information available in the public domain.
The Staff Services Portal will enable the staff members to submit and track applications digitally for a range of essential services. The staff can apply for services like Passport NOC, Foreign Visit NOC and PhD permission from anywhere, at any time, eliminating the need for physical visits and paperwork. These streamlined digital workflows will reduce the processing time and administrative burden, allowing the staff to focus more on their core responsibilities.
SIGMA (Student Integrated Grievance and Messaging Application) is a student-centric user-friendly web portal accessible at https://directorcollegesjk.in/sigmalogin.aspx. This comprehensive solution has been designed to listen to students by providing them with an effective and confidential platform. The portal also keeps students informed about the vital programs and initiatives, enhancing their knowledge and integration with national-level efforts.
More features are being planned to be added to the Director Colleges’ website including the launch of a portal for single-window application for hiring of Academic Arrangement Faculty for both divisions of the UT of J&K, introducing more staff services for submission of placement cases and probation clearance.