Manoj Sinha chairs high-level J&K Higher Education Council meet

Jammu, Apr 24: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday directed for effective on-ground implementation of ‘Design Your Degree (DYD), skill development, and AI-driven programmes.
The directions were issued by the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in a high-level meeting of Jammu Kashmir Higher Education Council, at Lok Bhavan.
On the occasion, the council, under the leadership of the Sinha, deliberated on comprehensive strategies aimed at driving the holistic transformation of the education sector across the Union Territory.
The key agendas included implementation of the ‘Design Your Degree’ (DYD) program and the adoption of its official manual across universities, integration of IT and Artificial Intelligence into the curriculum, strategies to promote entrepreneurship, knowledge-based skills and develop human capital for Viksit Bharat.
The Lieutenant Governor directed for the effective, on-ground implementation of ‘Design Your Degree’, skill development, Artificial Intelligence and other innovative programmes and initiatives across higher educational institutions.
He also called for seamless synergy between Central and Union Territory educational institutions to drive a holistic transformation of the education sector.
“We must establish benchmarks aligned with both national and international standards, ensuring that Jammu Kashmir’s education sector stands as a model of excellence in the country,” LG Sinha said
The meeting was attended by Prof. Dinesh Singh, Vice Chairman, J&K Higher Education Council; Shailendra Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department; Dr Mandeep K. Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor; Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, Administrative Secretary, Skill Development; Ram Niwas Sharma, Commissioner Secretary; Higher Education Department; Prof. Umesh Rai, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu; Prof. Nilofer Khan, VC Kashmir University; Prof. Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, VC, IUST; Pragati Kumar, VC SMVDU; Prof BN Tripathi, VC SKUAST Jammu; Prof. A. Ravinder Nath, VC Central University of Kashmir; Prof. Sanjeev Jain, VC Central University of Jammu; Prof. Jawaid Iqbal, VC BGSBU; Prof. Mohammad Mobin, VC Cluster University Srinagar; Prof Manoj Singh Gaur, Director IIT Jammu; Prof Kavi Arya from IIT Bombay; Shobha Bagai, Director, Cluster Innovation Centre Delhi University and other members.
Prof. Dinesh Singh, Vice Chairman, JKHEC emphasized that the core mission must remain the realization of human potential, ensuring that higher education directly fosters societal service and enhances student productivity.
The Council also deliberated on setting up a regular mechanism to ensure cooperation and collaboration between various institutions of Jammu & Kashmir for engendering of Joint Degree Programmes and a common technology-based platform for sharing of practices, ideas and programmes of various institutions; increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), special initiatives such as ‘The Riverine College’ and the AI Competition, JKHEC budget utilization for 2025-26 and budget allocations for 2026-27.
Vice Chancellors and members of the Council shared their insights on the way forward for the DYD program and further interventions in higher education with the implementation of NEP 2020.
Prof Sheikh Ajaz Bashir, Director of Colleges, J&K; Dr Seema Naz, Nodal Principal, Government College of Education; Dr Ravinder Kumar Tickoo, Principal, GCW Parade Jammu also attended the meeting. (KNO)