Jammu, Nov 11: Principal Secretary, Higher Education and Information, Rohit Kansal, today chaired the inaugural event of launch of Institutional Innovation Councils (IICs) in 54 Government Degree Colleges of J&K at Padma Shri Padma Sachdev, Government P G College for Women, Gandhi Nagar. The event, which was organized by Higher Education Department in collaboration with Ministry of Education (MoE), was aimed at establishing an ecosystem of innovations and start ups in tune with the guidelines of the National Education Policy 2020.
Addressing the inaugural function, Kansal, said that it is a matter of pride that J&K is among the first in the country to implement all the components of the National Education Policy 2020. “We are probably the first in the country to implement not one but all the components of the NEP 2020. All our GDCs have today set up Institutional Innovation centres (IICs)-54 accredited GDCs have set up IICs in their colleges, the remaining 88 colleges will act as spokes of these IICs and will have the benefits of all the activities being conducted in these 54 colleges” Principal Secretary maintained. He said that all 142 GDCs are now the beneficiaries of an innovation ecosystem and will have the benefit and support of the innovation ecosystem of the National Ministry of Education. We as an innovation ecosystem are now plugged into GoI innovation ecosystem’, he added.
He added that the newly launched IICs would help promote creativity and innovations and support incubation of fresh ideas. They will also act as a catalyst for students to innovate as well as refine ideas that they already have,” he asserted.
Kansal also stressed upon the quality enhancement of the education being offered in the colleges and need for accountability among the faculty. He also emphasized that focus should be on embedded skill programmes that were relevant, employment oriented and affordable in order to create adequate job opportunities for the graduating students. He also announced that as part of the quality enhancement initiative, a new Faculty Development Policy had been formulated. Faculty members of Government Degree Colleges would not just be given capacity building opportunities in various institutions in India but overseas too.