New Delhi, Apr 15: Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University Prof Umesh Rai on Friday met Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh and sought integration of science curriculum by engaging and enrolling students of the University in various new student and youth related StartUps and other projects, scholarships and fellowships started by the Union Ministry of Science & Technology at his (Dr Jitendra’s) initiative.
In his first-ever meeting with the Union Minister, after taking over as the Vice Chancellor, Prof Rai, who was Professor in the Delhi University before taking up his present assignment, said that he had been very closely following the proactive and out-of-box approach of Dr Jitendra Singh wherein he had taken quite a few unconventional decisions like integrating all the ministries and departments under one umbrella.
He said he was particularly impressed by Dr Jitendra Singh’s decision to convene joint meetings of seven different departments and ministries related to Science, namely, Science & Technology, Biotechnology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR), Earth Sciences, India Meteorological Department(IMD), Atomic Energy and Space. This integration has led to better outcomes in the research projects with minimum overlapping or wastage of resources.
The Vice Chancellor requested Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also the Minister of State (independent charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (independent charge) Earth Sciences besides MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, to engage the students from the University of Jammu in some of the futuristic science projects launched under his guidance in the ministry. This, he said, would enable better exposure for students in this peripheral region.
Union Minister said he was glad that the new Vice Chancellor had himself come forth with a proposal for an integrated approach which, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he had been trying to promote in the Government of India. The Minister said that he had asked the departments not to come out with separate projects but the projects which had to be based on the themes and according to the themes different relevant departments and ministries could join together for a common agenda.
At the same time, Dr Jitendra said, “The research in the University has to be linked with StartUps and to make the StartUps sustainable, not only the academic streams need to come together but the industry also needs to be made equal stakeholders with equal investments of resources.”
Union Minister informed the Vice Chancellor that the Ministry of Science & Technology had started a ‘Mentorship programme’ for different college and university students wherein a teacher could take charge of a potential scholar and then groom him or her for sustainable StartUp activity linked with livelihood.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, “Technological interventions in education are a boon for students of this generation.” He asked Professor Rai to keep the faculty completely in tune with the students who were moving ahead too fast, owing to accessibility of information, avenues, means and talent. He stressed, “The responsibility of educationists today is not to award a degree but to teach to achieve ease of living which can happen only when the youngster is able to find a sustainable Start- Up source of living for himself, instead of harping on government job.”
He said that Jammu was fast emerging as North India’s ‘Education Hub’. He called for wider integration among different educational institutions of Jammu like Indian Institute of Technology, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, AIIMS, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, National Institute of High Altitude Medicine at Bhaderwah, Industrial Biotech Park at Kathua, North India’s first Space Centre at Central University Jammu etc.
Dwelling on the issue of National Education Policy-2020, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that the two fold objective of NEP-2020 was to correct past anomalies persistent for years and to introduce contemporary provisions which were in keeping up with the present global trends.