The issues raised by the Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo concerning the numerous variety of unfilled seats in sure skilled programs provided by the UT’s instructional establishments require pressing consideration and an intensive re-evaluation of the present system. Whereas it’s encouraging to notice that some disciplines, equivalent to drugs and allied well being sciences, are attaining close to full enrolment, the decrease uptake of engineering, B.Ed., and related programs raises questions concerning the long-term sustainability and relevance of those applications. In a quickly altering world, schooling is among the strongest instruments for societal progress. When college students actively select to bypass native establishments, it factors in the direction of a deeper systemic subject that calls for extra than simply surface-level fixes. The CS’s name for detailed evaluation and corrective measures isn’t just well timed however essential for guaranteeing that the academic infrastructure of J&Okay is utilised to its full potential.
The enrolment figures shared in the course of the assembly reveal a obtrusive distinction in pupil preferences. This discrepancy could be attributed to a number of components, chief amongst them being the perceived worth and relevance of the programs in query. In right this moment’s more and more aggressive job market, college students are extra discerning about their profession prospects. If a selected program or establishment doesn’t supply them a pathway to profitable and secure employment, they’re more likely to look elsewhere. One other major cause for the low uptake of seats in sure programs may very well be the standard of schooling being provided. The CS’s route to look at the college, infrastructure, and ancillary amenities in underenrolled schools is a step in the fitting route. Poor high quality instructing, outdated curriculum, insufficient coaching sources, and inadequate infrastructure are identified deterrents to potential college students. No pupil needs to speculate years of onerous work in a program that doesn’t equip them with the required expertise to achieve their chosen profession.
The priority concerning school positions in skilled schools is especially pertinent. In disciplines equivalent to engineering, competent and skilled school could make all of the distinction between an establishment thriving and floundering. Within the absence of certified instructing employees, establishments are unable to offer the hands-on, sensible studying expertise that college students count on from skilled programs. Furthermore, an absence of standard school or an overreliance on visitor lecturers might end in a subpar instructional expertise, which in flip impacts the repute of the establishment.
One other main issue resulting in unfilled seats may very well be insufficient profession consciousness amongst college students, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas. In an period the place profession alternatives in digital applied sciences, healthcare, and entrepreneurship are increasing, college students may not be absolutely conscious of the alternatives obtainable in fields like engineering or schooling. The Greater Training Division, as urged by the CS, should intensify its efforts in disseminating correct and detailed details about the advantages of pursuing native skilled programs. Profession counselling periods, business linkages, internships, and showcasing success tales of alumni might help college students make knowledgeable selections about their futures.
The deliberate growth of a web-based counselling portal for the BOPEE is a vital initiative to streamline the admission course of and make it extra clear. The earlier this technique is launched, the higher it is going to be for the administration and the scholars. A sturdy, user-friendly platform won’t solely ease the method of utility and admission however will even present a one-stop resolution for college students looking for details about varied programs. Such digital options can considerably improve accessibility and assist college students make well timed selections concerning their schooling.
The challenges confronted by the skilled schooling sector in Jammu and Kashmir are advanced and multifaceted, however they don’t seem to be insurmountable. A mix of in-depth evaluation, focused interventions, and systemic reforms are required to make sure that all seats in skilled programs are crammed and that college students are supplied with a high-quality schooling that meets their profession aspirations. There aren’t any shortcuts; solely a centered strategy can flip the tide.