Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, March 31

The Jammu and Kashmir government is moving to broaden the scope of education in its public schools, introducing new subjects and emphasizing digital skills and vocational training as part of a wider effort to modernise the region’s school system, the Education Minister said on Tuesday.

Responding to a question in the Legislative Assembly, Education Minister Sakeena Itoo said the government was working to strengthen what she described as the “educational ecosystem,” with a particular focus on improving facilities and expanding learning opportunities in government-run schools.

The changes reflect a shift toward integrating technology and skills-based learning into the curriculum. 

Subjects such as computer science, information practices and information technology are now offered at the higher secondary level, while vocational education programmes – covering 15 trades – have been introduced in high and senior secondary schools.

The government is also considering adding artificial intelligence as a subject, Itoo said, aligning the region’s curriculum with broader national education reforms.

Those reforms are rooted in the National Education Policy 2020, which calls for a more interdisciplinary and skills-oriented approach to learning. 

Officials say the framework encourages critical thinking, creativity and digital literacy, alongside traditional academic subjects.

In J&K, elements of that approach are being introduced in phases, depending on the availability of infrastructure, trained teachers and other resources. 

Digital literacy and vocational training have already been incorporated across different grade levels, with some components offered as standalone electives and others embedded within existing subjects.

Itoo said teachers were being trained to adapt to the new curriculum, which also emphasises competency-based assessments and experiential learning methods.

She said that the effort was intended to better prepare students for a changing economy, where technical skills and adaptability are increasingly important.

The question in the Assembly was raised by MLA Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh, who had sought details on the introduction of new subjects.

While officials describe the rollout as steady, its success will depend largely on execution – particularly in rural and underserved areas, where gaps in infrastructure and staffing have historically posed challenges.

For now, the government’s approach signals a gradual but deliberate attempt to align the region’s classrooms with a more technology-driven future, even as it works within the constraints of its existing system.