Kashmir Impulse Desk

Jammu, April 24 

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday chaired a meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Council, outlining plans to accelerate reforms, expand skills programmes and integrate Artificial Intelligence into the region’s higher education system.

The meeting, held at Lok Bhavan, focused on strategies to transform the sector, including the rollout of the ‘Design Your Degree’ (DYD) programme across universities, promotion of entrepreneurship and development of knowledge-based skills.

LG Sinha directed officials to ensure effective implementation of DYD and other initiatives, including skill development and AI-focused programmes, across higher educational institutions.

“We must establish benchmarks aligned with both national and international standards,” he said, adding that the aim was to position Jammu and Kashmir’s education system as a model of excellence.

He also called for closer collaboration between central and local institutions to support systemic reforms.

The council discussed measures to boost the Gross Enrolment Ratio, expand joint degree programmes and create a shared technology platform for institutions to exchange best practices and academic resources.

Vice Chairman Dinesh Singh said the focus should remain on realising human potential and ensuring that higher education contributes directly to societal development and student productivity.

Participants also reviewed budget utilisation for 2025-26 and proposed allocations for 2026-27, along with initiatives such as specialised academic programmes and innovation-driven competitions.

Vice chancellors from major universities in the region, along with senior government officials and academic leaders, attended the meeting and shared recommendations on implementing reforms under the National Education Policy 2020.