Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha on Thursday called upon the academic leadership of all the institutions in Jammu and Kashmir, to prepare skilled human capital in all major growth potential sectors and complement government’s efforts in identifying core strengths of the demography and developing the emerging skill sets to fill the skill gap as per the demand.
The Lt Governor made these remarks during his address at the Convocation of National Institute of Technology, Srinagar through virtual mode.
Union Minister of Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank was the Chief Guest on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, the Lt Governor congratulated the students of NIT Srinagar who received their degrees today.
He observed that the J&K administration is working on mission mode for development and growth of industries and businesses in the UT.
“There is a gap between what industries require and what we are producing, and there is an urgent need to bridge this gap,” he remarked.
He said that investment in human capital, especially in professional institutions like NIT Srinagar and development of basic skills has to be developed.
“In the coming days, with right intent and execution of reformative measures, we can meet the huge amount of vacancies that we need in manufacturing, services, electricity sector, food processing, IT enabled services, he added.
The LG said the “biggest danger from unemployment is that of underemployment and all of us, be it institutions, companies or government, have to work together on this”.
“The biggest reason for this is skill gaps and to fill the gap, the whole method will have to be rebooted and reinvented,” he said.
While addressing the students, the Lt Governor observed that the students have to understand that invention of technology alone is not enough, but now there is a need for collaborative efforts, and engineering, design and management will have to work together so that we can fulfill the aspirations of society, nation and the world.
Having been a student of engineering himself, LG said that he believed that technical education is the initiation of comprehensive development of society, through which the youth can become the engine of country’s growth.
He advised the students to understand human behavior and people’s attitudes and bring about necessary changes in order to serve the society at large.
“Some of you would like to pursue higher studies and some would like to start a startup, so my suggestion is that whatever work and career you choose, it should be helpful in social and national prosperity,” the Lt Governor said.
Speaking on the changing market and working trends, the Lt Governor observed that the field of work is constantly changing due to technological progress.
“New methods of production are being adopted, the market is expanding, and a new society is developing in which technology has a big role, so training also needs to change as per the requirement. Not only new jobs are replacing the old ones, but the rapidly changing economic landscape also requires up skilling for the existing jobs in technological firms,” he added.
He further asked the teachers and parents to develop competitive mind of children which is also full of awareness towards duties, and teach them about a life of peace and joy and not merely temptations of attractive jobs.
“Every teacher should prepare the new generation in such a way that they are ready to tackle any challenges with adaptability as the nature of jobs keeps changing”, said the Lt Governor.
He further suggested, “A student must be fulfilled and not just successful” adding that “experiments in labs must translate into field trials”.
“The greatest responsibility of the parents today is to develop inquisitive mind for better tomorrow. The greatest responsibility of the teachers today is to create efficiency, innovative minds and original geniuses, he said.
Over the achievements of NIT Srinagar, the Lt Governor congratulated Professor Rakesh Sehgal, Director of the campus for ranking 30th in Outlook-iCare rankings.
With a total of 12 departments and promising students from across the country, NIT Srinagar is a classic example of our cultural pluralism and coexistence, and also a symbol of cosmopolitanism, which is essential for the development of modern society and technology, he added.
The LG further said that NIT Srinagar has established an influential identity in the national and global scene and I believe that NIT Srinagar is a model to be emulated for any technology centre set up in a specific environment, and over a period of time has been developed into a laboratory of Ideas and Innovations, the Lt Governor observed.
“I sincerely hope that all the graduates and researchers who get out of NIT Srinagar today after receiving their degree, will make their outstanding contribution in further strengthening the country’s potential”, the Lt Governor concluded.