Technical institutions must focus on building up academia-industry partnership: J&K LG

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir administration is working on a plan to make the Union Territory the country's skill capital, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Thursday and called on technical institutions to focus on strengthening academia-industry collaboration.

Technical institutes must also experiment with new technologies for the benefit of society, Sinha said during a virtual event to lay the foundation stone for a 700-bed hostel for boys at the National Institute of Technology in Srinagar. The project will enhance campus infrastructure of one of the premier technical institutes in northern India, an official spokesman said here. He said Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan also shared his views on the occasion through a video message.

Taking note of fast-changing market dynamics and new innovations taking place globally, Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Sinha pointed out the efforts being taken by the administration to amplify the exponential technology ecosystem to meet modern-day requirements. "With our technical education infrastructure, rigorous career programmes for high-demand technology in the post-Covid world, we are working on an ambitious plan to make Jammu and Kashmir the skill capital of the country," he said.

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The L-G asked technical institutions to focus on strengthening academia-industry collaboration which, he said, is crucial for research, innovation and building human capital for economic growth. Emerging technologies are also a basic need of the civilised society. Without new inventions, a developed society cannot be conceived, Sinha said. Modern-era engineering technologies are making the world more connected and transforming lives of people living in far-flung areas. Today's fantasy could be tomorrow's invention, the L-G said. Even a small invention in a lab can make a big difference to the world and that is why it is important to promote scientific temper among students, he said.

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Terming youth power as the biggest asset for any region, Sinha said that the potential of the young generation needs to be properly channelised for development. He also underlined the need for encouraging innovations and inventions as recommended by the new National Educational Policy.

Union Minister Pradhan, in his video message, said that the "mega" boys hostel, once completed, will equip NIT-Srinagar with modern facilities enabling the institution to accommodate the increasing number of student intake. "I always believe that Jammu and Kashmir has a fundamental role to play in the development of the nation. The youth of Jammu and Kashmir are filled with energy and aspirations. Higher education institutions such as NIT-Srinagar must channelise their talent, knowledge, and skill for the transformation of the Union Territory and the entire country," he said.

Professor Rakesh Sehgal, Director, NIT-Srinagar, gave a detailed overview of the project and informed that the hostel is being constructed as a green building through a loan amount of Rs 85 crore approved by Higher Education Financing Agency on the recommendations of the Ministry of Education. It will provide a host of facilities to the students for their comfortable stay on the campus, he added.

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