Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. JAMMU: Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, Prof. Umesh Rai, on Tuesday interacted with representatives of civil society, women's organisations, NGOs and other stakeholders to seek their suggestions on the introduction of academic, vocational, skill-based and value-added courses under the newly established Non-Collegiate Women Education Board (NCWEB) at the University's Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE).
The interaction was aimed at identifying the educational and skill-development needs of women, particularly those who have been unable to pursue higher education due to personal, social, professional or economic circumstances.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Rai said that the initiative was intended to provide women with flexible learning opportunities without requiring them to attend regular college classes. He informed that courses would be conducted on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, enabling working women, homemakers and women from different backgrounds to pursue higher education and acquire new skills.
Emphasising the importance of community participation, the Vice-Chancellor said that the University wanted to understand the actual educational needs of women before introducing the courses. He invited suggestions from civil society organisations, women's groups and other stakeholders to ensure that the programmes were relevant, accessible and beneficial to women across the region.
Prof. Rai said that educational institutions must respond to the changing needs of society and create opportunities for those who, for various reasons, have remained outside the conventional higher education system.
Highlighting the major initiatives and achievements of the University, Prof. Rai said that significant progress had been made in resolving long-pending issues relating to land and infrastructure development, including the Ministry of Defence's approval for the exchange of over 147 kanals of land adjoining the University campus and the allotment of 10 kanals of land for the Institute of Music and Fine Arts (IMFA). He acknowledged the support of the Hon'ble Defence Minister, Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and the UT administration in taking these initiatives forward.
Referring to other important initiatives, the Vice-Chancellor highlighted the establishment of the Centre for Regional Studies, Culture, Dialects and Emotional Intelligence, which would have its headquarters at the University of Jammu and a sub-office at Bemina, Kashmir. He said that the Centre would serve as a platform for research, documentation and preservation of the region's rich cultural and linguistic heritage, particularly its oral traditions, folk literature, regional languages, dialects and indigenous knowledge systems. Besides preserving these traditions for future generations, the Centre would also contribute to promoting cultural and heritage tourism by bringing greater attention to the region's diverse traditions, local identities and cultural resources.
Prof. Rai also highlighted the University's academic reforms, particularly the Design Your Degree programme, introduced in line with the National Education Policy 2020, which provides students with the flexibility to explore different disciplines before choosing their academic direction. He referred to his presentation on the programme before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education in Srinagar in 2023, where the initiative was appreciated and its integration into the national curriculum framework was recommended for examination by the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission.
He further informed that the University had introduced Integrated Undergraduate-Postgraduate (UG-PG) programmes from the current academic session, with an intake of approximately 500 students, to promote multidisciplinary learning and provide greater flexibility in academic choices. The Vice-Chancellor also referred to the activation of the Gandhi Centre for Peace, construction of new academic buildings, development of research facilities and other infrastructure improvements across the University's main and off-site campuses.
Prof. Rai said that these initiatives reflected the University's continued efforts to expand educational opportunities, strengthen research and academic infrastructure, preserve regional heritage and respond to the changing needs of students and society.
Prof. Rai reiterated that the University of Jammu remained committed to making education more accessible, relevant and responsive to the needs of society. He said that the proposed courses under the Non-Collegiate Women Education Board were another step in this direction and that suggestions received from civil society would help the University shape the initiative in a meaningful manner.
Inviting continued engagement from the community, he said that the University belonged to the people of the region and welcomed their participation, observations and constructive suggestions in its development. He also encouraged participants to visit the campus, familiarise themselves with the University's initiatives and share their feedback directly with the administration.
Earlier, Prof. Pankaj K. Srivastava, Director, Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE), welcomed the representatives of civil society, NGOs, women's organisations, government departments and other stakeholders. He said that the establishment of the Non-Collegiate Women Education Board (NCWEB), under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Umesh Rai, was aimed at extending higher education opportunities to women unable to pursue regular studies due to personal, social or economic constraints. He informed that the University proposed to offer academic, vocational, skill-based and value-added courses on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, particularly benefiting working women and homemakers. He further informed that, besides the proposed B.Com programme under NEP 2020, certificate courses in Accountancy, GST, Tally and Income Tax, along with a workshop on GST, were planned in the coming months. Emphasising the importance of community participation, Prof. Srivastava sought suggestions from stakeholders to identify the educational and skill-development needs of women and make the initiative more accessible and relevant.
Prof. J. P. Singh Joorel, Dean Academic Affairs, University of Jammu emphasised the potential of the Centre for Distance and Online Education to emerge as a Centre of Excellence in promoting accessible and inclusive education, particularly through initiatives aimed at women’s empowerment and capacity building.
The programme also featured an open-house discussion in which the invited participants shared their views, suggestions and experiences regarding the educational, social and economic empowerment of women. The discussion provided a platform for identifying challenges faced by women, particularly those who have been unable to pursue or complete formal higher education, and deliberating upon possible interventions through collaborative initiatives and making women self-dependent through skills training.
Following the Vice Chancellor’s address, Padamshri Prof. Lalit Mangotra, Prof. Poonam Dhawan, Ms. Neha Jalali, Mr. Anil Suri, Adv. Seema Shekhar, Ms. Preeti Sharma JKAS, Ms. Vijaya Thakur, Ms. Preeti Choudhary, Dr. Sandhya Bharadwaj, Fr. Shajju Chacko, Sister Suzette AC, Mr. Rupesh, Prof. Savita Nayar, Mr. Shauke, JKPS and others shared their perspectives and suggestions on strengthening women's education, empowerment and welfare through NCWEB. Faculty and Officers from CDOE were also present on the occasion.
During the interaction, the role of NCWEB in providing educational opportunities to women was highlighted. The Board offers undergraduate education, including B.Com. Semester-I, for female candidates through a flexible non-collegiate mode, with classes conducted on weekends and public holidays. It was also highlighted that several new courses, particularly short-term and skill-oriented programmes, would be introduced in the future in keeping with emerging industry requirements and market demands, with a view to enhancing women’s employability, capacity building and livelihood opportunities.
The interaction concluded with a formal vote of thanks delivered by Prof. Anupama Vohra, Department of English, Centre for Distance and Online Education, University of Jammu.
