Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha addressed the first convocation ceremony of Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) graduates who successfully cleared the All India Trade Test 2023. During the event, he congratulated the top-performing students at the national level and extended his best wishes for their future endeavours. The Lieutenant Governor also took the opportunity to launch several new initiatives, including the Polytechnic Ranking Portal, the JK Innovation Hub portal, the Centralized Academic Monitoring & Improvement System, and the implementation of a revised curriculum in alignment with the National Educational Policy 2020.
While addressing this, the Lieutenant Governor stressed the need to modernise and revamp ITIs, bringing their training and infrastructure up to global standards. He emphasised the importance of strengthening the ITI ecosystem in line with the rising demand for a skilled workforce in Jammu and Kashmir.
Highlighting the demographic advantage of Jammu and Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor pointed out that the region has the potential to become a hub for highly skilled human resources in India. To realise this potential and create a future-ready workforce, the ITI and polytechnic institutions must play a crucial role.
LG Sinha directed the Skill Development Department to assess the demand for skills on a district-wise basis, conduct a mapping of existing skills and demand, and make necessary adjustments to the curriculum. He also encouraged ITIs to establish direct links with the local job market and industries while urging relevant departments to support ITI graduates who aspire to start their own businesses. The contribution of skilled workers to the development of Jammu and Kashmir and the country at large was praised by Shri Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor. Shri Saurabh Bhagat, Commissioner/Secretary of the Skill Development Department, provided an overview of the department’s ongoing programs and the key features of the new initiatives launched on this occasion. The event also witnessed the felicitation of young entrepreneurs and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Skill Development Department and the J&K Energy Development Agency (JKEDA) for the training of 500 Suryamitras. Additionally, a booklet on skill development in Jammu and Kashmir was released during the event.
In attendance were Shri Aftab Malik, Chairman of the District Development Council in Srinagar, Dr. Nazir Ahmed Ganai, Vice Chancellor of SKUAST Kashmir, Vice Chancellors of various universities, senior officials, heads of ITIs and Polytechnics, teachers, and the parents of the graduating students.