In the light of the recent devastating natural calamities in J&K, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday urged the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) to prioritise research into advanced early-warning systems for cloudbursts, landslides, and flash floods.
Addressing the 11th Convocation Ceremony of SMVDU, the Lieutenant Governor entrusted the university to provide scientific solutions for the challenges being faced by the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir.
The LG spoke about the necessity of shifting from the outdated, rote learning system to a more modern and skill-based learning approach to meet the demands of an evolving world.
“Our endeavour should be to reduce the curriculum load and develop adaptable skills for future jobs. Even if a single student from any higher education institution is unemployed or has not set up his or her enterprise, it clearly indicates that the educational institution and its teachers have not fulfilled their responsibilities honestly,” he said.
He called upon the students to create new paths in life, give new direction to life, explore new aspects, and suggest new ways for the prosperity of the nation.
The Lieutenant Governor outlined five solutions to keep pace with technological change and the demands of the 21st-century workforce.
“Integrate artificial intelligence into teaching, learning, and university operations, and adopt new technological tools on a priority basis. Shift from rote learning to a lifelong, flexible, and skill-focused learning model. Develop strong partnerships with industry and other institutions. The focus must be on experiential learning. Humanities students, in particular, need to understand that in a world dominated by artificial intelligence, the importance of things that machines cannot provide will increase. Focus should be on innovation, research, and social service, cutting-edge research, and to offer solutions to local problems,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
He highlighted the responsibility of the teaching community to study and analyse the impact of rapid advancements in science, humanities, and technology on human civilisation. He stressed that classroom methodologies must evolve to synchronise with these shifts, ensuring they drive both economic development and social progress.
He further emphasised the importance of sustainable infrastructure and called for dedicated research on the recycling and reuse of road and construction materials.
The Lieutenant Governor asked the university to redesign the courses for Dogri and Vedic studies to make these subjects more engaging and contemporary to attract more students.
He praised the Board’s ongoing commitment to cultural preservation through its support to institutions dedicated to Sanskrit and Vedic education.
During the convocation, 821 degrees were awarded, including 228 Master’s, 26 Doctorates, and 567 Undergraduate degrees. Medals were also conferred on 25 (7 male and 18 female) meritorious students. A total of 10 students (4 male and 6 female) received the Infosys Foundation Prize for Excellence, while Certificates of Distinction were awarded to 11 students.
Prof. (Dr.) Pragati Kumar, Vice Chancellor of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, also presented the university report on the occasion.