J&K Govt envisions research-driven, inclusive education: Minister

Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare, and Education, Sakeena Itoo, inaugurated a two-day national conference on 'Mathematical Sciences and Applications' at Shri Pandit Prem Nath Dogra Government Degree College (GDC), Samba, today.

The event was attended by prominent figures including MLA Samba, Surjeet Singh Slathia, MLA Chadoora, Ali Mohd Dar, MLA Zainpora, Showkat Ahmed, Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education, Shantmanu, Deputy Commissioner, Samba, Rajesh Sharma, Director Colleges, Prof. Sheikh Ajaz Bashir, Deans of Cluster University, and Principals from various colleges of Jammu Division and a large number of students.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Sakeena Itoo emphasised the transformative power of education and praised the intellectual exchanges facilitated by the conference. “Conferences like these offer an excellent platform for exchanging ideas, fostering research and building collaborative networks that contribute to the academic and practical advancements of our region,” she said.

The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advance education and research, encouraging institutions to pursue excellence. “The government envisions an education system that is inclusive, research-oriented and aligned with global standards. Initiatives are being implemented as per National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to strengthen infrastructure, introduce innovative teaching methods and promote interdisciplinary research,” she stated. She also assured full support to the college for upgrading both academic quality and infrastructure.

In his address, MLA Samba, Surjeet Singh Slathia, praised the college for organising an insightful conference, highlighting its role in fostering academic collaboration.

Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department, emphasised the pivotal role of mathematics in technological innovation and problem-solving. Director Colleges also commended the conference for promoting collaboration among scholars.

Conference Coordinator, Professor Narayan Dutt, introduced the theme of the conference, emphasising the role of mathematics in technological advancement. Dr A.P. Singh, Professor Emeritus, delivered the keynote address, underscoring the urgency of mathematical applications in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape.

During the event, the Minister also released several publications, including the Conference Abstract Book, College Magazine ‘Basantar’, Viksit Bharat Magazine ‘Yuva Drishti’, IQAC Newsletter ‘Saarthi’, and PRAVAD Electoral Literacy Club’s Newsletter ‘Niti Nerd’.

The conference featured 80 research papers and poster presentations across diverse themes such as mathematical analysis, applied mathematics, computational mathematics, mathematical physics and algebra, with 135 participants from various institutions.

Later, on the side-lines of the conference, Sakeena Itoo inaugurated a new academic block for the college, as well as an RFID unit in the library, making it fully automated. She also launched the college canteen, which will be run under the Umeed scheme by female self-help groups.