Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Minister for Higher Education, School Education, Health and Medical Education and Social Welfare Sakina Itoo on Wednesday attended a one-day programme titled “From Campus to Career” at Government Degree College (GDC), D.H. Pora in Kashmir, an event aimed at narrowing the distance between classroom learning and the demands of the job market.
The programme focused on career development, skill enhancement and preparing students for future academic and professional opportunities. It also served as a platform for students, educators and officials to discuss practical ways of bridging the gap between what young people learn in college and what employers expect of them, a gap that has become a central concern of higher education policy across the country.
Commissioner Secretary of the Higher Education Department Ram Niwas Sharma attended as Guest of Honour, while Secretary Higher Education Shafqat Iqbal and Director Colleges J&K Dr Twinkle Suri were present as Special Guests.
Addressing the gathering, Itoo stressed the importance of quality education, skill development and career-oriented learning in equipping the youth for the changing demands of the employment sector. She urged students to make effective use of the educational and developmental opportunities available to them and to concentrate on acquiring relevant knowledge, skills and competencies that will serve them beyond the examination hall.
The Minister also underlined the need for educational institutions to promote academic excellence together with entrepreneurship, innovation, skill development and informed career choices. In a labour market where government vacancies are limited and competition for them is intense, she suggested, colleges must prepare graduates to think of themselves not only as job seekers but also as potential job creators.
The “From Campus to Career” initiative is designed to strengthen the link between higher education and the career aspirations of students and to ease their transition from college to professional life. Such programmes typically bring together guidance on career pathways, exposure to entrepreneurship and interaction with experts, all of which help students make better informed decisions about their futures.
For Jammu and Kashmir, where unemployment among educated youth remains a persistent challenge, the emphasis on employability is timely. Degree colleges form the backbone of higher education in the Union Territory, enrolling large numbers of students from urban and rural backgrounds alike. Equipping them with practical skills, communication abilities and an entrepreneurial outlook is widely seen as essential if graduates are to find a place in a fast changing economy.
The event at D.H. Pora reflects a growing recognition that education must be measured not only by results on paper but also by the opportunities it opens for young people after they leave campus.
