Jammu, February 20: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah underscored the urgent need to address climate change in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in relation to the region’s looming water crisis. Speaking at the inaugural session of a three-day workshop on ‘Capacity Building in Innovation Pedagogy for the Implementation of NEP-2020’ at Jammu University, CM Abdullah called for greater awareness and action on climate change.
“We are not doing enough to educate our people about the challenges posed by climate change,” the Chief Minister remarked. “A lot of the responsibility to create this awareness lies with us, as political leaders.”
The workshop, organized by the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre in collaboration with the Skill Incubation, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Development Centre , brought together Vice-Chancellors from several universities, faculty members, college principals, and students.
CM Omar Abdullah addressed the critical issue of climate change, highlighting the severe precipitation deficit in Jammu and Kashmir. “As of this morning, when the rains finally arrived, we had been facing an 80-85% precipitation deficit this winter. This signals an impending water crisis. Our agricultural patterns depend on adequate water availability, but current water levels make it nearly impossible to cultivate water-intensive crops like paddy,” he warned.
On the topic of education, the Chief Minister lauded the ‘Design Your Degree’ program under the National Education Policy (NEP-2020), which allows students to shape their education according to their interests and career aspirations. He emphasised that with Jammu and Kashmir’s expanding private sector, especially in industries like tourism, new job opportunities would emerge, and students with skills aligned to these opportunities would be better prepared.
“Increasingly, as Jammu University gains national recognition, students with the right skills will have a competitive advantage in the evolving job market,” he said. Reflecting on the immense pressure faced by students, he pointed out the high cut-off percentages in top colleges, questioning, “What does it mean when some colleges have a 100% cut-off? What lies beyond 100%?”
He hailed the ‘Design Your Degree’ initiative as a transformative shift in education, empowering students to study what truly interests them rather than following a rigid, traditional curriculum. This, he said, would enhance both the academic experience and future career prospects for students.
Looking ahead, the Chief Minister also discussed emerging fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), agriculture, and tourism. “AI is transforming education and industry,” he noted. “While it poses challenges, such as making it easier to rely on tools like ChatGPT for academic work, it also offers tremendous opportunities for growth and innovation.”
Recognising the invaluable guidance of faculty members from Delhi University, who helped implement the Design Your Degree program, CM Abdullah acknowledged the need for a change in mindset from both students and teachers. “This shift requires students to think about what they want to learn, and teachers must adapt to this new approach,” he said.
As the Pro-Chancellor of Jammu University, the Chief Minister reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the university’s academic growth. “I assure you that as long as I am here, I will do whatever I can to help Jammu University thrive,” he affirmed.
During the event, CM Abdullah also interacted with students from Government Women’s College (GWC) Parade and Jammu University, who shared their experiences with the ‘Design Your Degree’ program. He found these interactions inspiring and expressed a strong desire for more engagements with young, talented minds in the future.
Concluding his remarks, CM Omar Abdullah congratulated Jammu University for achieving the prestigious NAAC A++ accreditation and wished success for the ongoing workshop.