J&K Chief Minister for symbiosis between academia-Industry

Scoop News November 25, 2010

Jammu, November 25 (Scoop News) –, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah while calling for closer collaboration between academia and industry on Thursday said that the symbiotic relation between the two was significantly important to give new dimension to knowledge economy.

“At one hand it will benefit the industrial sector and on the other ensure easy entrance and placement of educated youth in the private sector job market”, he added.

Addressing the 8th University-Industry Council Symposium on ‘Industry-Academia collaboration for the development of India with focus on Northern region’, Omar Abdullah highlighted the need for cementing relations between the seats of higher learning and the industry for the development and growth of economy.

“While Industry requires trained efficient and qualified manpower to run the units on modern lines, the products of universities require easy access to the jobs available in the industrial sector”, he said impressing upon the both to work out constant rapport and collaboration to benefit each other. “This would also help the Government in its efforts to develop local Small and Medium Entrepreneurship (SME) sector as also address the employment crisis”.

The Chief Minister said that the ties between Industries and Universities and the Intra-University linkage would help to develop curricula of studies in demand in the industrial sector and pave way of the products of higher educational institutions to get easily absorbed in the private sector. “This would also benefit the industrial sector to get trained and qualified persons comparatively on lower cost”, he said.

Omar Abdullah said that this symbiosis between the two would in turn help give necessary boost to economic activities and open vistas of development. “The collaboration of the two in a state like Jammu and Kashmir is of more importance where there is mismatch between the products of the higher educational institutions and the market requirement”, he said and called for meshing of efforts by the Government, Universities and Industries to remove this deficit.

The Chief Minister said that the linkage between Industry and higher seats of education in research projects would also benefit the both. “While the farmer could obtain effective and qualitative research base for launching ventures and upgrading these, the later could earn money to generate resources for further expansion and financial independence”, he explained. He said that the Universities should also venture upon in preparing Project Reports, Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and acting as third party monitoring agency for Government works. “This will further strengthening the financial position of Universities and help these to work more freely and without depending upon the Government financing”, he said and asked the Universities to build proper capacity in this regard.

“Similarly utilizing the vast research infrastructure of the higher learning institutions, the Industry can get necessary research material on lesser market cost”, he said adding that local entrepreneurs could also utilize the knowledge and research base of the Universities to flourish and develop as per market trends.

Omar said the collaboration between the two for incubation and innovation would give considerable fillip to the entrepreneurship development programme and help to put the research of the higher educational institutions into practical use for growth and stability of economy.

The Chief Minister also emphasized on collaboration between the Northern States especially hill States of Utranchal, Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir as these were confronted with more or less similar issues pertaining to the growth and development of economy as also creating necessary link between higher educational institutions and the Industry. “In the recent ‘State of the States’ seminar organized by the India Today, maximum awards were won by the hill states as per the ratings in expert survey”, he said and stressed on coordinated approach by the educational institutions in these States to collaborate with Industry in fixing the curricula and making it market oriented”, he elaborated.

Omar Abdullah expressed the hope that the symposium would come up with concrete suggestions for further cementing the relations between Industry and Universities and identify the areas where Government help is required to nurture these relations.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather presented a resume of the historical background of Industrial development enumerating the factors responsible for its lesser growth in the State especially in Kashmir region. He referred to the steps taken by late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 70’s to develop industrial temperament in the State and help industrialization.

Rather added that the State Governments led by Dr. Farooq Abdullah followed the policies and vision of Sher-i-Kashmir in this direction while the present Government led by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has initiated new measures to rope in private sector investors in the State. “We have seen much industrial activities in the districts of Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur and Reasi in recent years”, he said and added that our endeavour is to expand its orbit to other areas. “To achieve this goal many concessions are being given to the industrialists and entrepreneurs by the State and the Central Governments”.

The Finance Minister said “Jammu and Kashmir is rich in mineral deposits and posses conducive climate for cultivation of aromatic plants and herbs and is well known for its horticulture and floriculture base besides rich tradition of producing finest handicrafts and hand woven fabrics. Our human resource material is highly creative and productive”, he said adding that these areas have been made thrust areas for industrial development.

Rather said, “the strategy for promotion of industry in the State is threefold. Firstly, to exploit the local raw materials, ensuring that maximum possible value addition is made within the State; secondly, to encourage manufacturing activities based on raw materials procured from outside the State for meeting the local market needs and thirdly to selectively go for low volume-low weight and high value goods for both local and outside markets”.

The Finance Minister expressed the hope that the symposium will add an intellectual dimension to the practical knowledge and experience of the Industry. He said he would be glad to take into account the suggestions emerging from the symposium while preparing the next year’s Budget. “The process of Budget making exercise has already begun and I promise that all important suggestions influencing future of Industry in the State will be duly considered”.

In his speech, the Minister for Higher Education, Abdul Gani Malik highlighted the need for constant rapport between the higher educational institutions and the Industry to help introduce subjects of marketability in the higher study courses.

The Education Minister also said that like other parts in the world, the State of Jammu and Kashmir was focusing to give boost its economy and create vast job market for the qualified youth. “In this direction, the collaboration between the higher education sector and the Industry is imperative”, he added.

Malik also hoped that the deliberations of the 2-day symposium would yield positive results to further bind the two sectors to help each other in the larger interest of the society.

In his speech, the Vice Chancellor of Jammu University, Varun Sahni dwelt in detail about the capacity building in the educational institutions to produce products of high marketability and professional value. He underlined the importance of knowledge economy and learning economy in present day global scenario.

“There has been move from old model of philanthropic Industry and economy to present profit earning mode”, he said adding that the collaboration between academic excellence and Industry was necessary to meet modern industrial requirement.

Varun Sahni said that it was also important to know ‘what is happening in the Universities and what is not happening’, adding that present day demand is to develop universities as technical parks.

He said visits of industrial experts to the university faculties and exchange of practical knowledge was of significant importance to link the two sectors in accordance with each others requirements. He also emphasized the role of Industry in curricula setting in the Universities. “In fact Industry experts should be members of Board of Studies to develop curricula as would ensure easy and better placement of the students in the market”, he said.

“While the profit mode of Industry is a necessary phenomenon for its sustenance and growth”, he said and laid stress on not losing focus on philanthropic aspect for its importance in the civilized life.

Distinguished Professor from ISRO, Dr. V. S. Rajan delivered key note address while Prof. Kuldeep K. Sharma, Directorate of Internal Quality Assurance University of Jammu, Chairman, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), J&K State Council, Harinder Mahajan, President, Association of Indian Universities, Prof. M. D. Tiwari also spoke on the occasion. The Registrar, Jammu University, Dr. P. S. Pathania presented the vote of thanks.

Present on the occasion were Political Advisor to the Chief Minister, Devender Singh Rana and Vice Chancellors of various Universities of Jammu and Kashmir and outside the State besides faculty members, Industrialists and students.

The symposium was organized by University of Jammu in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Association of Indian Universities.

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