J-K CM calls for introducing local languages in schools,

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today directed the introduction of local languages including Kashmiri, Dogri and Punjabi in schools and colleges while also calling for consolidation of educational infrastructure.
Mehbooba passed these directions during the fourth meeting of the state higher education council here, also approving in principle the setting up of a Horticulture University at Wadura and a law university in the state, an official spokesman said.
Describing the directive of the chief minister for introduction of different languages in schools and colleges as "significant", the spokesman said Mufti asked the higher education department to create faculty for teaching these languages and get them filled accordingly.

She directed equipping the institutions of higher learning in the state with requisite faculty, laboratories, workshops, libraries and other accessories, the spokesman said.
He said Mufti directed strengthening of students welfare centres at the universities and making students real stakeholders in the affairs of the varsities.
She also directed the setting up incubation centres at the universities so that the students get trained to pursue their careers in a proper manner.

Reviewing the activities in technical education sector, she directed streamlining of fee structure in all the nursing colleges in the state.
She also directed introduction of career counselling and personality development among students from the high school level so that they are properly groomed at the time of career selection, the spokesman said.

The spokesman said the council gave nod to the setting up of two administrative staff colleges at Srinagar and Jammu.
The meeting was informed that a student hostel built by the state government at New Delhi at a cost of Rs 30 crore is now complete and about to be operationalised, the spokesman said.
He said that work on 25 colleges in the state is apace and out of these, 16 colleges are targeted to be completed this fiscal.
The meeting was also informed that four projects worth Rs 30 crore have been taken up in various universities of the state to upgrade engineering laboratories, the spokesman said.