Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday emphasised on consolidation in higher education network in the state to make educational institutions seats of excellence and centres of knowledge. A lot of expansion has taken place in the higher education sector in the state recently and there was an urgent need to move forward on consolidation front,he told reporters after inaugurating the Jammu University campus in Kishtwar district,about 230-kms from here. "Present age is the age of science and technology and higher studies in the educational institutions should be at par with the modern trends in this field to groom and nurture students as per global requirement," Omar said stressing on introducing subjects that provide higher scope in job market. Omar,who is also the Pro-Chancellor of Jammu varsity said the focus of attention in the newly opened university campus should be on providing better infrastructural facilities and qualified teaching staff and that his government would provide every support in this regard. The Chief Minister said his government has flagged education as one of the most important concerns in the government policy and new initiatives have been taken to give necessary fillip to this sector. "Our boys and girls are second to none in talent and capacity",he said,launching the MSc course in Information Technology in the newly inaugurated university campus. Omar congratulated the students for the new campus and hoped that it would grow fast and become a full-fledged centre of modern education. He directed the Vice-Chancellor of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU) located in Rajouri district to open a sub-office at Kishtwar to facilitate the interested students to get admission in other courses available in BGSB varsity.
