Principal's Desk

Polytechnics have played a major role in nation-building, and a large share of the technical workforce has come out from these primary Technical Institutes. Over the years, the footprints of Polytechnics in J&K have improved. The Diploma level Engineering and Technology Courses are now available to the aspirants at their doorsteps at cheaper costs. This has helped aspiring candidates besides their parents to think of pursuing careers in Engineering and Technology, which previously used to be only affordable to the rich. Demand-driven, market-oriented courses in trending technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of things (IoT), Cyber Security, Digital Manufacturing, 3D Printing, and many other such technologies are nowadays being offered as specializations with conventional Engineering degree/diploma programs and Institutions offering such specializations are experiencing a rush in admissions.

The industry can not afford to engage raw manpower due to cut-throat competition in the market and needs market ready workforce. The Institutions have to bridge the gap and produce industry-ready manpower for any type of assignment in the Industry. It is my conviction that Institutes can not survive in isolation, but have to have well-established and functional Industry-Institute Linkages to partner with the Industries and the Market. By actively engaging with Industry, the Polytechnics shall be able to provide solutions to day-to-day technical, and engineering problems faced by the Industry/market, besides providing them customized technical human resources. A dip in admissions in the Engineering Courses at a degree as well as diploma level over the past few years is because the gap is yet not been bridged to the expectations of the market/Industry. The Institutional linkages with the Industry/Market are either missing or very informal. Neither the Industry nor the Institutions can survive in isolation, the gap has to be eliminated and both entities should work together for their mutual interests. Institutions must strive to promote and build an ecosystem for the benefit of the Industry. The Institutions must encourage curious young minds, and teach them problem-solving skills, in the fields of Engineering, Technology, and Entrepreneurship.

A huge investment goes into building an Engineering Institution and the purpose of establishing such Institutions is to produce manpower to provide leadership to the industry and market. One of the key indicators to measure the success of an institution is the placement of its pass-outs. The public perception of an institution can only be improved through campus placement. Govt. Polytechnic Shopian has the advantage of being in the vicinity of the Lassipora Industrial Growth Center-one of the largest Industry-hubs in Kashmir which is a major strength for this institution in terms of the placement of passouts. Both entities have to work together. IGC-Lassipora has an opportunity to train its unskilled and semi-killed workforce over here. This Institute has already entered into MOU with a good number of Industry Units at IGC-Lassipora.

In Engineering Institutions, the delivery of knowledge, and development of Skills is a challenge, so the focus should be on the improvement of the Teaching-Learning Processes and the provision of hassle-free knowledge delivery through offline-online (blended) modes to the aspirants. Promotion and delivery of Knowledge is not a one-man show but all (Technicians, Engineers, Researchers, and Scientists) contribute and play their roles at the appropriate time and space and bring out the products suited for human consumption. Our focus must also be to develop laboratories and workshops to support Research and Design and further develop applications/gadgets suited to the industry and market. We shall have to identify the problems of the Industry/market and provide suitable cost-effective solutions. On a Business Canvas, we have to identify the pain points and provide necessary pain-relieving solutions for an Institution to survive the cut-throat competition. Engagement of Students and faculty to work on live issues and problems of the Industry is a must. Obsolescence is one of the factors directly affecting the performance of an Institution, removal of obsolescence and the adoption of new technologies in the Teaching-Learning Process is the key to the survival of an Institution.