SED to introduce vocational education in J&K’s high, higher secondary schools

Srinagar, Apr 14: In a significant development, the School Education Department is planning to introduce vocational education in all the government-run high and higher secondary schools across Jammu and Kashmir. The initiative has been taken with an aim to impart skills to the students at a larger scale and make them self-reliant as well.

An official privy to the development said that this was the main agenda of the Project Approval Board (PAB) meeting convened by the Secretary Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) in the Ministry of Education (MoE) in March this year. "As of now vocational courses (trades) have been introduced in over 500 schools. However, now the department has submitted a proposal to introduce it in all high and higher secondary schools," the official said. The department is planning to introduce vocational courses in more schools at a time when it is already facing revolt from the existing vocational teachers who have accused the department of exploitation and injustice.

Over the last few months, the vocational teachers (trainers) are up in arms against the Directorate of Samagra Shiksha for its failure to address their issues on account of their engagement through the third party companies. Notably, the department has around 18724 schools across J&K, including 1496 high and higher secondary schools besides 7100 middle schools and around 10000 primary schools. "The number of primary schools mushroomed due to the launch of erstwhile SSA scheme," the official told Greater Kashmir. He said the department is also focusing on filling infrastructural gaps in educational institutions wherever needed.

During the recently convened PAB meeting for 2025-26 financial year by Secretary DSEL MoE, the J&K SED also submitted a proposal in its annual works plan to establish two Science Centres in every district across Jammu and Kashmir. "Besides this, every zone will have two Astro Physics laboratories as well," the official said. The official said the department has also proposed introduction of Robotics and Coding for students at secondary and senior secondary level. "The directions for this were received from MoE following which it was included in the current annual works plan," the official said.