College on Wheels: 1,100 women students from J&K to go on educational tour across India

Jammu: Around 1,100 women students from different universities of Jammu and Kashmir will go on a "college on wheels", a rail journey, to different parts of the country later this year, Vice Chancellor of University of Jammu Prof Umesh Rai said on Wednesday.

"This will be an educational tour and not a pleasure trip … No expenses will be charged from the students who will work on their self-chosen projects during the journey likely to take place at the end of October or early November," Rai told reporters here on the eve of a special convocation at the university.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who will be coming here on his maiden visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, will be the chief guest at the convocation.

The programme will see felicitation of students from 2016-19 and 2017-19 batches with 265 gold medals and 211 PhD degrees.

Rai lauded J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also chancellor of the University, for releasing funds in advance for the 'college on wheels.' "We are in talks with the Navy chief to facilitate the visit of the students to INS Vikrant in Mumbai, and Goa shipyard and docks. We have already spoken to the Director of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, who will apprise the students about their research labs," he said.

Rai said ISRO chairman has also accepted the varsity's proposal to allow the students to visit their station and take them to Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

"The students will be drawn from different universities and colleges across Jammu and Kashmir. The girls are being taken first," he said.

He said that 10 students under the guidance of one mentor will study the problems being faced by people at each place of their visit. Two bogies of the train will be converted into libraries, he added.

Asked about the delay in holding of convocations, Rai said the university is holding another special convocation followed by a regular convocation to complete the backlog.

"Whatever the reasons for delay in holding of convocations, we will try to ensure that they are held on a regular basis," he said.

The VC also spoke about various initiatives like opening of a centre for skill, innovation, incubation and entrepreneurship development centre the varsity has undertaken.

He said the university has also created the Gandhian Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, and a centre of excellence for promotion of Dogri and introducing the Directorate of Hindi.