Ladakh eyes Nursing, Hospitality, Fashion Courses in colleges
LEH: Ladakh Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra has called for expanding skill-based and employment-oriented courses in colleges across the Union Territory, alongside a review of faculty vacancies, student enrolment and retention to improve access to higher education and align academic programmes with local employment needs.
Kundra made the remarks while chairing a meeting on higher education at the LAHDC Conference Hall in Leh on Friday. The meeting assessed the functioning of colleges and universities, faculty availability, recruitment, course offerings and enrolment trends across Ladakh.
The Chief Secretary called for exploring specialised courses in agriculture, horticulture, nursing, teacher education, hotel management and fashion technology, among other professional fields. He said course planning should take into account student demand, regional potential, faculty availability and employment prospects, while also examining opportunities for private-sector participation.
The meeting was attended by Secretary, Planning, Himanshu Gupta; Secretary, School Education, Bhanu Prabha; University of Ladakh Vice-Chancellor Prof. Saket Kushwaha; Dean, College Development Council, Tsewang Motup; principals of colleges in Leh, Kargil, Khaltsi, Nubra, Drass and Zanskar; senior faculty members and other officials.
During the meeting, Dr Tsewang Motup presented an overview of higher education in Ladakh, covering Sindhu Central University, the University of Ladakh and the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS). The presentation reviewed sanctioned, filled and vacant teaching posts across colleges, faculty deputation to the University of Ladakh, Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) trends over the past five years, student retention and the transition from schools to colleges.
Kundra held detailed discussions on faculty availability, recruitment and admission trends, with particular attention to institutions in remote areas such as Kargil, Zanskar, Nubra and Drass. He called for a comprehensive assessment of institutional capacity and student demand to strengthen existing colleges and ensure equitable access to quality higher education across the Union Territory.
On faculty recruitment, Secretary, School Education, Bhanu Prabha informed the meeting that feedback was being sought from stakeholders on the draft Recruitment Rules for the Common Teaching Cadre, including Assistant Professor posts. The proposal is to be forwarded to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) after October 15.
The meeting also discussed strengthening coaching for competitive examinations, improving career counselling, promoting entrepreneurship and increasing industry exposure for students. Kundra stressed the need to make better use of available faculty expertise and create opportunities for students to pursue higher education and professional careers within Ladakh.
Calling for measurable outcomes, the Chief Secretary proposed tracking students after graduation to assess their progression into higher studies, competitive examinations and employment. He also stressed practical learning, exposure to modern technologies and greater awareness of relevant government schemes. Kundra further called for research and academic projects focused on Ladakh-specific priorities, including agriculture, floriculture, market linkages and local economic development.
