JKBOSE consults experts on vocational courses, plans new agriculture course

Ziraat Times News Desk

SRINAGAR, September 19, 2026: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) has initiated consultations for developing vocational courses aligned with local employment and livelihood opportunities, including a proposed new course in agriculture.

A consultative meeting in this regard was held at the JKBOSE headquarters at Bemina as part of the Board’s process for seeking Dual Recognition from the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET).

The consultation brought together experts from vocational education and agriculture, including Dr T. N. Giri, Director, Vocational Education, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), and Prof V. S. Mehrotra, Head, PSSCIVE, NCERT, Bhopal. Experts from SKUAST-Kashmir, SKUAST-Jammu and the Department of Agriculture, Jammu & Kashmir, also participated.

The Chairman, JKBOSE, said the Board was among the few education boards in the country to have received a Letter of Intent (LoI) from NCVET, describing it as an important step towards strengthening vocational and skill-based learning in school education.

He said the Board was focusing on sectors with significant potential in Jammu & Kashmir, particularly agriculture and tourism, to enable students to acquire skills relevant to local employment and livelihood opportunities.

Director Academics, JKBOSE, Dr Parveen Singh, stressed the need to strengthen linkages between school education, skills and job-market requirements. He said vocational courses should reflect the socio-economic context of Jammu & Kashmir and remain relevant to emerging employment opportunities.

The initiative is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which calls for greater integration of vocational education, experiential learning and skill development into mainstream school education.

The experts discussed curriculum development, competency-based learning, sectoral and industry relevance, practical skills, assessment and certification.

Participants also emphasised the need for locally relevant vocational courses that can respond to emerging employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, particularly in sectors such as agriculture.

The consultation is expected to feed into JKBOSE’s submission for Dual Recognition under NCVET and the development of a structured vocational education framework for schools across Jammu & Kashmir.