Dr. Jitendra Singh: NEP 2020 Levels Field for Doda Students
Synopsis
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh addressed a hybrid conference at Government Degree College, Doda on 11 July 2026, arguing that NEP 2020 has democratised aptitude-based learning for students in Tier-2 towns and calling for CSIR-AYUSH-backed incubation centres for Himalayan and aroma-based enterprises.
Key Takeaways
Jitendra Singh addressed a two-day hybrid conference at Government Degree College, Doda on 11 July 2026 focused on NEP 2020 implementation in Jammu & Kashmir.
NEP 2020 , India's first new education framework in 34 years , allows students to choose subjects by aptitude, shifting focus from degrees to skills and entrepreneurship.
The Minister praised Principal Dr.
Javed Iqbal and his team for organising the conference and highlighted Doda's historic legacy of higher learning.
Lavender cultivation, expanded under the CSIR Aroma Mission from Bhaderwah across Doda, Kashmir Valley and other Himalayan states, was cited as proof that entrepreneurship thrives beyond metropolitan regions.
Singh proposed incubation support for Himalayan and aroma-based enterprises at the college in collaboration with the Ministry of AYUSH and CSIR's Aroma Mission .
The initiative positions Doda as a potential model for region-specific NEP 2020 implementation across other Jammu & Kashmir colleges.
Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Saturday, 11 July 2026, addressed a two-day hybrid conference at Government Degree College, Doda, themed 'Implementation of National Education Policy 2020 in Jammu & Kashmir: Challenges of Inclusion, Equity and Accessibility', underscoring how the landmark policy has created a level playing field for students from Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns like Doda to compete with their metropolitan counterparts.
Context
Speaking at the conference organised by Government Degree College, Doda, Dr. Singh — who hails from the district himself — drew on personal memory to frame the significance of the moment. He recalled a time when students from far-flung areas were compelled to travel long distances to Doda and Bhaderwah to access higher education because institutions were scarce across the region.
The Minister congratulated the college, and specifically acknowledged Principal Dr. Javed Iqbal and his team for organising what he described as 'a timely academic deliberation on one of the most significant educational reforms undertaken in the history of independent India.' He noted that the erstwhile Doda district carries a rich legacy of higher learning that has served generations of students across the region.
Policy Backdrop
National Education Policy 2020, approved by the Union Cabinet in July 2020, replaced India's 1986 education framework and introduced multidisciplinary learning, aptitude-based subject choices, and a renewed emphasis on skills, innovation, and entrepreneurship over conventional degree-centric outcomes. It is India's first new national education framework in 34 years.
Dr. Singh stressed that NEP 2020 'has broken the rigidity of conventional education by allowing students to pursue subjects based on aptitude rather than compulsion, while shifting the focus of higher education from degrees to skills, innovation and entrepreneurship.' He added that 'a degree is no longer a trophy, and employment no longer means only a government job.' In the context of Jammu & Kashmir, the policy's rollout aligns with post-2019 development priorities following the region's reorganisation as a Union Territory, enabling direct central focus on education and economic uplift in remote districts.
Stakeholders and Impact
Dr. Singh pointed to lavender cultivation as a concrete example of how entrepreneurship is already reshaping rural livelihoods in the region. Beginning from a small patch of land in Bhaderwah, lavender farming has expanded across Doda district, neighbouring areas, the Kashmir Valley, and several other Himalayan states, creating new livelihood opportunities and strengthening the rural economy — a direct outcome linked to the CSIR Aroma Mission, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research initiative that promotes cultivation and value-addition of aromatic crops in Himalayan regions.
The Minister argued that Bhaderwah and Doda have 'disproved the notion that entrepreneurship is restricted to Information Technology or metropolitan regions,' offering a model that other Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns can replicate. Students and rural entrepreneurs in Himalayan districts stand to benefit most directly as the policy shifts institutional focus toward region-specific economic strengths.
What's Next
Dr. Singh proposed that Government Degree College, Doda develop a distinct institutional identity by promoting entrepreneurship in sectors where the region holds natural advantages. He specifically suggested establishing incubation support for Himalayan products, aroma-based enterprises, and allied sectors in collaboration with the Ministry of AYUSH and CSIR's Aroma Mission.
The proposal, if taken forward, could position Government Degree College, Doda as a model for how NEP 2020 can be implemented with a regional economic lens — linking academic institutions directly to local industries rather than generic degree pipelines. The broader implication is a template that could be replicated across other Jammu & Kashmir colleges as NEP 2020 implementation reviews progress across the Union Territory.
Point of View
Using lavender cultivation and the CSIR Aroma Mission as proof of concept. By proposing AYUSH-CSIR incubation at a government degree college in his home district, the Minister is quietly building a political and policy narrative that links J&K's post-2019 development story to tangible grassroots outcomes. The move also signals that NEP 2020 rollout in the Union Territory will increasingly be benchmarked against region-specific entrepreneurship metrics rather than generic enrolment figures. If the incubation proposal materialises, it could set a replicable template for other remote J&K colleges — and give the ruling dispensation a concrete showcase ahead of future electoral cycles in the region.
NationPress
11 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NEP 2020 conference at Doda about?
The two-day hybrid conference at Government Degree College, Doda focused on 'Implementation of National Education Policy 2020 in Jammu & Kashmir: Challenges of Inclusion, Equity and Accessibility', examining how the 2020 policy can be adapted for remote and underserved districts of the Union Territory.
What did Dr. Jitendra Singh say about NEP 2020 and students from Doda?
Dr. Singh said NEP 2020 has 'democratised aptitude-based learning and created a level playing field' for students from Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns like Doda, allowing them to compete with counterparts in metropolitan cities without being constrained by rigid degree requirements.
What is the CSIR Aroma Mission and how does it relate to Doda?
The CSIR Aroma Mission is a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research initiative that promotes cultivation and value-addition of aromatic crops in Himalayan regions. Lavender farming, which began on a small patch of land in Bhaderwah, has expanded across Doda district and beyond as a direct outcome of this mission.
What did Dr. Jitendra Singh propose for Government Degree College Doda?
The Minister proposed that the college establish incubation support for Himalayan products, aroma-based enterprises, and allied sectors in collaboration with the Ministry of AYUSH and CSIR's Aroma Mission, to give the institution a distinct entrepreneurial identity rooted in regional strengths.
How does NEP 2020 change education in Jammu & Kashmir?
NEP 2020 replaces the rigid subject structure of the 1986 policy with aptitude-based, multidisciplinary learning and a focus on skills and entrepreneurship. In J&K, this aligns with post-2019 Union Territory priorities that seek to connect higher education institutions to local economic opportunities in remote districts.
