J&K L-G Manoj Sinha: Life-skills education vital in modern era
Synopsis
J&K L-G Manoj Sinha used a teacher capacity-building event in Jammu to make a pointed case: schools must become 'laboratories of life-building,' not just exam factories. With drug abuse, mental stress, and digital risks cited as daily realities for students, the push to embed life-skills education into J&K's curriculum — backed by Bharti Airtel Foundation and the NEP framework — marks a deliberate shift in how the Union Territory approaches school reform.
Key Takeaways
J&K L-G Manoj Sinha addressed a One Day Capacity Building Programme in Jammu on 2 July 2025 , co-organised by Bharti Airtel Foundation , SCERT J&K , and the School Education Department .
The programme launched new instructional resources aimed at strengthening teacher capacity across the Union Territory.
Sinha called for schools to prioritise life-skills education — covering self-awareness, emotional balance, problem-solving, and critical thinking — alongside academics.
The initiative is linked to the Drug-Free Jammu & Kashmir campaign and the Tobacco-Free Educational Institution (TOFEI) drive.
Online classes for Grades 11 and 12 have been launched across ten districts to extend quality education to remote areas.
Meritorious students and TOFEI winners were felicitated; several life-skills books were formally released at the event.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday, 2 July called life-skills education indispensable for today's students, asserting that the pressures of contemporary life — from substance abuse to digital-world risks — demand that schools evolve into what he described as 'laboratories of life-building.' The remarks came during a One Day Capacity Building Programme in Jammu, jointly organised by the Bharti Airtel Foundation, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), J&K, and the School Education Department.
What the Programme Entailed
The event served as the formal launch of instructional resources co-developed by the three institutions to strengthen teacher capacity and raise the overall quality of school education across the Union Territory. The programme is also embedded within the broader Drug-Free Jammu & Kashmir campaign, aiming to equip educators with modern tools to shield students from the challenges facing today's youth.
On the occasion, L-G Sinha felicitated meritorious students and winners of the Tobacco-Free Educational Institution (TOFEI) initiative. Several books on life skills were also formally released.
What L-G Sinha Said
'When teachers are empowered, students gain confidence. When schools are strengthened, society becomes more resilient and when education moves in the right direction, Jammu and Kashmir and the nation advance toward a brighter, safer and more prosperous future,' Sinha said.
He emphasised that education's greatest power lies not in examination results but in its capacity to transform lives. 'A dedicated teacher shapes destiny. I want schools in Jammu and Kashmir to focus on this aspect and become laboratories of life-building,' he added.
Sinha specifically called out rising trends in drug abuse, mental stress, social pressure, digital-world risks, and changing lifestyles as factors that have made the school's role more critical than ever. He stressed that schools must prioritise self-awareness, emotional balance, problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking alongside academic instruction.
NEP and Online Education Push
The Lieutenant Governor linked the initiative to the National Education Policy (NEP), stating that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the policy aims to develop citizens who are creative, responsible, innovative, compassionate, and self-reliant.
He also commended the Directorate, School Education Jammu, for launching online classes for Grades 11 and 12 across ten districts, calling it a significant step toward educational equality. 'Through this initiative, even students in remote villages can access quality learning,' he noted.
Who Was Present
The programme was attended by Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Co-Chairman of the Bharti Airtel Foundation; Ram Niwas Sharma, Commissioner Secretary of the School Education Department; Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Nuriya Ansari, CEO of the Bharti Airtel Foundation; and Dr Naseem Javaid Chowdhary, Director of School Education Jammu, along with senior officials, heads of educational institutions, teachers, and students.
With J&K's education ecosystem at a pivotal juncture, the initiative signals a push to move classrooms beyond rote learning toward holistic, life-ready outcomes — a shift that, if sustained, could reshape student outcomes across the Union Territory in the years ahead.
Point of View
But the structural gap between policy rhetoric and classroom reality in J&K remains wide. Teacher capacity-building programmes have been announced periodically across Indian states with mixed outcomes; the Bharti Airtel Foundation's involvement adds private-sector momentum, but sustainability beyond the pilot phase is the real test. Embedding life-skills education meaningfully requires curriculum reform, teacher incentives, and assessment redesign — none of which a single capacity-building day can deliver. The linkage to the Drug-Free J&K campaign is politically salient, but measuring whether classroom life-skills instruction actually reduces substance abuse among youth will demand rigorous, long-term tracking that the administration has yet to publicly commit to.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the One Day Capacity Building Programme held in Jammu on 2 July?
It was a programme jointly organised by the Bharti Airtel Foundation, SCERT J&K, and the School Education Department to launch new instructional resources for teachers and strengthen school education quality across Jammu and Kashmir. The event was attended by J&K L-G Manoj Sinha, who called for greater focus on life-skills education.
Why did L-G Manoj Sinha call life-skills education essential?
Sinha cited rising drug abuse, mental stress, peer pressure, digital-world risks, and changing lifestyles as daily realities facing students, arguing that academic instruction alone is insufficient. He said schools must focus on self-awareness, emotional balance, problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking to prepare students for modern life.
How is this programme connected to the Drug-Free Jammu & Kashmir campaign?
The capacity-building programme is formally linked to the Drug-Free Jammu & Kashmir initiative, aiming to equip teachers with modern tools to help protect students from substance abuse and other challenges. Winners of the Tobacco-Free Educational Institution (TOFEI) initiative were also felicitated at the event.
What is the online education initiative L-G Sinha commended at the event?
L-G Sinha praised the Directorate of School Education Jammu for launching online classes for Grades 11 and 12 across ten districts, calling it a step toward educational equality that allows students in remote villages to access quality learning.
Who were the key participants at the Jammu capacity-building programme?
Senior attendees included Rakesh Bharti Mittal (Co-Chairman, Bharti Airtel Foundation), Ram Niwas Sharma (Commissioner Secretary, School Education Department), Ramesh Kumar (Divisional Commissioner Jammu), Nuriya Ansari (CEO, Bharti Airtel Foundation), and Dr Naseem Javaid Chowdhary (Director, School Education Jammu), along with teachers, students, and officials.
