Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh addressed a hybrid conference organized by Government Degree College Doda on the implementation of National Education Policy 2020 in Jammu & Kashmir. He stated that NEP 2020 has democratized aptitude-based learning and created a level playing field for students from Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns like Doda to compete with metropolitan counterparts. The policy has broken the rigidity of conventional education by allowing students to pursue subjects based on aptitude rather than compulsion, shifting higher education focus from degrees to skills, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Singh highlighted India's dramatic startup growth from nearly 350 startups in 2014 to over 2.3 lakh currently, making India the world's third-largest startup ecosystem. He emphasized that more than half of these startups are emerging from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, demonstrating that innovation is no longer confined to metropolitan centers.
The Minister specifically highlighted the Lavender Revolution initiated under the CSIR Aroma Mission as a success story from the Doda region. Beginning from a small patch of land in Bhaderwah, lavender cultivation has expanded across Doda district, neighbouring areas, Kashmir Valley and several other Himalayan states, creating new livelihood opportunities and strengthening the rural economy. This model has shown that technology-enabled agriculture, local resources and scientific interventions can generate sustainable employment and successful enterprises.
Dr. Singh encouraged Government Degree College, Doda to develop incubation support for Himalayan products, aroma-based enterprises and allied sectors in collaboration with the Ministry of AYUSH, Jammu & Kashmir's AYUSH Department, and CSIR's Aroma Mission. He also called for familiarizing students with government initiatives supporting entrepreneurship including Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana and PM Vishwakarma Yojana.
The Minister noted that digital connectivity has removed geographical barriers, enabling youth from remote regions to access quality learning resources and build careers without leaving their hometowns. He described the current period as particularly promising for India's youth who will lead the country during the centenary year of Independence in 2047.