JAMMU, Nov 2: The District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Jammu, organised its first-ever three-day Capacity Building Programme (CBP) exclusively for vocational teachers on the theme “Effective Integration of Vocational Education and Skills Development in Schools” from October 30 to November 2, 2026, excluding November 1, at Government Boys Higher Secondary School (BHSS), Gandhi Nagar, Jammu. The programme was organised under the guidance and supervision of the Joint Director, SCERT J&K, Jammu, in alignment with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The initiative marked an important step towards strengthening vocational education through systematic capacity building of teachers and promoting the integration of skill-based learning into mainstream school education. The programme aimed at equipping teachers with practical approaches to help students develop professional competencies, entrepreneurial abilities and career-oriented skills.
The programme was formally inaugurated by R.G. Dogra, Principal, DIET Jammu, who highlighted the importance of vocational education in transforming the school education system. He emphasised that students must be equipped with practical competencies and entrepreneurial skills to become self-reliant and prepared for future career opportunities.
The programme commenced with a welcome address by Kanwal Preet Kour, HOD, DIET Jammu and Programme Coordinator, who outlined the objectives of the training. She stressed the need to integrate vocational education with academic subjects through experiential and competency-based learning.
Around 100 vocational teachers from Higher Secondary Schools representing all nine zones of District Jammu participated enthusiastically in the three-day programme.
The training featured informative and interactive sessions conducted by resource persons from SCERT J&K, the University of Jammu and DIET Jammu. Deepak Kumar, Senior Academic Officer, SCERT Jammu, delivered a session on “Introduction and Overview of Vocational Education”, familiarising participants with the concept, objectives and significance of vocational education in the school curriculum. Yogesh Kumar, Senior Academic Officer, SCERT Jammu, conducted a session on “Planning and Implementation of Vocational Education in Schools”, highlighting strategies for its effective implementation.
Malinder Kour, Vocational Teacher, conducted a session on “Health and Wellness”, focusing on health awareness and wellness-related competencies. Sachin Goel, Teacher, delivered a session on “Integration of Vocational Skills with Academic Subjects through Experiential Learning”, emphasising activity-based teaching methods and practical classroom experiences. Lakshmi Puri, Teacher, sensitised participants on “Digital Skills and Emerging Vocations”, highlighting the growing importance of digital competencies and emerging career opportunities.
Bindiya Bhalwal, Senior Lecturer, conducted an informative session on “Start-up: A Government Initiative for Promoting Entrepreneurship and Innovation”, acquainting participants with initiatives aimed at encouraging entrepreneurial thinking, innovation and self-employment.
Tapas Tandon, Faculty, School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Jammu, delivered an expert session on “Connecting Vocational Education with the Hospitality and Tourism Industry”, highlighting emerging opportunities in these sectors and the importance of industry linkages in school-based vocational education.
Tripta Charak, DIET Faculty, conducted a session on “10 Bagless Days”, highlighting the importance of hands-on activities, exposure to local skills, experiential learning and practical engagement beyond conventional classroom teaching.
Sonia Chowdhary, DIET Faculty, delivered a session on “WaSH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)”, sensitising participants about hygiene practices, sanitation awareness, safe drinking water and the promotion of healthy school environments.
The sessions provided valuable insights into experiential learning, practical skill development, entrepreneurship, digital literacy, health and wellness, industry exposure, bagless days, WaSH and career awareness. Resource persons encouraged teachers to adopt innovative teaching approaches and create meaningful opportunities for students to acquire real-life skills alongside academic learning.
The programme was coordinated by Kanwal Preet Kour, HOD, DIET Jammu, with Rohini Rana serving as Co-Coordinator and Sh. Amit Gupta as Technical Coordinator. The programme also received valuable support from Deepu Kardar and Sethi Ram, along with Tripta Charak, Chiranjeet Kour, Lecturers, and other DIET faculty members, whose dedicated efforts contributed to its successful conduct.
The successful completion of this first-ever dedicated capacity building programme for vocational teachers reflects DIET Jammu’s commitment to strengthening vocational education and ensuring the effective implementation of NEP 2020. The programme concluded with an emphasis on empowering teachers to nurture practical competencies, creativity, critical thinking, entrepreneurial abilities and employability skills among students.
DIET Jammu reaffirmed its commitment to promoting holistic, experiential and skill-oriented education through continuous professional development of teachers and innovative educational initiatives in alignment with NEP 2020.