Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reiterated on Thursday that Jammu and Kashmir is facing a severe threat from climate change, particularly in the form of a water crisis, stressing the need for greater awareness and action.

“We are not doing enough to educate our people about what is happening with climate change and the dangers it poses. A lot of that responsibility lies with us as political leaders,” the chief minister stated while addressing the inaugural session of a three-day workshop on ‘Capacity Building in Innovation Pedagogy for the Implementation of NEP-2020’ at Brig Rajinder Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu.

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The workshop is being organised by the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Center (MMTTC) in collaboration with the Skill Incubation, Innovation, Entrepreneurship Development Center (SIIEDC), University of Jammu. The event was attended by Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University Professor Umesh Rai, Vice-Chancellors of SMVD University, BGSBS University, and Cluster University of Jammu, along with senior faculty members, Principals of various colleges and students.

Addressing the pressing issue of climate change, the chief minister highlighted the alarming precipitation deficit in Jammu and Kashmir. “Until this morning, when the rains finally came, we were facing an 80-85% precipitation deficit this winter, signaling a major water crisis. Our agricultural patterns rely on the assumption of sufficient water availability. But with current water levels, cultivating paddy, which is water-intensive, would be nearly impossible,” he warned.

Speaking on the ‘Design Your Degree’ (DYD) program under the National Education Policy (NEP-2020), the Chief Minister stated that the initiative empowers students to shape their education according to their interests, enhancing their skills and aligning them with evolving job market demands.

“As Jammu and Kashmir’s private sector expands particularly in industry and tourism and as the region integrates further into the national economy, more job opportunities will emerge. With Jammu University gaining national recognition, students equipped with relevant skills will have a competitive advantage,” he said.

Reflecting on the pressure students face to secure high percentages, the chief minister remarked, “It’s astonishing how much pressure we put on our children. When you see the cut-off percentages for top colleges like those in Delhi University—some even at 100%—it raises the question: what is beyond 100%?” He emphasised that the Design Your Degree program marks a transformative shift in education by allowing students to study subjects that genuinely interest them.

“This is a significant change from the traditional model, where students were told what to study. Now, they have the freedom to design their degree, enhancing both their academic experience and career prospects,” he said. Discussing future prospects in fields like artificial intelligence (AI), agriculture and tourism, the chief minister highlighted AI’s growing impact on education and industry.

“Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how we approach learning and work. While it presents challenges, like the ease of using tools like ChatGPT for academic tasks, it also offers immense opportunities for innovation and growth,” he observed.