Shimla: Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged universities established in Himachal Pradesh to promote research projects that address the state’s actual and emerging needs. He was speaking in an academic conclave session on ‘Institutional Contribution of the Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission and Private Universities, Future Priorities and Collaborative Working Mechanism, followed by an interaction with students in Solan district, today.

The conclave was organized by the Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission in collaboration with all private universities in the state. Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that meaningful research by universities in areas such as climate change, water conservation, disaster management, sustainable tourism, renewable energy, horticulture, healthcare and the environment could play an important role in safeguarding the interests of the state.
Sukhu said that the efforts of the state government had resulted in several positive achievements in the field of education in Himachal. The state has now risen to fifth place in terms of quality education, compared with 21st place in 2021. He said that the strong school education is the foundation of a secure future. The state government is working towards establishing well-equipped Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding Schools, as well as bringing government schools under the CBSE system.

He said that private universities are important partners in the state government’s efforts to develop the state as a comprehensive education hub. He urged them to promote skill-based and industry-linked programmes in areas such as horticulture, food processing, agricultural technology, tourism and hospitality, renewable energy, forestry and healthcare.