Jowai Oct 23: Students of Jowai Polytechnic Institute showcased their technical projects and innovations at Technophilia 2, a technical exhibition organised as part of the institute’s silver jubilee celebrations, with Meghalaya’s Education Department calling for greater emphasis on practical, industry-oriented learning.
Education Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar Mantri, who inaugurated the exhibition on Friday, urged technical institutions to move beyond textbook-based teaching and equip students with hands-on skills through laboratories, workshops and real-world projects from the early stages of their courses.
The exhibition provided students an opportunity to demonstrate their creativity, technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities through projects developed as part of their learning.
Mantri said the growing availability of information through digital platforms and artificial intelligence made practical competence and technical expertise increasingly important for meeting industry requirements.
He called on institutions to regularly update their curricula to keep pace with technological changes, citing the need for students in automobile engineering to gain exposure to emerging technologies such as electric vehicles through experimentation and prototype development.
He also stressed the importance of combining traditional architectural aesthetics with modern designs suited to local terrain and climatic conditions. In Meghalaya, he said, architectural planning must account for heavy rainfall, sloping roofs and adequate drainage to prevent water seepage and dampness.
Mantri encouraged the institute to strengthen its engagement with industries and explore consultancy and infrastructure design projects under the government’s internal revenue generation policy. He suggested working with the Deputy Commissioner’s office to identify opportunities for students and faculty to contribute to upcoming government projects.
F.B.S. Ramsiej, Joint Director (Technical) of the Directorate of Higher and Technical Education, congratulated the institute on completing 25 years and acknowledged the contributions of its former and serving principals, faculty, staff, students and alumni.
He called for modernising laboratories and improving academic facilities to develop the institute into a centre of excellence in technical education.
F. Rumnong, Deputy Director (General) of the Directorate, highlighted the importance of vocational and multidisciplinary learning under the National Education Policy 2020. He proposed a hub-and-spoke model to facilitate collaboration between technical and general educational institutions through shared resources and skill-based courses.
The proposed areas of collaboration include architectural design, automobile engineering and garment technology.
Rumnong also commended the institute for giving students a platform to apply classroom knowledge to practical innovations.
Mantri inspected the exhibits and interacted with students about their projects and technical ideas.
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