Chief Secretary Inpects Polytechnic College Leh Facilities
Calls for Industry-Linked and Future-Ready Technical Education
24/08/2026
Leh, August 24 (KIP)-Chief Secretary, Union Territory of Ladakh, today inspected the newly constructed and existing facilities of Government Polytechnic College (Choglamsar) and reviewed the institution’s infrastructure, academic programmes, laboratories, workshops, student facilities and skill development initiatives.
The visit included a detailed review of the newly constructed offices, computer laboratories, classrooms, workshops, Computer-Based Test (CBT) room, staff quarters, skill training block, and cafeteria and hostel facilities.
The Chief Secretary reviewed the status of furnishing and procurement and sought updates on the operationalization of the newly created facilities. He also reviewed the hostel and mess areas and discussed measures to strengthen accommodation facilities, particularly for students from remote and far-flung areas of Ladakh.
The Chief Secretary emphasised optimum utilisation of the new infrastructure and stressed the need to strengthen modern teaching, practical training and industry-oriented learning. He also discussed possibilities for expanding hostel capacity, computer-based classrooms, lecture rooms, laboratories and workshop spaces to meet the growing requirements of students.
At the existing Polytechnic building, he inspected smart classrooms, laboratories, workshops and other academic facilities, including the Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Soil Engineering Laboratory, Civil Engineering Laboratory, computer facilities, machinery, library and conference hall.
The Chief Secretary also interacted with faculty members and took details of their academic backgrounds, subjects taught and teaching responsibilities. He reviewed enrolment trends across different disciplines and discussed the scope for strengthening courses in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and other emerging areas.
Emphasising the importance of industry exposure, he called for stronger collaboration with organisations and industries such as NHPC, Power Grid and other companies to provide students with internships, practical exposure and better employment opportunities. He stressed that industry partnerships and hands-on training should be an integral part of technical education.
While discussing Computer Science education, the Chief Secretary emphasised the importance of emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence, and suggested specialised AI training for faculty members, including opportunities for training outside the region. He encouraged the institution to continuously upgrade its teaching and training in line with changing industry requirements.
The Chief Secretary also stressed entrepreneurship and self-employment among students and encouraged faculty members to motivate students to explore start-ups and enterprise opportunities. He called for greater collaboration with industries and institutions in areas such as hospitality, food craft, tourism and other skill-oriented sectors.
Interacting with students, the Chief Secretary sought to understand their reasons for choosing Polytechnic education after Class 10, their expectations and career aspirations. He encouraged them to make full use of the available laboratories, workshops and other facilities and develop practical, entrepreneurial and industry-relevant skills.
The issue of staffing was also reviewed, with the Chief Secretary seeking details regarding sanctioned posts, vacancies and ongoing recruitment and promotion processes. He stressed that strengthening the faculty and academic infrastructure should ultimately translate into improved learning, employability and entrepreneurship opportunities for students.
Secretary, Higher Education, Ms Bhanu Prabha, along with faculty members and senior officers of the Education Department, accompanied the Chief Secretary during the inspection and interaction.