NIT Srinagar to Lead Yuva Sangam Phase-IV, Opening Doors to Cultural Exchange for J&K and Ladakh Youth

Srinagar 02 Feb 24:In a significant development, the National Institute of Technology Srinagar (NIT) has been designated as the Nodal Centre for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in the upcoming Yuva Sangam Phase-IV. This initiative, aligned with the Ministry of Education’s Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat campaign, is set to broaden cultural horizons and provide multi-dimensional exposure for participants from paired institutions across India.For the fourth phase of Yuva Sangam, 22 Higher Education Institutions from various parts of the country will collaborate to organize tours and steer the program. Notably, NIT Srinagar has been selected as the Nodal Centre for the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.*Under the dynamic leadership of Nodal Officers Dr. Ranjeet Kumar Rout, Dr. Mohd Mohsin Khan, Dr. Nitika Kundan, and Dr. Sumaira Jan, along with Social Media Officer Dr. Pankaj Kumar and PR Officer Dr. Mohd Rafiq Teli, the program aims to offer 45 students from J&K and Ladakh the opportunity to visit Maharashtra. Host institutes will cover food, travel, and accommodation expenses during these visits.Director of NIT Srinagar, Prof. A. Ravinder Nath, highlighted the importance of exposure tours for students, emphasizing their role in providing insights into new environments, cultures, and fostering respect for diverse faiths and beliefs.Prof. Atikur Rahman, Institute’s Registrar, noted that exposure tours play a crucial role in complementing classroom education, making theoretical knowledge more practical and applicable. This hands-on learning experience includes visits to educational institutions, historical sites, and industries relevant to students’ fields of study.The Yuva Sangam initiative, launched under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat in 2023, has garnered overwhelming participation from across India in its first three phases. In the past year, over 3,000 youths and coordinators participated in 69 tours organized under Yuva Sangam, contributing to the program’s success.NIT Srinagar has been directed to collaborate with Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology Nagpur (VNIT Nagpur) Maharashtra as a paired institution for this phase. The participants from paired institutes will be exchanged under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat campaign, offering exposure under five broad areas: Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development), Prodyogik (Technology), and Paraspar Sampark (People-to-people connect).Registrations for interested youths aged 18 to 30 from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are currently open until February 4. The selection process will follow the Ministry of Education guidelines. The Yuva Sangam initiative remains committed to connecting youth from different parts of India through sustained cultural exchange programs, fostering stronger people-to-people connections and empathy among the nation’s youth.