Yojana Magazine September 2022 - 3 | Monthly Yojana & Kurukshetra Magazine (English) - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


YOJANA   September 2022 31
a tmaNirbhar laDaKh ith Ladakh becoming a Union Territory 
in 2019, abundant opportunities opened 
up for this region blessed with unique 
natural resources, pristine environment and 
amiable population. The influx of funds from the Union 
Government and efforts of leadership at the centre and 
UT-level offer the Ladakh Administration the opportunity 
to draw a unique development model in this peaceful and 
ruggedly beautiful region. 
Youth play the most crucial role in any development 
model that the administration plans to chalk out. It is, 
therefore, crucial to equip the youth of Ladakh with the 
requisite skills and capacity to take forward the region and 
showcase a model that may be emulated. The population 
in Ladakh for 2019-20 in the age group 18-23 is 36,588.
1
 
While the current enrolment in the colleges (including 
Polytechnic Colleges) and universities in Ladakh stands 
at around 3,938, around a similar number are enrolled in 
Higher Educational Institutes outside the UT. Interestingly, 
it has been observed that the local youth studying outside 
Ladakh often come back sooner or later and take up 
either Government jobs or engage in Tourism and related 
industries. While on one hand, this puts some stress on the 
limited job market in Ladakh which has a small industry 
presence, educated youth returning to Ladakh also bring 
with them experience, ideas and enterprise which can help 
the region explore avenues beyond the usual.
The administration in the past two and half years have 
been focused on tapping this demographic dividend and 
Education & Skilling
Padma Angmo
The author is Commissioner/Secretary of Higher Education, Technical Education & Skill Development, the Union Territory of Ladakh. 
Email: padmaangmo.iis@ladakh.gov.in
Ladakh is a region unique by virtue of its location, topography, culture, history, and natural 
heritage. The difficult geographical terrain, freezing winters extending to nearly one-third of 
the year, remote villages, and sparse population spread over a large area, lack of adequate 
infrastructural support and scarcity of qualified human resource has posed challenges for smooth 
roll-out of any development initiative in Ladakh. it is essential that youth are made the catalyst 
in the growth story through education, skill development, innovation, and entrepreneurship. 
building the capacity of the youth of Ladakh so that they 
actively contribute to sustainable growth in the region.
Quality Education and Enabling Infrastructure
The first focus has been on offering quality higher 
education in Ladakh. The University of Ladakh (UoL) was 
established in 2019 as a cluster University comprising 6 
constituent colleges located at Leh, Kargil, Nubra, Zanskar, 
Khaltsi and Drass. Since then the courses offered in the 
University have now expanded to 22 Departments that 
also include specialised subjects like Forensic Science, 
Police Administration and Bachelor of Physical Education. 
Sixteen MoUs have been signed by theUoL with other 
institutes to promote student exchange programmes, faculty 
development, collaboration on research and capacity 
building, etc. These include the University of Delhi, the 
Danish Consortium for Academic Craftsmanship, Wadia 
W
Strengthening and expanding skilling ecosystem in Ladakh
Page 2


YOJANA   September 2022 31
a tmaNirbhar laDaKh ith Ladakh becoming a Union Territory 
in 2019, abundant opportunities opened 
up for this region blessed with unique 
natural resources, pristine environment and 
amiable population. The influx of funds from the Union 
Government and efforts of leadership at the centre and 
UT-level offer the Ladakh Administration the opportunity 
to draw a unique development model in this peaceful and 
ruggedly beautiful region. 
Youth play the most crucial role in any development 
model that the administration plans to chalk out. It is, 
therefore, crucial to equip the youth of Ladakh with the 
requisite skills and capacity to take forward the region and 
showcase a model that may be emulated. The population 
in Ladakh for 2019-20 in the age group 18-23 is 36,588.
1
 
While the current enrolment in the colleges (including 
Polytechnic Colleges) and universities in Ladakh stands 
at around 3,938, around a similar number are enrolled in 
Higher Educational Institutes outside the UT. Interestingly, 
it has been observed that the local youth studying outside 
Ladakh often come back sooner or later and take up 
either Government jobs or engage in Tourism and related 
industries. While on one hand, this puts some stress on the 
limited job market in Ladakh which has a small industry 
presence, educated youth returning to Ladakh also bring 
with them experience, ideas and enterprise which can help 
the region explore avenues beyond the usual.
The administration in the past two and half years have 
been focused on tapping this demographic dividend and 
Education & Skilling
Padma Angmo
The author is Commissioner/Secretary of Higher Education, Technical Education & Skill Development, the Union Territory of Ladakh. 
Email: padmaangmo.iis@ladakh.gov.in
Ladakh is a region unique by virtue of its location, topography, culture, history, and natural 
heritage. The difficult geographical terrain, freezing winters extending to nearly one-third of 
the year, remote villages, and sparse population spread over a large area, lack of adequate 
infrastructural support and scarcity of qualified human resource has posed challenges for smooth 
roll-out of any development initiative in Ladakh. it is essential that youth are made the catalyst 
in the growth story through education, skill development, innovation, and entrepreneurship. 
building the capacity of the youth of Ladakh so that they 
actively contribute to sustainable growth in the region.
Quality Education and Enabling Infrastructure
The first focus has been on offering quality higher 
education in Ladakh. The University of Ladakh (UoL) was 
established in 2019 as a cluster University comprising 6 
constituent colleges located at Leh, Kargil, Nubra, Zanskar, 
Khaltsi and Drass. Since then the courses offered in the 
University have now expanded to 22 Departments that 
also include specialised subjects like Forensic Science, 
Police Administration and Bachelor of Physical Education. 
Sixteen MoUs have been signed by theUoL with other 
institutes to promote student exchange programmes, faculty 
development, collaboration on research and capacity 
building, etc. These include the University of Delhi, the 
Danish Consortium for Academic Craftsmanship, Wadia 
W
Strengthening and expanding skilling ecosystem in Ladakh
32 YOJANA   September 2022
Institute of Himalayan Geology, and National Forensic 
Sciences University among others. The two campuses of 
the University are expanding with new faculty blocks, 
Laboratory Blocks, Sports infrastructure, Auditorium, and 
staff quarters.
The infrastructure in the constituent colleges has also 
been strengthened to cater to growing student strength and 
the quality of education is also being improved through 
Faculty Development programmes, students exchange 
programmes and visiting faculty. The infrastructure for 
the colleges at Nubra and Zanskar comprised of two 
blocks constructed by the Higher Education Department 
of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. The two 
colleges of Khaltsi and Drass had no infrastructure as 
they were the most recently established colleges. The 
Ladakh administration took up the task of improving 
the infrastructure of these constituent 
colleges. With only the college at Leh 
having a 24-seater Girls Hostel, the first 
focus was on setting up hostels for Boys 
and Girls in all the colleges. Under 
the Special Development Package 
announced by the Government of India 
for the new UT of Ladakh, infrastructure 
projects of around Rs 200 crore has 
been sanctioned for the colleges in the 
year 2021-22 which includes hostels, 
libraries, multi-purpose Hall besides 
landscaping and sports grounds, and 
construction has started at the sites. 
All new construction is solar passive in 
keeping with the carbon neutral vision 
for Ladakh besides being accessible 
to students with disabilities. The year 
2022-23 has been declared by the 
administration as the Year for Persons with Disabilities.
The enrolment in the colleges and universities has 
seen a sharp rise in the past two years, to an extent that 
a branch of the Government College Kargil had to be set 
up in Sankoo in 2022 to decongest the Kargil campus and 
cater to the growing demand in Sakoo sub-division. This 
campus saw enrolment of 51 students in the first year. The 
administration has now proposed setting up a new College 
in Sankoo to cater to the students of this sub-division.
Sindhu Central University was announced by the 
Prime Minister in Lok Sabha in 2021. The University 
is coming up at Khaltsi on a land measuring 110 acres. 
The University aims to cater to students from across the 
country and abroad and shall nurture peer learning for the 
youth of Ladakh.
Scholarships 
To encourage merit and 
industriousness among students, 
Ladakh administration launched 
the Rewa (Ladakhi word meaning 
expectation) Scheme in 2021 to give 
financial assistance of upto Rs 1 lakh 
to meritorious students of Class X and 
XII, irrespective of their family income. 
The financial assistance is given to 
enable students to take up coaching for 
national-level examinations like NEET, 
JEE, UG CLAT and NDA. Around 30 
students of Class X and 35 students of 
Class XII from each district shall be 
given the scholarship this year.
Under the Rewa Scheme, all those 
qualifying preliminary examinations of 
exams like Civil Services, Engineering 
Local youth studying outside 
Ladakh often come back 
sooner or later and take up 
either Government jobs or 
engage in Tourism and related 
industries. While on one hand, 
this puts some stress on the 
limited job market in Ladakh 
which has a small industry 
presence, educated youth 
returning to Ladakh also bring 
with them experience, ideas 
and enterprise which can help 
the region explore avenues 
beyond the usual.
LSDM partnered with the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, to conduct the first-ever Voice Artist training for the youth of Ladakh.
Page 3


YOJANA   September 2022 31
a tmaNirbhar laDaKh ith Ladakh becoming a Union Territory 
in 2019, abundant opportunities opened 
up for this region blessed with unique 
natural resources, pristine environment and 
amiable population. The influx of funds from the Union 
Government and efforts of leadership at the centre and 
UT-level offer the Ladakh Administration the opportunity 
to draw a unique development model in this peaceful and 
ruggedly beautiful region. 
Youth play the most crucial role in any development 
model that the administration plans to chalk out. It is, 
therefore, crucial to equip the youth of Ladakh with the 
requisite skills and capacity to take forward the region and 
showcase a model that may be emulated. The population 
in Ladakh for 2019-20 in the age group 18-23 is 36,588.
1
 
While the current enrolment in the colleges (including 
Polytechnic Colleges) and universities in Ladakh stands 
at around 3,938, around a similar number are enrolled in 
Higher Educational Institutes outside the UT. Interestingly, 
it has been observed that the local youth studying outside 
Ladakh often come back sooner or later and take up 
either Government jobs or engage in Tourism and related 
industries. While on one hand, this puts some stress on the 
limited job market in Ladakh which has a small industry 
presence, educated youth returning to Ladakh also bring 
with them experience, ideas and enterprise which can help 
the region explore avenues beyond the usual.
The administration in the past two and half years have 
been focused on tapping this demographic dividend and 
Education & Skilling
Padma Angmo
The author is Commissioner/Secretary of Higher Education, Technical Education & Skill Development, the Union Territory of Ladakh. 
Email: padmaangmo.iis@ladakh.gov.in
Ladakh is a region unique by virtue of its location, topography, culture, history, and natural 
heritage. The difficult geographical terrain, freezing winters extending to nearly one-third of 
the year, remote villages, and sparse population spread over a large area, lack of adequate 
infrastructural support and scarcity of qualified human resource has posed challenges for smooth 
roll-out of any development initiative in Ladakh. it is essential that youth are made the catalyst 
in the growth story through education, skill development, innovation, and entrepreneurship. 
building the capacity of the youth of Ladakh so that they 
actively contribute to sustainable growth in the region.
Quality Education and Enabling Infrastructure
The first focus has been on offering quality higher 
education in Ladakh. The University of Ladakh (UoL) was 
established in 2019 as a cluster University comprising 6 
constituent colleges located at Leh, Kargil, Nubra, Zanskar, 
Khaltsi and Drass. Since then the courses offered in the 
University have now expanded to 22 Departments that 
also include specialised subjects like Forensic Science, 
Police Administration and Bachelor of Physical Education. 
Sixteen MoUs have been signed by theUoL with other 
institutes to promote student exchange programmes, faculty 
development, collaboration on research and capacity 
building, etc. These include the University of Delhi, the 
Danish Consortium for Academic Craftsmanship, Wadia 
W
Strengthening and expanding skilling ecosystem in Ladakh
32 YOJANA   September 2022
Institute of Himalayan Geology, and National Forensic 
Sciences University among others. The two campuses of 
the University are expanding with new faculty blocks, 
Laboratory Blocks, Sports infrastructure, Auditorium, and 
staff quarters.
The infrastructure in the constituent colleges has also 
been strengthened to cater to growing student strength and 
the quality of education is also being improved through 
Faculty Development programmes, students exchange 
programmes and visiting faculty. The infrastructure for 
the colleges at Nubra and Zanskar comprised of two 
blocks constructed by the Higher Education Department 
of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. The two 
colleges of Khaltsi and Drass had no infrastructure as 
they were the most recently established colleges. The 
Ladakh administration took up the task of improving 
the infrastructure of these constituent 
colleges. With only the college at Leh 
having a 24-seater Girls Hostel, the first 
focus was on setting up hostels for Boys 
and Girls in all the colleges. Under 
the Special Development Package 
announced by the Government of India 
for the new UT of Ladakh, infrastructure 
projects of around Rs 200 crore has 
been sanctioned for the colleges in the 
year 2021-22 which includes hostels, 
libraries, multi-purpose Hall besides 
landscaping and sports grounds, and 
construction has started at the sites. 
All new construction is solar passive in 
keeping with the carbon neutral vision 
for Ladakh besides being accessible 
to students with disabilities. The year 
2022-23 has been declared by the 
administration as the Year for Persons with Disabilities.
The enrolment in the colleges and universities has 
seen a sharp rise in the past two years, to an extent that 
a branch of the Government College Kargil had to be set 
up in Sankoo in 2022 to decongest the Kargil campus and 
cater to the growing demand in Sakoo sub-division. This 
campus saw enrolment of 51 students in the first year. The 
administration has now proposed setting up a new College 
in Sankoo to cater to the students of this sub-division.
Sindhu Central University was announced by the 
Prime Minister in Lok Sabha in 2021. The University 
is coming up at Khaltsi on a land measuring 110 acres. 
The University aims to cater to students from across the 
country and abroad and shall nurture peer learning for the 
youth of Ladakh.
Scholarships 
To encourage merit and 
industriousness among students, 
Ladakh administration launched 
the Rewa (Ladakhi word meaning 
expectation) Scheme in 2021 to give 
financial assistance of upto Rs 1 lakh 
to meritorious students of Class X and 
XII, irrespective of their family income. 
The financial assistance is given to 
enable students to take up coaching for 
national-level examinations like NEET, 
JEE, UG CLAT and NDA. Around 30 
students of Class X and 35 students of 
Class XII from each district shall be 
given the scholarship this year.
Under the Rewa Scheme, all those 
qualifying preliminary examinations of 
exams like Civil Services, Engineering 
Local youth studying outside 
Ladakh often come back 
sooner or later and take up 
either Government jobs or 
engage in Tourism and related 
industries. While on one hand, 
this puts some stress on the 
limited job market in Ladakh 
which has a small industry 
presence, educated youth 
returning to Ladakh also bring 
with them experience, ideas 
and enterprise which can help 
the region explore avenues 
beyond the usual.
LSDM partnered with the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, to conduct the first-ever Voice Artist training for the youth of Ladakh.
YOJANA   September 2022 33
Services and Forest Services are 
also given financial assistance upto 
Rs 1.54 lakh for taking up coaching 
for the Mains of these competitive 
examinations. Two students qualifying 
for preliminary exams of the Civil 
Services Exams of 2021 have been 
given the scholarship. 
About 9,363
2
 students in Ladakh 
availed of scholarships under the Post-
matric Scholarship Scheme of the 
Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) 
and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) in the year 
2021-22. Besides this, 347 students from Ladakh availed of 
scholarship under the Prime Minister Special Scholarship 
Scheme, which is specifically for students of Ladakh and 
J&K studying in recognised institutes outside the two UTs 
and includes the reimbursement of tuition fee besides the 
maintenance allowance of upto Rs 1 lakh per annum.
Collaboration with Indian Institutes of Technology
For the first time ever, the students of Ladakh have got 
an opportunity to intern with and pursue a postgraduate 
course in M.Tech at the premier Institute of the country, the 
Indian Institute of Technology, as part of the collaboration 
between the Higher Education Department, UT Ladakh 
and the consortium of IITs. 
The programme aims to promote innovation and 
entrepreneurship focused on the local ecosystem and 
skill development of youth for enhancing employment 
opportunities. This includes the internship of two months 
for 30 students from Ladakh and the longer internship of 
six months for 15 students at IITs of Delhi, Bombay and 
Kanpur. The students are given a consolidated stipend of 
Rs 15,000 for a short internship and Rs 50,000 for a longer 
internship with the Institute fee and hostel charges being 
borne by the Ladakh Administration.
Sponsored M.Tech programme is also part of the 
collaboration with the IITs under which 12 Engineering 
Graduates from Ladakh can pursue the M.Tech programme 
in these 3 IITs every year. A monthly 
stipend of Rs 25,000 shall be given to 
the student pursuing the M.Tech and 
the entire fee and hostel charges shall 
be borne by the Ladakh Administration. 
The programmes at the IITs will 
not only give the students a valuable 
experience but will also help them 
explore different opportunities, build 
their entrepreneurial skills, and 
create new paths for research and 
development. The programme was 
launched in June 2022 and is conceived for a period of 
five years.
For increasing technical education opportunities for 
students in Ladakh, an engineering college is proposed to 
be set up in Kargil. In order to ensure that the proposed 
college offers quality technical education, the IITs have 
been roped in to design the curriculum and propose the 
infrastructure, organisational structure and human resource 
requirements.
Skilling Ladakh
Skilling and vocational education is an integral part 
of the National Education Policy 2020 and steps are being 
taken to strengthen and expand the skilling ecosystem in 
Ladakh.
Ladakh has two Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) 
besides the two Polytechnic Colleges, one in each 
district. ITIs have been shaping craftsmen to meet the 
existing as well as future skilled manpower needs. They 
impart training in 14 trades including Fashion Design & 
Technology, Information & Communication Technology 
System Management, Computer Operator & Programming 
Assistant, Carpentry, Electrician, and Plumbing among 
others.
To strengthen the infrastructure of the two ITIs, new 
workshop buildings are coming up with state-of-the-art 
equipment. Industrial tie-ups have been taken up to upgrade 
the workshops. Heating has been provided in the classroom 
and workshop in ITIs in view of sub-zero temperature in the 
region during winters. Infrastructure development projects 
including new workshops, classrooms, multipurpose halls, 
libraries, master plan and landscaping of the institutes at 
an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore has been sanctioned and 
work has commenced on these projects. 
Acknowledging that to improve the quality of training 
at the ITIs, it’s imperative to improve the quality of 
Instructors, therefore a slew of measures were taken up 
quickly as the first step in this direction. This included 
increasing the remuneration of guest faculty to 2.5 times the 
existing remuneration, faculty development programmes 
and the Training of Trainers programme. Two new trades in 
The enrolment in the colleges 
and universities has seen a sharp 
rise in the past two years, to 
an extent that a branch of the 
Government College Kargil had 
to be set up in Sankoo in 2022 to 
decongest the Kargil campus and 
cater to the growing demand in 
Sakoo sub-division. 
Students of ITI Kargil demonstrating their skills
Page 4


YOJANA   September 2022 31
a tmaNirbhar laDaKh ith Ladakh becoming a Union Territory 
in 2019, abundant opportunities opened 
up for this region blessed with unique 
natural resources, pristine environment and 
amiable population. The influx of funds from the Union 
Government and efforts of leadership at the centre and 
UT-level offer the Ladakh Administration the opportunity 
to draw a unique development model in this peaceful and 
ruggedly beautiful region. 
Youth play the most crucial role in any development 
model that the administration plans to chalk out. It is, 
therefore, crucial to equip the youth of Ladakh with the 
requisite skills and capacity to take forward the region and 
showcase a model that may be emulated. The population 
in Ladakh for 2019-20 in the age group 18-23 is 36,588.
1
 
While the current enrolment in the colleges (including 
Polytechnic Colleges) and universities in Ladakh stands 
at around 3,938, around a similar number are enrolled in 
Higher Educational Institutes outside the UT. Interestingly, 
it has been observed that the local youth studying outside 
Ladakh often come back sooner or later and take up 
either Government jobs or engage in Tourism and related 
industries. While on one hand, this puts some stress on the 
limited job market in Ladakh which has a small industry 
presence, educated youth returning to Ladakh also bring 
with them experience, ideas and enterprise which can help 
the region explore avenues beyond the usual.
The administration in the past two and half years have 
been focused on tapping this demographic dividend and 
Education & Skilling
Padma Angmo
The author is Commissioner/Secretary of Higher Education, Technical Education & Skill Development, the Union Territory of Ladakh. 
Email: padmaangmo.iis@ladakh.gov.in
Ladakh is a region unique by virtue of its location, topography, culture, history, and natural 
heritage. The difficult geographical terrain, freezing winters extending to nearly one-third of 
the year, remote villages, and sparse population spread over a large area, lack of adequate 
infrastructural support and scarcity of qualified human resource has posed challenges for smooth 
roll-out of any development initiative in Ladakh. it is essential that youth are made the catalyst 
in the growth story through education, skill development, innovation, and entrepreneurship. 
building the capacity of the youth of Ladakh so that they 
actively contribute to sustainable growth in the region.
Quality Education and Enabling Infrastructure
The first focus has been on offering quality higher 
education in Ladakh. The University of Ladakh (UoL) was 
established in 2019 as a cluster University comprising 6 
constituent colleges located at Leh, Kargil, Nubra, Zanskar, 
Khaltsi and Drass. Since then the courses offered in the 
University have now expanded to 22 Departments that 
also include specialised subjects like Forensic Science, 
Police Administration and Bachelor of Physical Education. 
Sixteen MoUs have been signed by theUoL with other 
institutes to promote student exchange programmes, faculty 
development, collaboration on research and capacity 
building, etc. These include the University of Delhi, the 
Danish Consortium for Academic Craftsmanship, Wadia 
W
Strengthening and expanding skilling ecosystem in Ladakh
32 YOJANA   September 2022
Institute of Himalayan Geology, and National Forensic 
Sciences University among others. The two campuses of 
the University are expanding with new faculty blocks, 
Laboratory Blocks, Sports infrastructure, Auditorium, and 
staff quarters.
The infrastructure in the constituent colleges has also 
been strengthened to cater to growing student strength and 
the quality of education is also being improved through 
Faculty Development programmes, students exchange 
programmes and visiting faculty. The infrastructure for 
the colleges at Nubra and Zanskar comprised of two 
blocks constructed by the Higher Education Department 
of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. The two 
colleges of Khaltsi and Drass had no infrastructure as 
they were the most recently established colleges. The 
Ladakh administration took up the task of improving 
the infrastructure of these constituent 
colleges. With only the college at Leh 
having a 24-seater Girls Hostel, the first 
focus was on setting up hostels for Boys 
and Girls in all the colleges. Under 
the Special Development Package 
announced by the Government of India 
for the new UT of Ladakh, infrastructure 
projects of around Rs 200 crore has 
been sanctioned for the colleges in the 
year 2021-22 which includes hostels, 
libraries, multi-purpose Hall besides 
landscaping and sports grounds, and 
construction has started at the sites. 
All new construction is solar passive in 
keeping with the carbon neutral vision 
for Ladakh besides being accessible 
to students with disabilities. The year 
2022-23 has been declared by the 
administration as the Year for Persons with Disabilities.
The enrolment in the colleges and universities has 
seen a sharp rise in the past two years, to an extent that 
a branch of the Government College Kargil had to be set 
up in Sankoo in 2022 to decongest the Kargil campus and 
cater to the growing demand in Sakoo sub-division. This 
campus saw enrolment of 51 students in the first year. The 
administration has now proposed setting up a new College 
in Sankoo to cater to the students of this sub-division.
Sindhu Central University was announced by the 
Prime Minister in Lok Sabha in 2021. The University 
is coming up at Khaltsi on a land measuring 110 acres. 
The University aims to cater to students from across the 
country and abroad and shall nurture peer learning for the 
youth of Ladakh.
Scholarships 
To encourage merit and 
industriousness among students, 
Ladakh administration launched 
the Rewa (Ladakhi word meaning 
expectation) Scheme in 2021 to give 
financial assistance of upto Rs 1 lakh 
to meritorious students of Class X and 
XII, irrespective of their family income. 
The financial assistance is given to 
enable students to take up coaching for 
national-level examinations like NEET, 
JEE, UG CLAT and NDA. Around 30 
students of Class X and 35 students of 
Class XII from each district shall be 
given the scholarship this year.
Under the Rewa Scheme, all those 
qualifying preliminary examinations of 
exams like Civil Services, Engineering 
Local youth studying outside 
Ladakh often come back 
sooner or later and take up 
either Government jobs or 
engage in Tourism and related 
industries. While on one hand, 
this puts some stress on the 
limited job market in Ladakh 
which has a small industry 
presence, educated youth 
returning to Ladakh also bring 
with them experience, ideas 
and enterprise which can help 
the region explore avenues 
beyond the usual.
LSDM partnered with the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, to conduct the first-ever Voice Artist training for the youth of Ladakh.
YOJANA   September 2022 33
Services and Forest Services are 
also given financial assistance upto 
Rs 1.54 lakh for taking up coaching 
for the Mains of these competitive 
examinations. Two students qualifying 
for preliminary exams of the Civil 
Services Exams of 2021 have been 
given the scholarship. 
About 9,363
2
 students in Ladakh 
availed of scholarships under the Post-
matric Scholarship Scheme of the 
Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) 
and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) in the year 
2021-22. Besides this, 347 students from Ladakh availed of 
scholarship under the Prime Minister Special Scholarship 
Scheme, which is specifically for students of Ladakh and 
J&K studying in recognised institutes outside the two UTs 
and includes the reimbursement of tuition fee besides the 
maintenance allowance of upto Rs 1 lakh per annum.
Collaboration with Indian Institutes of Technology
For the first time ever, the students of Ladakh have got 
an opportunity to intern with and pursue a postgraduate 
course in M.Tech at the premier Institute of the country, the 
Indian Institute of Technology, as part of the collaboration 
between the Higher Education Department, UT Ladakh 
and the consortium of IITs. 
The programme aims to promote innovation and 
entrepreneurship focused on the local ecosystem and 
skill development of youth for enhancing employment 
opportunities. This includes the internship of two months 
for 30 students from Ladakh and the longer internship of 
six months for 15 students at IITs of Delhi, Bombay and 
Kanpur. The students are given a consolidated stipend of 
Rs 15,000 for a short internship and Rs 50,000 for a longer 
internship with the Institute fee and hostel charges being 
borne by the Ladakh Administration.
Sponsored M.Tech programme is also part of the 
collaboration with the IITs under which 12 Engineering 
Graduates from Ladakh can pursue the M.Tech programme 
in these 3 IITs every year. A monthly 
stipend of Rs 25,000 shall be given to 
the student pursuing the M.Tech and 
the entire fee and hostel charges shall 
be borne by the Ladakh Administration. 
The programmes at the IITs will 
not only give the students a valuable 
experience but will also help them 
explore different opportunities, build 
their entrepreneurial skills, and 
create new paths for research and 
development. The programme was 
launched in June 2022 and is conceived for a period of 
five years.
For increasing technical education opportunities for 
students in Ladakh, an engineering college is proposed to 
be set up in Kargil. In order to ensure that the proposed 
college offers quality technical education, the IITs have 
been roped in to design the curriculum and propose the 
infrastructure, organisational structure and human resource 
requirements.
Skilling Ladakh
Skilling and vocational education is an integral part 
of the National Education Policy 2020 and steps are being 
taken to strengthen and expand the skilling ecosystem in 
Ladakh.
Ladakh has two Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) 
besides the two Polytechnic Colleges, one in each 
district. ITIs have been shaping craftsmen to meet the 
existing as well as future skilled manpower needs. They 
impart training in 14 trades including Fashion Design & 
Technology, Information & Communication Technology 
System Management, Computer Operator & Programming 
Assistant, Carpentry, Electrician, and Plumbing among 
others.
To strengthen the infrastructure of the two ITIs, new 
workshop buildings are coming up with state-of-the-art 
equipment. Industrial tie-ups have been taken up to upgrade 
the workshops. Heating has been provided in the classroom 
and workshop in ITIs in view of sub-zero temperature in the 
region during winters. Infrastructure development projects 
including new workshops, classrooms, multipurpose halls, 
libraries, master plan and landscaping of the institutes at 
an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore has been sanctioned and 
work has commenced on these projects. 
Acknowledging that to improve the quality of training 
at the ITIs, it’s imperative to improve the quality of 
Instructors, therefore a slew of measures were taken up 
quickly as the first step in this direction. This included 
increasing the remuneration of guest faculty to 2.5 times the 
existing remuneration, faculty development programmes 
and the Training of Trainers programme. Two new trades in 
The enrolment in the colleges 
and universities has seen a sharp 
rise in the past two years, to 
an extent that a branch of the 
Government College Kargil had 
to be set up in Sankoo in 2022 to 
decongest the Kargil campus and 
cater to the growing demand in 
Sakoo sub-division. 
Students of ITI Kargil demonstrating their skills
34 YOJANA   September 2022
Learning sewing at ITI Leh
Horticulture and Floriculture have been 
introduced to explore new avenues in 
keeping with the requirements of the 
region and aspirations of the students. 
Collaboration with the industry has 
been taken up to build synergy between 
the supply and demand of skilled 
manpower. 
To further strengthen and expand 
the skilling ecosystem in Ladakh in 
tune with the National Skill India 
Mission, Ladakh Skill Development 
Mission (LSDM) was set up in 
2021 to formulate and steer the skill 
development programmes under the 
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana and other skill 
development programmes of various Ministries. First-
ever Kaushal Mela was organised in March-April 2021 to 
expose youth to opportunities in skilling and subsequent 
employment opportunities. A Self-Employment Fair and 
Apprenticeship Mela were organised in the two districts 
in March 2022.
LSDM partnered with the Film 
and Television Institute of India, Pune, 
to conduct the first-ever V oice Artist 
training for the youth of Ladakh. 
Around 20 young aspiring voice 
artists were trained at All India Radio 
studios. FTII also conducted short 
online training courses in Screenplay 
Writing, Acting and Smartphone 
filmmaking which were free of cost 
for Schedule Tribe participants of 
Ladakh.
Foreseeing the potential demand 
for skilled manpower in the Beauty 
and Wellness sector as the Television and Film Industry 
is expected to grow in Ladakh, short-term training in 
Assistant Hair Dresser & Stylist was conducted by LSDM 
in collaboration with the Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill 
Council. 
A database is being created for the skill demand, 
and skill availability bringing in the industry, Training 
Institutes, Training partners, and the youth together on a 
single platform.
Apprenticeship
Under the Apprenticeship Act, all establishments 
having a workforce of 30 or more are mandated to undertake 
Apprenticeship Programmes and engage apprentices. The 
effective implementation of the Act in Ladakh has been 
taken up from June this year with the issue of an order. The 
requisite awareness among the establishments, mainly the 
local Industry is planned followed by 
the awareness campaign among youth, 
especially in colleges and universities.
Apprenticeship acts as a bridge 
course for fresh graduates and puts the 
responsibility on the industry to extend 
on-the-job training to fresh pass-outs 
of colleges and ITIs. Students can 
avail of apprenticeship to gain skills 
of their choice and at the same time 
earn while they learn. The year 2022-
23 being the first year, a conservative 
target is set for Leh and Kargil. The 
target for subsequent years shall be 
set based on the progress and response 
from the youth to this new intervention in the region.
Entrepreneurial Education
Entrepreneurial education needs to be built into 
the education which is also emphasised in the National 
Education Policy 2020. A comprehensive project is 
being planned to introduce entrepreneurship as a credit-
based subject in Higher Educational 
Institutions and also in ITIs.
The Department of Industries 
has also taken up a number of 
initiatives like setting up the Ladakh 
Incubation Centre, training in leather 
goods, exploring the export market 
for fruits, handloom and handicrafts, 
MoU with NIFT (National Institute 
of Fashion Technology), Craft 
documentation and branding activities 
in association with National Institute 
of Design (NID), linking with the 
Ministry of Commerce for buyer 
and seller facilitation, arrangement of Vanijya Saptah, 
Entrepreneurship Development Conclave, collaboration 
with Khadi and Village Industries Commission for 
capacity building of Pashmina weavers and creation of 
‘Brand Ladakh’ have been some of the notable steps taken.
Looking Ahead
Ladakh can offer a unique development model which 
is carbon neutral and this can be achieved only through 
the active participation of all the stakeholders, the most 
important of which are the citizens. For this, it is essential 
that youth are made the catalyst in the growth story 
through education, skill development, innovation and 
entrepreneurship.                                                               ?
References
1. AISHE Report 2019-20
2. As per the data from NSP and Directorate
For the first time ever, the 
students of Ladakh have got an 
opportunity to intern with and 
pursue a postgraduate course 
in M.Tech at the premier 
Institute of the country, the 
Indian Institute of Technology, 
as part of the collaboration 
between the Higher Education 
Department, UT Ladakh and 
the consortium of IITs.
Page 5


YOJANA   September 2022 31
a tmaNirbhar laDaKh ith Ladakh becoming a Union Territory 
in 2019, abundant opportunities opened 
up for this region blessed with unique 
natural resources, pristine environment and 
amiable population. The influx of funds from the Union 
Government and efforts of leadership at the centre and 
UT-level offer the Ladakh Administration the opportunity 
to draw a unique development model in this peaceful and 
ruggedly beautiful region. 
Youth play the most crucial role in any development 
model that the administration plans to chalk out. It is, 
therefore, crucial to equip the youth of Ladakh with the 
requisite skills and capacity to take forward the region and 
showcase a model that may be emulated. The population 
in Ladakh for 2019-20 in the age group 18-23 is 36,588.
1
 
While the current enrolment in the colleges (including 
Polytechnic Colleges) and universities in Ladakh stands 
at around 3,938, around a similar number are enrolled in 
Higher Educational Institutes outside the UT. Interestingly, 
it has been observed that the local youth studying outside 
Ladakh often come back sooner or later and take up 
either Government jobs or engage in Tourism and related 
industries. While on one hand, this puts some stress on the 
limited job market in Ladakh which has a small industry 
presence, educated youth returning to Ladakh also bring 
with them experience, ideas and enterprise which can help 
the region explore avenues beyond the usual.
The administration in the past two and half years have 
been focused on tapping this demographic dividend and 
Education & Skilling
Padma Angmo
The author is Commissioner/Secretary of Higher Education, Technical Education & Skill Development, the Union Territory of Ladakh. 
Email: padmaangmo.iis@ladakh.gov.in
Ladakh is a region unique by virtue of its location, topography, culture, history, and natural 
heritage. The difficult geographical terrain, freezing winters extending to nearly one-third of 
the year, remote villages, and sparse population spread over a large area, lack of adequate 
infrastructural support and scarcity of qualified human resource has posed challenges for smooth 
roll-out of any development initiative in Ladakh. it is essential that youth are made the catalyst 
in the growth story through education, skill development, innovation, and entrepreneurship. 
building the capacity of the youth of Ladakh so that they 
actively contribute to sustainable growth in the region.
Quality Education and Enabling Infrastructure
The first focus has been on offering quality higher 
education in Ladakh. The University of Ladakh (UoL) was 
established in 2019 as a cluster University comprising 6 
constituent colleges located at Leh, Kargil, Nubra, Zanskar, 
Khaltsi and Drass. Since then the courses offered in the 
University have now expanded to 22 Departments that 
also include specialised subjects like Forensic Science, 
Police Administration and Bachelor of Physical Education. 
Sixteen MoUs have been signed by theUoL with other 
institutes to promote student exchange programmes, faculty 
development, collaboration on research and capacity 
building, etc. These include the University of Delhi, the 
Danish Consortium for Academic Craftsmanship, Wadia 
W
Strengthening and expanding skilling ecosystem in Ladakh
32 YOJANA   September 2022
Institute of Himalayan Geology, and National Forensic 
Sciences University among others. The two campuses of 
the University are expanding with new faculty blocks, 
Laboratory Blocks, Sports infrastructure, Auditorium, and 
staff quarters.
The infrastructure in the constituent colleges has also 
been strengthened to cater to growing student strength and 
the quality of education is also being improved through 
Faculty Development programmes, students exchange 
programmes and visiting faculty. The infrastructure for 
the colleges at Nubra and Zanskar comprised of two 
blocks constructed by the Higher Education Department 
of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. The two 
colleges of Khaltsi and Drass had no infrastructure as 
they were the most recently established colleges. The 
Ladakh administration took up the task of improving 
the infrastructure of these constituent 
colleges. With only the college at Leh 
having a 24-seater Girls Hostel, the first 
focus was on setting up hostels for Boys 
and Girls in all the colleges. Under 
the Special Development Package 
announced by the Government of India 
for the new UT of Ladakh, infrastructure 
projects of around Rs 200 crore has 
been sanctioned for the colleges in the 
year 2021-22 which includes hostels, 
libraries, multi-purpose Hall besides 
landscaping and sports grounds, and 
construction has started at the sites. 
All new construction is solar passive in 
keeping with the carbon neutral vision 
for Ladakh besides being accessible 
to students with disabilities. The year 
2022-23 has been declared by the 
administration as the Year for Persons with Disabilities.
The enrolment in the colleges and universities has 
seen a sharp rise in the past two years, to an extent that 
a branch of the Government College Kargil had to be set 
up in Sankoo in 2022 to decongest the Kargil campus and 
cater to the growing demand in Sakoo sub-division. This 
campus saw enrolment of 51 students in the first year. The 
administration has now proposed setting up a new College 
in Sankoo to cater to the students of this sub-division.
Sindhu Central University was announced by the 
Prime Minister in Lok Sabha in 2021. The University 
is coming up at Khaltsi on a land measuring 110 acres. 
The University aims to cater to students from across the 
country and abroad and shall nurture peer learning for the 
youth of Ladakh.
Scholarships 
To encourage merit and 
industriousness among students, 
Ladakh administration launched 
the Rewa (Ladakhi word meaning 
expectation) Scheme in 2021 to give 
financial assistance of upto Rs 1 lakh 
to meritorious students of Class X and 
XII, irrespective of their family income. 
The financial assistance is given to 
enable students to take up coaching for 
national-level examinations like NEET, 
JEE, UG CLAT and NDA. Around 30 
students of Class X and 35 students of 
Class XII from each district shall be 
given the scholarship this year.
Under the Rewa Scheme, all those 
qualifying preliminary examinations of 
exams like Civil Services, Engineering 
Local youth studying outside 
Ladakh often come back 
sooner or later and take up 
either Government jobs or 
engage in Tourism and related 
industries. While on one hand, 
this puts some stress on the 
limited job market in Ladakh 
which has a small industry 
presence, educated youth 
returning to Ladakh also bring 
with them experience, ideas 
and enterprise which can help 
the region explore avenues 
beyond the usual.
LSDM partnered with the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, to conduct the first-ever Voice Artist training for the youth of Ladakh.
YOJANA   September 2022 33
Services and Forest Services are 
also given financial assistance upto 
Rs 1.54 lakh for taking up coaching 
for the Mains of these competitive 
examinations. Two students qualifying 
for preliminary exams of the Civil 
Services Exams of 2021 have been 
given the scholarship. 
About 9,363
2
 students in Ladakh 
availed of scholarships under the Post-
matric Scholarship Scheme of the 
Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) 
and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) in the year 
2021-22. Besides this, 347 students from Ladakh availed of 
scholarship under the Prime Minister Special Scholarship 
Scheme, which is specifically for students of Ladakh and 
J&K studying in recognised institutes outside the two UTs 
and includes the reimbursement of tuition fee besides the 
maintenance allowance of upto Rs 1 lakh per annum.
Collaboration with Indian Institutes of Technology
For the first time ever, the students of Ladakh have got 
an opportunity to intern with and pursue a postgraduate 
course in M.Tech at the premier Institute of the country, the 
Indian Institute of Technology, as part of the collaboration 
between the Higher Education Department, UT Ladakh 
and the consortium of IITs. 
The programme aims to promote innovation and 
entrepreneurship focused on the local ecosystem and 
skill development of youth for enhancing employment 
opportunities. This includes the internship of two months 
for 30 students from Ladakh and the longer internship of 
six months for 15 students at IITs of Delhi, Bombay and 
Kanpur. The students are given a consolidated stipend of 
Rs 15,000 for a short internship and Rs 50,000 for a longer 
internship with the Institute fee and hostel charges being 
borne by the Ladakh Administration.
Sponsored M.Tech programme is also part of the 
collaboration with the IITs under which 12 Engineering 
Graduates from Ladakh can pursue the M.Tech programme 
in these 3 IITs every year. A monthly 
stipend of Rs 25,000 shall be given to 
the student pursuing the M.Tech and 
the entire fee and hostel charges shall 
be borne by the Ladakh Administration. 
The programmes at the IITs will 
not only give the students a valuable 
experience but will also help them 
explore different opportunities, build 
their entrepreneurial skills, and 
create new paths for research and 
development. The programme was 
launched in June 2022 and is conceived for a period of 
five years.
For increasing technical education opportunities for 
students in Ladakh, an engineering college is proposed to 
be set up in Kargil. In order to ensure that the proposed 
college offers quality technical education, the IITs have 
been roped in to design the curriculum and propose the 
infrastructure, organisational structure and human resource 
requirements.
Skilling Ladakh
Skilling and vocational education is an integral part 
of the National Education Policy 2020 and steps are being 
taken to strengthen and expand the skilling ecosystem in 
Ladakh.
Ladakh has two Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) 
besides the two Polytechnic Colleges, one in each 
district. ITIs have been shaping craftsmen to meet the 
existing as well as future skilled manpower needs. They 
impart training in 14 trades including Fashion Design & 
Technology, Information & Communication Technology 
System Management, Computer Operator & Programming 
Assistant, Carpentry, Electrician, and Plumbing among 
others.
To strengthen the infrastructure of the two ITIs, new 
workshop buildings are coming up with state-of-the-art 
equipment. Industrial tie-ups have been taken up to upgrade 
the workshops. Heating has been provided in the classroom 
and workshop in ITIs in view of sub-zero temperature in the 
region during winters. Infrastructure development projects 
including new workshops, classrooms, multipurpose halls, 
libraries, master plan and landscaping of the institutes at 
an estimated cost of Rs 15 crore has been sanctioned and 
work has commenced on these projects. 
Acknowledging that to improve the quality of training 
at the ITIs, it’s imperative to improve the quality of 
Instructors, therefore a slew of measures were taken up 
quickly as the first step in this direction. This included 
increasing the remuneration of guest faculty to 2.5 times the 
existing remuneration, faculty development programmes 
and the Training of Trainers programme. Two new trades in 
The enrolment in the colleges 
and universities has seen a sharp 
rise in the past two years, to 
an extent that a branch of the 
Government College Kargil had 
to be set up in Sankoo in 2022 to 
decongest the Kargil campus and 
cater to the growing demand in 
Sakoo sub-division. 
Students of ITI Kargil demonstrating their skills
34 YOJANA   September 2022
Learning sewing at ITI Leh
Horticulture and Floriculture have been 
introduced to explore new avenues in 
keeping with the requirements of the 
region and aspirations of the students. 
Collaboration with the industry has 
been taken up to build synergy between 
the supply and demand of skilled 
manpower. 
To further strengthen and expand 
the skilling ecosystem in Ladakh in 
tune with the National Skill India 
Mission, Ladakh Skill Development 
Mission (LSDM) was set up in 
2021 to formulate and steer the skill 
development programmes under the 
Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana and other skill 
development programmes of various Ministries. First-
ever Kaushal Mela was organised in March-April 2021 to 
expose youth to opportunities in skilling and subsequent 
employment opportunities. A Self-Employment Fair and 
Apprenticeship Mela were organised in the two districts 
in March 2022.
LSDM partnered with the Film 
and Television Institute of India, Pune, 
to conduct the first-ever V oice Artist 
training for the youth of Ladakh. 
Around 20 young aspiring voice 
artists were trained at All India Radio 
studios. FTII also conducted short 
online training courses in Screenplay 
Writing, Acting and Smartphone 
filmmaking which were free of cost 
for Schedule Tribe participants of 
Ladakh.
Foreseeing the potential demand 
for skilled manpower in the Beauty 
and Wellness sector as the Television and Film Industry 
is expected to grow in Ladakh, short-term training in 
Assistant Hair Dresser & Stylist was conducted by LSDM 
in collaboration with the Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill 
Council. 
A database is being created for the skill demand, 
and skill availability bringing in the industry, Training 
Institutes, Training partners, and the youth together on a 
single platform.
Apprenticeship
Under the Apprenticeship Act, all establishments 
having a workforce of 30 or more are mandated to undertake 
Apprenticeship Programmes and engage apprentices. The 
effective implementation of the Act in Ladakh has been 
taken up from June this year with the issue of an order. The 
requisite awareness among the establishments, mainly the 
local Industry is planned followed by 
the awareness campaign among youth, 
especially in colleges and universities.
Apprenticeship acts as a bridge 
course for fresh graduates and puts the 
responsibility on the industry to extend 
on-the-job training to fresh pass-outs 
of colleges and ITIs. Students can 
avail of apprenticeship to gain skills 
of their choice and at the same time 
earn while they learn. The year 2022-
23 being the first year, a conservative 
target is set for Leh and Kargil. The 
target for subsequent years shall be 
set based on the progress and response 
from the youth to this new intervention in the region.
Entrepreneurial Education
Entrepreneurial education needs to be built into 
the education which is also emphasised in the National 
Education Policy 2020. A comprehensive project is 
being planned to introduce entrepreneurship as a credit-
based subject in Higher Educational 
Institutions and also in ITIs.
The Department of Industries 
has also taken up a number of 
initiatives like setting up the Ladakh 
Incubation Centre, training in leather 
goods, exploring the export market 
for fruits, handloom and handicrafts, 
MoU with NIFT (National Institute 
of Fashion Technology), Craft 
documentation and branding activities 
in association with National Institute 
of Design (NID), linking with the 
Ministry of Commerce for buyer 
and seller facilitation, arrangement of Vanijya Saptah, 
Entrepreneurship Development Conclave, collaboration 
with Khadi and Village Industries Commission for 
capacity building of Pashmina weavers and creation of 
‘Brand Ladakh’ have been some of the notable steps taken.
Looking Ahead
Ladakh can offer a unique development model which 
is carbon neutral and this can be achieved only through 
the active participation of all the stakeholders, the most 
important of which are the citizens. For this, it is essential 
that youth are made the catalyst in the growth story 
through education, skill development, innovation and 
entrepreneurship.                                                               ?
References
1. AISHE Report 2019-20
2. As per the data from NSP and Directorate
For the first time ever, the 
students of Ladakh have got an 
opportunity to intern with and 
pursue a postgraduate course 
in M.Tech at the premier 
Institute of the country, the 
Indian Institute of Technology, 
as part of the collaboration 
between the Higher Education 
Department, UT Ladakh and 
the consortium of IITs.
36 YOJANA   September 2022
On the occasion of the Independence Day, 
grateful Indians bow to their countless 
freedom ?ghters. As the champion 
proponents of freedom had joined hands 
for the cause of independence, in the 
same way, we have to unite for the 
development of the country.
- Narendra Modi
Ministry of Information
and Broadcasting
Government of India
Independence Day Greetings
to All Fellow Citizens
on Completion of 75 Years of Freedom
Coming 25 years of 'Amrit Kaal' to be 'Kartavya Kaal' of every citizen 
Let us build together India of our freedom ?ghters’ dreams
cbc 22201/13/0101/2223
#HarGharTiranga
YE-2046/2022