Short Term Course on Soft Skills & Creative Writings inaugurated at GNDU

Amritsar, October 5 (Punjab Post Bureau)- A Short Term Course on “Soft Skills & Creative Writings” was inaugurated at the UGC-Human Resource Development Centre of the Guru Nanak Dev University. About 30 University and College teachers from across the length and breadth of the country are participating.

Prof. O.N. Kaul, former Director, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Prof. Kaul in his inaugural address shed light on the significance of this up-coming discipline for all the teachers, ranging from the primary level to the highest level, of all the disciplines in the present era. It is not sufficient to be an expert in one’s own domain unless accompanied by the requisite communication skills to impart the knowledge to the target audience, he continued. The advent of information technology has engendered the new challenges particularly, for the teaching community, he said. In order to grapple these challenges and to meet the growing aspirations of the students, it is incumbent upon the teaching community to continuously update their knowledge, he emphasized. On an average, the knowledge of a particular domain has been increasing at present at a very fast pace in comparison with the previous decades, he opined. Highlighting the significance of the thrust area of the course, he said that more than 80% of our time on daily basis is consumed in communication only with the fellow human beings. Enlightening the audience about the real aim of education, he said that the sheer transfer of knowledge without right values and skills is not enough to mould the young impressionable minds as per the needs of the present day society. Realizing the dire need of such an important discipline, the policy makers at the helm of affairs have made such courses mandatory for the teachers of all the disciplines, he concluded.

Prof. Amarjit Singh Sidhu, Director, UGC-Human Resource Development Centre, in his welcome address apprised the participants about the thrust area of this Course. Asking the participants to make an optimum use of this opportunity, he implored them to get their skills enhanced during this Course. Expressing his deep concern over the lack of communication skills amongst the students of today, he was of the view that the misuse of the latest electronic gadgets by the younger generation are also to be blamed to some extent for it. Earlier Prof. Kaul was accorded a floral welcome by Prof. Amarjit Singh Sidhu and Dr. Mohan Kumar. Dr. Mohan Kumar proposed the vote of thanks.