Innovative Project Based Competition on Mahatma Gandhi reaches Second Round at JU
Aug 29, 2023
JAMMU: The project based competition announced by the Gandhian Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Jammu for the students and scholars of educational institutions of Jammu and Kashmir reached its second round today.
In all twenty two teams participated in the first round, out of which ten teams have been shortlisted for the second round.
The idea of this innovative project-based competition has been conceptualized by Vice Chancellor of University of Jammu, Prof. Umesh Rai. In the said competition, the students are required to work on the theme Designing Mahatma Gandhi's Ashram in the context of 21stCentury. The problem statement is: "Had Mahatma Gandhi been alive today, what sort of modern Ashram would he have designed?
The project is to be based on teamwork having not more than 8 members drawn from various disciplines. In addition, each project group could have 2-3 mentors, who could be drawn from either faculty or members of the civil society.
Under this activity, the selected teams shall be funded suitably for creating the physical prototype model of the Gandhian Ashram in present times, provided they reach the final round of competition.
The purpose of the competition is to develop the critical thinking among the students and ignite the spirit of creativity and innovation among them.
The top ten teams shortlisted for the second round belonged to different institutions namely two teams from MIET, IIT Jammu, SKUAST University, UIET Kathua Campus University of Jammu, The Law School, University of Jammu, GDC Hiranagar, GDC Mendhar, GDC Kishtwar and GDC Vijaypur;.
The teams have been assessed by the external and an internal team of experts on the basis of the preliminary abstracts regarding the problem statement that had been submitted by the respective teams.
The criterion of the basis of which the teams got selected were the conceptual clarity, the plan of action and the design for execution of the plan.
This is one of the major activities initiated by the Centre under the able guidance of the Vice Chancellor University of Jammu.
The other activities already undertaken by the Gandhian Centre, University of Jammu includes, the four day Art of Living Workshop, the three day storytelling workshop and the ten day Yoga workshop,the three day YES! Course for the children of Balgran and the plant adoption drive.
The purpose of all these activities majorly is to acquaint the students with the social and economic philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and the Gandhian values beyond the four walls of the class rooms.
The Gandhian Centre in future will also be conducting various other activities in collaboration with national and international organizations which are working on similar lines.
The Centre also intends to start internships and have memorandum of understanding with various organizations like Global Network of Sustainable development, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage and Gandhi Research Foundation Jalgaon, with an objective to provide an orientation to regarding the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and the way in which the Gandhian Philosophy provides the solutions to the contemporary challenges faced by mankind today.
Further, in near future, the Centre would also be having its outreach and extension activities in the villages adopted by the University of Jammu.
