JAMMU, JANUARY 28 – The 29th meeting of the Governing Council for Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Gurukul, Charan Paduka, Katra, was held here today in which a number of important decisions were taken for the future growth of this institution as a centre of excellence.
The Governing Council, while reviewing the various activities undertaken by the Gurukul during the pandemic, was informed that the syllabus was divided into two parts comprising practical and theory components. Besides organising the online classes, the Gurukul during this period has organised several webinars and special online vocational and practical sessions for Yagya, Hawan, Karam Kand, Vedic Mantras, Jyotish, Vastu Shastra and other religious rituals in which all the students and the faculty participated through the virtual mode. The GC emphasised the high importance of optimally focussing on imparting such a practical and vocational training to the Gurukul students so that they are equipped with the required skills to become self-reliant. The GC also stressed that the entire teaching faculty and students of the Gurukul should be made computer-savvy as well as largely familiar with modern technologies.
Dr. Ashok Bhan, Member Shrine Board and Chairman of the Governing Council for the Gurukul, chaired the meeting, which was attended by Mr. Ramesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board; Mr. Vivek Verma, Additional CEO; Prof. Vishwamurti Shastri; Mr. Hem Kant Prasher, Chief Accounts Officer; Dr. Sunil Sharma, Dy. CEO of the Shrine Board and Administrator of Gurukul; Mr. Gopal Dass Sharma, Head Pujari, Bhawan; and Dr. Dhananjay Mishra, Principal of the Gurukul.
The meeting emphasised the need for focussing more now on imparting practical and vocational training to the Gurukul students by effecting changes in the time table to fill the gaps, if any. The GC also laid stress on discipline and imbibing moral and ethical values among the students alongside the teaching-learning process for their all round personality development.
The GC decided that in consonance with the guidelines of the J&K Government, the class work in the Gurukul will be resumed from Shastri Part- I to Shastri Part – III w.e.f. 1st February 2021, class 11th and 12th from 2nd February, class 9th to 10th from 3rd February and from class 6th to 8th from 8th February 2021, by strictly maintaining social distancing norms and taking other requisite precautionary measures. In this context, a comprehensive SOP is being formulated by the Gurukul. It is pertinent to mention that since the suspension of class work and closure of the Gurukul in March 2020 in view of the Covid-19, online classes have been organised by the Gurukul to continuously facilitate teaching-learning process for the students.
The GC was also briefed that all the students of Shastri Part – III have passed their annual examination, conducted by the Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Varanasi with which the Gurukul is affiliated, by securing First Divisions during the session 2019-20.
A copy of the latest issue of the Quarterly Newsletter of the Gurukul titled ‘Shambhavi’ was also presented before the GC which desired that the Newsletter be also published as an e-magazine and sent to the Sanskrit institutes in the country to effectively disseminate information about the activities and achievements of the Gurukul.