Jammu, November 13, 2025 : Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that education is the most powerful tool for empowerment and equality, calling it central to Jammu and Kashmir’s ongoing transformation.
Speaking at the 19th Special Convocation of the University of Jammu, Abdullah said, “Education is at the heart of this journey — empowering our youth to become innovators, entrepreneurs, and nation builders.”
He urged students to serve as agents of positive change, choosing careers that balance ambition with compassion. “Success is not measured by what we achieve for ourselves, but by what we contribute to society,” he said.
Abdullah also highlighted the role of educational institutions as catalysts of progress and called for ensuring that “the light of knowledge reaches every corner — from university campuses to the remotest hamlets of Poonch, Rajouri, and Kishtwar.”
The Chief Minister congratulated the medal and degree recipients, commending especially the outstanding performance of female students, who won over 400 medals out of 600 awarded.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Umesh Rai noted that women scholars have “outperformed their male counterparts by a ratio of nearly 3:1” in securing PhD degrees and gold medals between 2020 and 2024 — a milestone in women’s leadership in higher education.
