SRINAGAR, OCTOBER 25 - Governor
N.N. Vohra, Chancellor of the University of Kashmir, chaired the 78th meeting of the
University at the Raj Bhavan.Sh. Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Minister for
Education, participated in the meeting.
Chancellor emphasized that the University must periodically review its
academic and research programmes to assess their contemporary relevance and
advised that the University must remain abreast by developing productive
collaborative linkages with top academic and research institutions in the
country and anywhere in the world.
Both Chancellor and Education Minister stressed the need for critically
reviewing the current relevance of the ongoing academic programmes vis-à-vis the
demands of the emerging job markets. Chancellor advised both the VCs to make
the review process a continuous phenomenon so that the outdated courses are
suitably modified or developed and new courses introduced to meet the emerging
job opportunities. Governor particularly stressed the need for both the State
Universities to involve third parties to undertake internal reviews so that
known external experts can help to identify gaps in the extant curricular
contents.
Chancellor
advised the VCs of both Universities to ensure round the year maintenance of
cleanliness and sanitation within the University and to effectively generate
among the students, staff and faculties a sensitive awareness to maintain
cleanliness.
Earlier, Prof Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi, Vice-Chancellor, made a detailed
presentation and highlighted the reforms undertaken in the past three years in
the administrative, academic, financial, examination, evaluation and other
sectors. Vice Chancellor also reported the status of student enrolment in the
University, number of candidates who have qualified M.Phil/Ph.D and the number
of students who have successfully qualified in various national-level
competitive examinations; number of papers published in peer
reviewed journals and the impact factors achieved; new research projects
secured and faculty development programmes undertaken.
University Council, inter-alia, approved: creation
and constitution of University Research Council; adoption of guidelines for
utilization of overhead charges received as extramural research project grants;
reforms and interventions undertaken in the examination system of the
University; conduct of Common Entrance Test for admission to BSc Nursing
Course; and introduction of short-term courses in Media Education Research
Centre.
In the
context of discussions on administrative decisions relating to the appointment
of an ineligible candidate, Chancellor expressed serious concern about the
violation of codal requirements.
In all thirty seven agenda items were discussed by the Council which was
attended by Prof R. D. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor University of Jammu; Shri Umang
Narula, Principal Secretary to Governor; Shri Navin Kumar Choudhary, Financial
Advisor Universities; Prof. Khursheed A. Butt, Registrar, University of Kashmir; Prof. Farooq
A. Masoodi, Dean, School of Applied Sciences and Technology; Prof. Rifat
Geelani, Principal, Govt. Degree College for Women, Nawakadal, Srinagar; and
Dr. Muheet Ahmed Butt, President, Kashmir University Teachers Association
(KUTA).
