Governor N.N. Vohra, Chancellor of the University of Jammu, chaired the 84th meeting of the Jammu University Council at the Raj Bhavan here today. Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Minister for Education participated in the meeting. Governor Vohra congratulated Prof. R.D. Sharma, Vice Chancellor, Faculty and students on the University being granted “graded autonomy” by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and for securing the 51st position among the top 100 Universities in the country under the National Institutional Ranking Framework assessment.Chancellor advised the VC to fully utilize the opportunities accruing from its autonomous status by further strengthening the academic and research environment in the University and aim to come up as one of the top 20 institutions in the country. He suggested that the VC should prepare a roadmap to strengthen the teaching programmes, improve the quality of research publications and strive to attract the best talent to the University, including faculty from known foreign universities.chancellor emphasised the importance of securing optimum utilisation of University’s resources with minimal pressure on students and, in this context, urged both the VCs to evolve a suitable Merit–cum- Means Scholarship Scheme to assist meritorious students. He further urged that qualitative improvement be brought about in the overall functioning of the University on a continuing basis.
Governor Vohra suggested rationalisation of the teaching programmes being offered by the University in its main and off-site campuses. Reviewing the functioning of B.Ed. colleges he emphasised that all of them should be run as per the NCTE regulations.Chancellor and Education Minister, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, advised the VCs of both the Universities to evolve best practices for the evaluation of the answer sheets so that students do not have to seek re-evaluation. Chancellor stressed transparency in all matters which relate to students’ careers.Prof. R.D. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, made a presentation regarding the initiatives and achievements of the University in the last 6 months, highlighting various administrative, academic, financial and examination related reforms.Registrar, University of Jammu, Dr. Meenakshi Kilam, presented the Agenda and, interalia, the Council approved: commencement of an open course in Gojri at the Master’s Degree level in the University of Jammu in the 3rd and 4th Semester from the ensuing fourth Semester from the academic session 2017-18; introduction of a six month Certificate Course in Global Understanding as an add-on- Course for the students of MBA(IB); introduction of MOOCs (Massive Online Open Courses) through SWAYAM (Study Web of Active Learning by Young and Aspiring Minds); proposals to start M. Phil in the Biochemistry and Microbiology in the University of Jammu; adoption of revised statutes governing the Choice Based Credit System for Master’s Degree Programme from Academic Session 2017-18; and adoption of statutes in subject of Architecture (B.Arch. Degree Programme) from Academic Session 2017-18.
Chancellor released three publications of the Higher Education Department: ‘JK Knowledge Initiative’, ‘J&K Higher Education Trends’, Multilingual language research Hindi/Dogri and Punjabi research journal-‘Shabd’, JK Research journal of Sanskrit-Vangmaya Gauram”, JK HeD Research journal of Urdu-“Aala Taleem”, JK HeD Research journal of Arabic-“ Al Tilmiz”.In all thirty nine agenda items were discussed in the meeting of the University Council which was attended by Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to Governor; Dr. Asgar Hassan Samoon, Principal Secretary Higher Education; Navin Kumar Choudhary, Financial Advisor (Universities); Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Planning & Development Department; Prof. Vinayshil Gautam, Founder Director, IIM-K; Prof. R.P. Tandon, Head, Department of Physics and Astro Physics, University of Delhi; Prof. Khurshid I. Andrabi, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir; Prof. Sheikh Javid Ahmad, Vice-Chancellor, Cluster University Srinagar; Prof. Anju Bhasin,Vice Chancellor, Cluster University of Jammu; Prof. S.K. Mangotra, Principal GDC Udhampur; Prof. Darshana Kumari, Dean Faculty of Education, Jammu University; Prof. Rahul Gupta, Dean Faculty of Mathematical Sciences, University of Jammu; Prof. K.S. Charak, President, Jammu University Teachers Association and Dr. D.S. Manhas, President, College Teachers Association.