Governor N.N. Vohra, who is Chancellor of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), While chairing the 26th meeting of the Executive Council of the SMVDU at Kakryal, here, re–iterated the importance of theUniversity focusing on entrepreneurship and innovation related initiatives through the SMVDU-TBIC, which is the first Technology Business Incubator (TBIC) in the State of J&K. The University’s TBIC has been identified as one of the sixty eight Incubators to recommend Startups under the Startup India Initiative of the Government of India. Chancellor stressed the need for deep involvement of the Faculty and students in conceiving and processing innovative ideas to fully exploit the support being offered by the TBIC. The Executive Council approved several proposals for encouraging and rewarding academic performance, incentivizing quality research and promoting patent generation in the University. The Council asked the VC to take all necessary steps to encourage students to compete for prestigious fellowships and other scholarship examinations such as NET, GATE, MAT, CMAT etc. The Council also advised the VC to introduce industrial internship for the faculty and the B.Tech students to strengthen the industry-academia interface.
The Council approved the constitution of a Corporate Advisory Board, with eminent representative from industrial houses, to advise the University regarding the steps to be taken for enhancing interactions with the corporate world in a meaningful manner.The Council approved an incentive scheme for rewarding outstanding performances of Faculty Members in the arena of Research, Patents and for excellence in Teaching. For this purpose it was agreed to enhance the scale of Professional Development Assistance, the University’s enrolment as a participating institution under the Direct Admission Students Abroad (DASA), introduction of an MBA Program for working executives, construction of an Indoor Sports Complex with modern facilities and a Transit Hostel in the University.Prof. Sanjeev K. Jain, Vice Chancellor of the University informed the Council that efforts were being made to invite IIT Professors to teach courses at the University, even for short periods. VC informed that the University has started organizing Guest Lectures by Alumni who have accomplished milestones in their respective fields and, besides, regular alumni meets being organized at the University.
VC informed that all class rooms in the University have been equipped with multi-media projectors and lecterns to function as SMART class rooms, the Incubation Centre is now fully functional and presently seven projects are being incubated at TBIC of which 06 are in electronics. The Council was informed that this year 99 Campus selections have been made which include 26 shortlisted for Indian Navy, 33 in Wipro Ltd., 7 in Tech Aspects Solutions Ltd., 4 in Mahindra (MFCWL), 13 in ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd., 5 in Tecnospan Structures Pvt. Ltd., 8 in Orange Business Services Ltd. etc.The Executive Council meeting was attended by Prof. K.L. Chopra, former Director IIT Kharagpur; Sh. R.P. Agrawal, former Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development; Sh. D.P Aggarwal, former Professor, IIT Delhi and Ex-Chairman, UPSC; Sh. Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to the Governor; Prof. R.D. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor University of Jammu; Prof. Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir; Mr. Ajeet K. Sahu, Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board; Prof. V. Verma, Dean Faculty of Engineering; Dr. Yugal Khajuria, Incharge Dean of Students, Dr. Sumeet Gupta, Incharge Associate Dean, SMVDU; Dr. Vandana Sharma, Head Department of Languages and Literature; and Mr. V.K. Bhat, Registrar of the University.