Governor N. N. Vohra, Chancellor of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-J), chaired the 16th Council meeting of SKUAST-J, here at the Raj Bhavan today, in which Chief Minister Ms. Mehbooba Mufti, Pro Chancellor of the University, and Mr. Ghulam Nabi Lone, Minister for Agricultural Production participated.Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor and Agriculture Minister complimented Dr. Pradeep K. Sharma, Vice Chancellor and his faculty for the University securing accreditation for 5 years (Nov. 2016 to Nov.2021) and for being given the Best Centre Award by the ICAR for its Integrated Farming System Research Model developed at the University.Chancellor advised the VCs of both the Farm Universities to identify scientifically viable approaches for meeting the rapidly arising challenges posed by climate change which adversely impact food, fruit and vegetable crops.Chancellor directed that a Joint Committee comprising Financial Commissioner (Agriculture Production), Financial Commissioner (Planning) and the Vice Chancellor should be established to undertake an urgent review of the existing system of collection and compilation of agriculture statistics which presently varied from source to source and provided an unsure basis for proper planning.Chancellor advised the VC to put in place a mechanism for tracking the careers taken up by the students passing out from the University as this would provide a reliable basis for understanding the prevailing job market dynamics and timely adjusting and orienting the University’s curricula to enable the pass-outs to enjoy better prospects.
Pro Chancellor emphasized the need to upscale Integrated Farming System so that farmers of the State could avail of the enhanced economic benefits.The Council approved the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) of teachers along with Academic Performance Indicator (API) score card for promotion of Teachers and Research Scientists of the University, which shall be effective from 01.01.2011. However, the Teachers/ Scientists eligible for promotion/placement or already promoted/placed under the CAS w.e.f. 01.01.2009 shall be governed by the UGC Regulations notified on 30.06.2010.The Council adopted the Annual Report of the University for the year 2015-16.Earlier, Dr. Pradeep K. Sharma, Vice Chancellor, presented a detailed report on the status of teaching, research and extension activities undertaken by the varsity. He informed that necessary steps have been taken by the University to make the already signed MOUs operational for enhancing Students Exchange programmes.
Besides, the Placement Cell of the University has also started organizing campus interviews by private and public sector companies in the areas of Agriculture, Biotechnology, Agro. Chemicals, Food Processing and Pharmaceuticals. He further informed that presently the University has 124 Externally Funded Research Projects valuing Rs. 44.33 crore.VC informed the Council about the establishment status of Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Samba and of the Organic Training Centre which is to come up at Talwara in district Reasi. He stated that the University Auditorium has been completed and the International Guest House will be completed by the end of May 2017.VC informed that the Faculties and KVK’s of the University are imparting training to the farmers in different areas of Jammu Division for upgrading their post-harvest skills besides enhancing their employability. He apprised the Council about the entrepreneurship development programmes taken up by the University in the Barikhad and Meenchadkan villages of District Samba where unemployed youth are being trained for improved livelihood opportunities through agro-technological Interventions; and promotion of backyard poultry at village Lamberi by KVK Reasi.Among those who attended the meeting were Sh. Kumar Jain, Financial Commissioner Agricultural Production Department, Sh. B.B. Vyas, Financial Commissioner Planning; Sh. Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to the Governor; Prof. Nazeer Ahmed, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-Kashmir; Sh. Navin Kumar Choudhary, Commissioner Finance, and Sh. Daleep Kachroo, Registrar, SKUAST-J.