Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar today chaired a high level meeting to discuss the plan for smooth functioning of Cluster Universities of Jammu and Srinagar at Civil Secretariat here.The meeting was attended by Vice Chancellor, Cluster University, Jammu, Prof. Bechan Lal; Vice Chancellor, Cluster University, Srinagar, Prof. Qayyum Husain; Director Colleges, J&K, Prof. Yasmeen Ashai; Special Assistant to Advisor, Sarfaraz Ahmad and other concerned officers.The meeting held in depth deliberations on improving the overall functioning of these Universities to develop them as centres of excellence besides other parameters for expanding the scope of these universities was also discussed in detail.Speaking on the occasion, Advisor Bhatnagar said that the main objective of establishing these universities was to boost the existing higher education facilities in J&K by diversification of the academics with introduction of latest job-intensive courses at the graduate and post-graduate levels.The Advisor further highlighted that the concept of cluster universities was conceived with an aim to promote cutting-edge research on latest subjects and also to serve as a platform for communication, collaboration and co-operation using emergent IT tools for the students.
Advisor Bhatnagar asked the Vice Chancellors to chalk out the possibility of synchronizing the summer and winter zone sessions of both regions so that the academic time is not wasted for the students.He suggested them that the curriculum and other aspects which are coming up in these universities should be developed as per the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. He added that the NEP-2020 aims at the development of Higher Education in all aspects like innovation, research advancements and other related fields, which form the core objectives of establishing these universities.During the meeting, the staff position and other administrative as well as academic issues of these universities were also discussed in detail.While highlighting that the staff is critical for smooth functioning of these varsities, Advisor Bhatnagar asked the Vice Chancellors that all the vacant non-teaching posts should be filled on priority as per the statutes of the universities.He further asked them that the teaching staff should be arranged from Higher Education Department besides the permanent recruitment process for the same should also be initiated for the smooth functioning of these important institutions.The Advisor stressed upon the Vice Chancellors for maintaining highest standards of learning in these institutions as per the modern trends of education. He assured them of extending every possible assistance for realization of the objectives these Universities have been conceived for.On the occasion, both the Vice Chancellors apprised the Advisor about the impediments being faced by them for running the affairs of these institutions smoothly and effectively.