Chairing the 83rd meeting of the University Council at Raj Bhavan, Governor N.N. Vohra, Chancellor of the University of Jammu announced that the VCs of the Cluster Universities of Jammu and Kashmir should be invited to attend the University Council meetings of Jammu and Kashmir Universities, respectively. He emphasized the vital importance of maintaining continued focus on high teaching standards, quality research and strengthening linkages with identified institutions of excellence within the country and abroad. While appreciating the research projects undertaken by the University, he emphasised that state specific research projects should be given high priority. Besides, it must be ensured that the outcome of the researches undertaken, especially those related to the State should be linked with formulation of policy by the Government. He stresed the importance of initiating research in identified fields in the vast arena of the Humanities, with special focus on the socially relevant issues facing the society. Chief Minister Ms. Mehbooba Mufti, Pro-Chancellor and Shri Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Minister for Education also participated in the meeting.
Chancellor advised both the VCs to ensure that the infrastructure development projects are completed timely and particularly urged that sufficient hostel accommodation should be created, in both main as well as offsite campuses, to fully meet the requirements of girl students. He further emphasised that Human Resource Centre of the University should lay down a structured calendar of refresher courses for the teaching as well as non-teaching staff. Chancellor emphasised that quality initiatives, like feedback, should be integrated into the assessment system of the faculty.
Chief Minister Ms. Mufti, Pro-Chancellor, stressed the need to put adequate systems in place to ensure against delays in declaring results as these cost the students dearly and affect their career prospects.
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 the introduction of re-evaluation in all the P.G. Diploma Programmes; enforcement of nominal tuition Fee for given courses; Revised Statutes governing the Jammu University Entrance Test (JUET) and Adoption of Statutes under Choice Based Credit System in the Undergraduate courses.
In all thirty two agenda items were discussed by the meeting of the University Council which was attended by Prof. Vinayshil Gautam, Founder Director, IIM-K; Prof. V.K. Singh, Director, Indian Institute of Science Education & Research, Bhopal; Prof. Khurshid I. Andrabi, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir; Sh. Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to Governor; Sh. Navin Kumar Choudhary, Financial Advisor (Universities); Sh. Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Planning & Development Department; Prof. Keshav Sharma, Dean Faculty of Business Studies; Prof. Naresh Padha, Dean Faculty of Sciences; Prof. Koushal Samotra, Principal, GCW, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu; Prof. K.S. Charak, President, Jammu University Teachers Association and Dr. D.S. Manhas, President, College Teachers Association.