STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Chairing the 77th meeting of the University Council of the Jammu University here at the Raj Bhavan on Monday, Governor, N.N Vohra, Chancellor of the Jammu University, urged the Vice Chancellor to devote priority attention for quality research being undertaken in all the Post Graduate Departments and Research Centres of the university, particularly those which are presently not implementing any projects.
The Governor expressed concern over the insignificant number of research publications being brought out by the Faculties comprising the Humanities arena in the university. In this context he stressed the need for enhancing the research activities in this area, besides sustaining research work in the Sciences sector.
While reviewing the short term vocational courses offered by both the Jammu and Kashmir Universities, the Chancellor suggested the usefulness of the ongoing courses should be reviewed and assessed every year and modified as necessary for in enhancing the employability prospects of the students.
The Governor also stressed for strengthening research activities for ensuring that the scholars secured an increasing number of international and national fellowships.
The Governor asked the Vice- Chancellors of both the universities to organise convocations on an annual basis. It was observed that Convocations being held on irregular basis caused avoidable inconveniences to the passing out students.
While reviewing various ongoing infrastructure projects, the Chancellor desired that the hostels for the Girl students should be given priority while deciding the future projects in the University.
The Council endorsed the Chancellor’s suggestion that both the Universities shall bring out an annual calendar of the academic and co-curricular activities and also undertake an annual review of all research activities, against pre-determined parameters, to critically assess the quality of research work being done in the University.
The Council approved adoption of the Statutes/Regulations governing semester pattern for B.A/B.Sc/B.Com (General) and BBA/BCA from 2014 onwards for Summer Zone and 2015 onwards for the Winter Zone. The Council approved utilization of 15 seats in Post Graduate Diploma Course in Human Rights and Duties Education.
The Council adopted guidelines for checking plagiarism in the University and also suggested increased investment on Faculty Development Programmes.
Mohammad Akbar Lone, Minister for Higher Education, put forth various suggestions for improving the quality of teaching and research on sustainable basis and making the universities and other institutions of higher education in the State centres of excellence.
Prof. M.P.S Ishar, Vice Chancellor, Jammu University, dwelt on the status of various ongoing research and infrastructure related projects and those in the pipeline, achievements of the University in varied fields, introduction of various new courses, status of filling up teaching and non-teaching positions in the University etc.
Present in the meeting were Prof. Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi, Vice Chancellor, Kashmir University; B.B Vyas, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Principal Secretary, Finance; Rakesh Gupta, Principal Secretary to the Governor; Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmad, Secretary to Government, Higher Education Department; Prof. Vinayshil Gautam, Founder Director, IIMK and First Head, Management Department, IIT, Delhi; Dr. Sameru Sharma, Dean Faculty of Engineering, Govt. College of Engineering and Technology, Jammu; Prof. D.S. Jamwal, President, JUTA; Dr. Avinash Kumar Gupta, President, College Teachers Association, Jammu Wing; Prof Tejinder Singh, Principal, Government Degree College, Poonch; and Prof. Manoj K. Dhar, Registrar, Jammu University.