Srinagar, June 24(GNS): Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday chaired the 36th University Council Meeting of SKUAST-Kashmir at Lok Bhavan, where several institutional reforms and futuristic initiatives were approved.
The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Agriculture Minister Javid Ahmad Dar, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, senior officials, and Vice Chancellors of SKUAST Kashmir and Jammu.
The Council approved the upgradation of the Agricultural Research Information System into the Directorate of Information Technology and the Internal Quality Assurance Cell into the Directorate of Quality Assurance. An International Students Cell will also be established to strengthen global outreach and student support.
As part of its future roadmap, SKUAST-Kashmir proposed three flagship initiatives: a Centre for Agri Innovation, Analytics and Certification as a National Reference Laboratory; an Agri-Startup Park to host over 50 university startups; and a Global Veterinary School for internationally benchmarked veterinary education, research, and clinical services.
Commending the university’s growth, LG Sinha said SKUAST-Kashmir’s transformative initiatives have the potential to position it as a leading, innovation-driven, and globally engaged agricultural university. He directed that University Council meetings be convened regularly, at least twice a year, for timely review of academic and administrative matters.
Presenting the University Report, Vice Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai said SKUAST-Kashmir has transformed into a nationally recognized institution with a vision of global competitiveness. He noted significant gains in national rankings, the largest startup ecosystem among higher educational institutions in J&K, and 123 Intellectual Property Rights including patents, trademarks, and designs.
He added that nearly 30 percent of the university’s students now come from outside Jammu and Kashmir, reflecting its growing national outreach and academic reputation.
The meeting was also attended by Dr Ashok Dalwai, Chairman Committee on Reimagining Agriculture NITI Aayog; Dr Yashpal Malik, DDG ICAR; and other senior officials.(GNS)
