LG Sinha Chairs 36th University Council Meeting of SKUAST-Kashmir, Approves Major Institutional Reforms and Futuristic Initiatives

BuzzBytes News Desk
Srinagar, Jun 24 (BuzzBytes): Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday chaired the 36th University Council Meeting of SKUAST-Kashmir at Lok Bhavan, which was attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Minister for Agriculture Production Javid Ahmad Dar, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, and other senior officials, and approved several institutional reforms including the upgradation of the Agricultural Research Information System into the Directorate of Information Technology, the Internal Quality Assurance Cell into the Directorate of Quality Assurance, and the establishment of an International Students Cell to strengthen global outreach and student support.
The Council also approved three futuristic and self-sustainable flagship initiatives as part of SKUAST-Kashmir’s future roadmap: the establishment of a Centre for Agri Innovation, Analytics and Certification as a National Reference Laboratory; creation of an Agri-Startup Park to nurture and host over 50 SKUAST startup enterprises; and establishment of a Global Veterinary School as an internationally benchmarked centre for veterinary education, research and advanced clinical services.
The Lieutenant Governor commended the University’s incredible journey from local roots to global aspirations, praising its sustained growth in academics, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and international partnerships, and noted that SKUAST-Kashmir’s transformative initiatives have the potential to position it as a leading, innovation-driven, and globally engaged agricultural university. He also directed the Vice Chancellor to ensure that meetings of the University Council are 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 highlighted SKUAST-Kashmir’s remarkable transformation from a regionally focused institution into a nationally recognized university with a clear vision of emerging as a globally competitive institution in agricultural and allied sciences. He informed the meeting that the University has made significant gains in national rankings, developed the largest startup ecosystem among higher educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir, and recorded 123 Intellectual Property Rights including patents, trademarks and designs, reflecting a strong culture of innovation and translational research. Nearly 30 per cent of the University’s students now come from outside Jammu and Kashmir, demonstrating its growing national outreach and academic reputation. (BuzzBytes)