SRINAGAR: The 42nd meeting of Academic Council of SKUAST-Kashmir was held under the chairmanship of Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice-Chancellor of the University in the Vice-Chancellor’s Secretariat, Main Campus, Shalimar.
The Meeting was attended by all the regular and nominated members of the Council including Directors, Deans of the Subject Matter Faculties, HoDs. The attendance of all the members of the Council in the Meeting in full strength doubled with their overwhelming and vigorous participation in the discussions and cross-discussions met the real purpose of taking viable decisions for further enhancement of academic life of the University.
The presence and active participation of Prof. Farooq Ahmad Shah, Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir, Dr. D.C. Sharma of SKUAST-Jammu, Prof. Nasir Iqbal, Registrar, IUST, Kashmir, Prof. Khurshid Ahmad Mir, Registrar & Controller of Examinations, Cluster University of Kashmir further facilitated to conduct proceedings of the Meeting to ponder over the issues and decision making process.
The Registrar Prof. T.H. Masoodi and his team had put in place all necessary arrangement for smooth conduct of the business, which was duly appreciated and acknowledged.
After his preliminary address, the Registrar Prof. T. H. Masoodi thoroughly explained the importance of statutory obligation of holding Academic Council meetings to conduct the important business relating to academic affairs of the University.
The proceedings of the meeting commenced with a welcome and opening remarks of the Vice-Chancellor. He extended warm welcome to the Members who were present in the meeting and expressed pleasure on their overwhelming participation from across all the faculties/units of University and also from other Universities as well together with their active involvement in the healthy and fruitful discussions and decision making.
The Vice-Chancellor, while appreciating and acknowledging the collective and sustained efforts of all the fraternities across the University including Officers, Directors, Deans, HoDs, faculty and other staff members of the University informed the House that the University has not touched the heights overnight. In its endeavour to achieve overall ranking of 6th and 2nd rank in ICAR in respect of JRF/SRF, every individual of the University played due role, which is praiseworthy. Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor further informed the House that the SKUAST-Kashmir has now become the brand not within the UT of J&K but nationally and globally and for this feat due credit goes all the fraternities of the University without whose sustained and all out efforts, this could have not been possible.
The Vice-Chancellor, while further throwing light on doubling and accelerating the efforts more vigorously from all across the University, said that Innovation and Incubation is changing the paradigm of higher education besides determining relevance of institutions realigning the operations to emerge as centres of excellence. He further informed that SKUAST-K aims to offer holistic and multidisciplinary education to produce skilled and competent graduates, post graduates under diversified domains of educational and skill development to align with the most demanded NEP 2020. The University is already in the active process of forging a strong linkage with various apex bodies including Skill Councils of India and so on.
Among the major decisions taken by the Council was establishment of Division of Community Science under the aegis of policies and programmes of the Government like BETI BACHAO BETI PADAO, National Commission for Women(NCW), Support to Training and Employment programmes for Women (STEP) Rashtrirya Mahila Kosh (RMK) adoption of National Nutrition Policy (NNP), Strengthening of ICDs, setting up of National Creche Fund (NCF)etc.
Another decision on establishment of Vocational Trainings to skill youth for employability in industry and entrepreneurship to promote Discovery & Innovation, Encourage Product Design, testing and validation to upscale entrepreneurial ecosystem was another highlight of the Meeting.
The Council took decision on establishment of College of Dairy Sciences & Technology; Institution of PG Degree programmes (Masters and Ph.D) in SANDWICH MODE and UG programmes in Degree By Design Mode; Institution of B.Tech (Food Technology) Degree Programme; Institution and Ph.D Degree programme in Bio-chemistry under Faculty of Horticulture; Adoption/Implementation of SKUAST-K Working Model of National Education Policy 2020 were and execution for validation and also on Adoption and Implementation of SKUAST-Kashmir Innovation and Start Up Policy (SISP – 2021);
Establishment of Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), Involvement of Alumni/Graduates/Associates/Faculty in Research/Teaching/Extension activities on needs basis; Establishment of SKUAST Endowment Fund/Alumni Philanthropy, Adoption/Implementation of SKUAST Consultancy Policy and Framing guidelines for Adjunct Faculty and Professor of Practice in SKUAST-Kashmir and determining of suitability for appointment of teachers/scientists were other vital decisions taken by Council in the Meeting.
Felicitations of the students and teachers for their outstanding performance in various events of their respective fields, which made the University to feel proud and which helped the University a lot achieve the present rankings in the country, was another highlight of the 42nd Academic Council of the University.
The well prepared powerpoint presentations on various items by the respective officers and faculty members made the process of the discussion and the decision making easy.
The active participation of the august members from other Universities also facilitated decisions. The members from other Universities expressed their pleasure to have participated in the Academic Council of SKUAST-Kashmir. They rated highly the vibrant team of Officers, HoDs and faculty members, whose collective wisdom after marathon discussions and cross discussion and critical analysis of various issues makes the thought process and decision making easy. They were of the view that the big size of the Academic Council of SKUAST-Kashmir definitely plays more bigger role in thrashing out the issues to produce viable and workable solutions to the issues on the board for subsequent implementation on ground. They gave due credit to Prof. N. A. Ganai for receiving the opinions and cross opinions of every member of the Council with open mindedness for reaching a workable conclusion.
The Vice-Chancellor Prof. N. A. Ganai, while thanking the members of the Council and the guest members from other Universities for their overwhelming and active participation in the deliberations, which led to take vital decisions, expressed hope to have more such occasions to happen in future for taking the thought process ahead in the interest of the University.

KR Desk