SRINAGAR: In a major step towards strengthening higher education in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo today chaired a high-level meeting to review the challenges faced by universities across the Union Territory.
The meeting focused on expediting the resolution of long-pending issues hindering both academic and infrastructural development in these institutions.
Present at the meeting were Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Higher Education Department, Shantmanu; Principal Secretaries of Finance, Public Works (R&B), and Agriculture Production Departments; Secretaries of Health and Rural Development; Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir; Deputy Commissioners concerned; Managing Directors of JPDCL and KPDCL; Director General, Budget, and other senior officials. Vice Chancellors from all major academic and agricultural universities in the UT also participated.
During the discussions, the Chief Secretary stressed the need for timely interventions and effective coordination between universities and relevant departments. He noted that higher education institutions play a pivotal role in shaping the region’s educational and innovation landscape, and thus their concerns must be addressed with the utmost seriousness.
He directed the Higher Education Department to document all innovative practices—ranging from research projects and patents to start-ups and unique academic initiatives—being implemented across these universities. This, he said, would foster knowledge sharing and enable replication of successful models elsewhere in the UT.
In a move to enhance human resource development, the Chief Secretary called on universities to develop short-term capacity-building courses for government employees across departments. He also instructed officials to map all ongoing skill development and vocational training programmes to better align them with current market demands and administrative requirements.
ACS Shantmanu presented a detailed overview of the pressing issues faced by universities and noted several challenges that have already been resolved through inter-departmental collaboration.
In a university-wise assessment, the Chief Secretary engaged directly with each Vice Chancellor to understand institution-specific challenges. These included concerns related to land transfers, creation of academic and non-teaching posts, allocation of funds, infrastructure expansion, delays in construction works, and other operational obstacles.
On-the-spot instructions were issued to the concerned departments for time-bound, mission-mode resolution of these issues, with a strong emphasis on swift action.
Participating institutions included the University of Kashmir, University of Jammu, Cluster University Srinagar, Cluster University Jammu, Central University of Kashmir, Central University of Jammu, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Islamic University of Science & Technology (IUST), Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), and Sher-e-Kashmir Universities of Agricultural Sciences and Technology in Kashmir and Jammu.
Concluding the meeting, the Chief Secretary reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening higher education and research infrastructure in the UT. He urged all stakeholders to ensure continuous engagement, proactive monitoring, and swift resolution of any hurdles faced by these key institutions.
