Focus on skill, research, digital transformation: L-G Sinha to varsity

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired the 36th meeting of Executive Council of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University at the Raj Bhawan today.

The meeting was attended by Prof (Dr) Pragati Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, SMVDU; Prof Umesh Rai, Vice-Chancellor, Jammu University; Prof Nilofer Khan, Vice-Chancellor Kashmir University; Prof Pankaj Chandra, Vice-Chancellor and Chairman, Board of Management, Ahmedabad University; Prof ASK Sinha, Director, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Amethi; Prof Manoj Singh Gaur, Director, IIT, Jammu; Dr Mandeep K Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor; Sachin Kumar Vaishya, CEO, SMVDSB; Ajay Kumar Sharma, Registrar, SMVDU, and other members of the Executive Council.

The Executive Council discussed several important academic and administrative issues and gave in-principle approval to various agenda points presented during the meeting.

The Lieutenant Governor directed the University to take a comprehensive review of the various important initiatives and programmes to regularly update the curriculum to meet the objectives of National Education Policy-2020 and transforming SMVDU into a premier educational institute at the national level.

He highlighted the need for a dedicated focus on lifelong learning skill and community engagement, increasing enrolment, industry collaboration and networking, skill enhancement through short term courses, research, innovation and incubation, patents, strengthening of faculty and staff, and the introduction of new programmes from the upcoming academic year.

The L-G directed the university to establish a specialised faculty for languages to offer integrated courses in Hindi, Dogri, French, and German. He emphasised on encouraging students enrolled in foreign languages and technical courses to also pursue Hindi and Dogri languages.

He also instructed the SMVDU to implement the complete digitalisation of all university records.

The meeting also reviewed the ongoing projects and construction works in the university, implementation of NEP-2020, important matters pertaining to admissions, recruitment, faculty career advancement, non-functional promotions for non-teaching staff, end-to-end digitisation of student lifecycle management process and utilisation of e-Samarth dashboard.

Prof (Dr) Pragati Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University presented various agenda items before the Executive Council for approval and ratification.