Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 21: Governor, N.N. Vohra, Chancellor of the Sher- i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), and Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, Pro Chancellor of SKUAST-K advised the Vice-Chancellors of both the State Farm Varsities to make University Convocations an annual feature and expected the Kashmir and Jammu University to also follow a similar practice.
It was observed that Convocations being held every 3-4 years caused avoidable inconvenience to the passing out students and delayed the award of medals and prizes. This was said while the Governor and the Chief Minister co chaired the 27th meeting of SKUAST-K Council meeting at the Raj Bhavan.
Dr. Tej Partap, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K made a presentation about the various initiatives being taken by the University for improving and upgrading agricultural processes and products. He informed the Council that Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) at Nyoma has been made functional and the building complex of the KVK Zanskar has been completed. He highlighted the academic achievements of the University and informed that SKUAST-K has continued to maintain its all- India standing in the number of students gaining the NET and the ICAR-JRF awards.
The Chancellor appreciated the University’s initiatives for the revival of Mushakbhuji and Kamad, two traditional rice varieties of Kashmir. The University has been working with the farmers in a participatory mode to revive these valuable strains. He asked the VC to afford wide publicity to the establishment of the University’s Residue and Quality Analysis Laboratory for undertaking high accuracy screening of the various inputs used in agriculture and allied sectors. The Chancellor observed that the Laboratory must maintain very strict standards in its working and come up to the expectations of the farmers.
The Chancellor stressed on the State Agriculture Production Department and the University to ensure that seeds and plants of very high quality are made available to increase horticultural productivity in the State.
The Pro Chancellor suggested to the VC to plan for the successful experiment of enhanced production of livestock and allied products at Zanskar to be repeated at the other climatically similar areas.
Ghulam Hassan Mir, Minister for Agriculture emphasized the revival of indigenous rice varieties of Kashmir besides encouraging farmers to adopt other allied fields related to agriculture like fishing, poultry, dairy etc.
The Council approved the establishment of the Examination Cell in SKUAST-K and impressed upon the Vice Chancellor to very early finalize the proposal of starting entrepreneurship oriented Certificate / Diploma courses in agriculture, horticulture and other identified allied fields at Stakna, Leh.
The meeting was attended by Nazir Ahmad Khan ( Gurezi), Minister of State for Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Dr. Pradeep K. Sharma, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-Jammu, Dr. A. R. Trag, Vice Chancellor, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipore, B. R. Sharma, Principal Secretary, Planning and Development, B. B. Vyas, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Principal Secretary, Finance, Rakesh Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Dr. Asgar Hassan Samoon, Commissioner/ Secretary, Agriculture Production and Prof.T.A.S Ganai, Registrar, SKUAST, Kashmir.
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