Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 5 : Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today underlined the need for enhancing financial resources by Islamic University of Science and Technology to ensure sustained growth without depending on outside help.
Chairing the review meeting of the Islamic University of Science and Technology, the Chief Minister, who is also Chancellor of the University asked the University Management to formulate Five Year Plans identifying roadmap of development and financial requirements for academic activities, strengthening of faculties and building of benefiting infrastructure.
Omar Abdullah also asked the University to focus on consolidation and creation of adequate infrastructure in the University complex. He said whatever help possible would be extended to the University for its holistic development.
In a PowerPoint presentation the Vice Chancellor of the University, Dr. A. R. Trag stated that the integrated Ph.D programme has been introduced in School of Business Studies. He said Ph.D programmes are being offered in Schools of Humanities and Social Sciences from current academic session. He said AICTE has granted extension of approval for the period 2012-13 to Islamic University of Science and Technology for technical courses.
Dr. Trag said that the project entitled ‘establishment of quality control and food testing laboratory’ has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs. 386.82 lakhs by Union Ministry of Food Processing and Industries for the University.
The Vice Chancellor said that upto 80 percent construction has been completed in two academic buildings of Electronics and Communication Engineering and Computer Science and Engineering for which foundation was laid by the Chief Minister last year. He said 50 percent construction has been completed in OBC girls hostel for which foundation was laid by the Minister for Social Welfare, ART and Trainings and Public Grievances.
He said that online admission process has been started from current year and fully automated admission process is on. He said the project proposal for creation and re-modeling of departments for an integrated Masters and Doctorate programme in Nutrition Biology has been submitted to the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.
The Vice Chancellor said that three supernumerary seats per course in Engineering streams introduced under NRI quota has been introduced from academic session 2013 to enhance own resource base of Islamic University of Science and Technology. He said that the AICTE Tuition Fee Waiver scheme has been adopted and 44 students benefited during 2012-13.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Higher Education, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Principal Secretary Planning and Development, B. R. Sharma, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Secretary Higher Education and Secretary Technical Education.