Srinagar, July 6(KNS): The teaching fraternity of the University of Kashmir on Thursday welcomed the UT administration's historic decision to enhance the retirement age of University professors to 65 years as per the UGC guidelines.

In a statement, the faculty members across University's main and satellite campuses expressed their deep gratitude to the Honourable LG (Honorable Chancellor, University of Kashmir), Shri Manoj Sinha, for taking the historic decision of increasing the retirement age and thus fulfilling the long-pending demand of the University professors.

The faculty members said the UT administration's landmark decision will go a long way in further boosting the academic progression of the University and addressing the faculty shortage in the University to secure the academic interest of the student community.

The faculty members also thanked the worthy Chief Secretary, J&K, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta and Commissioner/Secretary, Higher Education Department, Shri Alok Kumar, for their unflinching commitment to increase the retirement of University professors with this landmark decision taken under the dynamic leadership of the Honourable LG.

The University faculty also places on record its deep gratitude and appreciation to the Honourable Vice-Chancellor University of Kashmir Prof Nilofer Khan for relentlessly pursuing the demand for increasing the retirement age of University professors with the larger objective of strengthening the University's teaching and research arenas.

The faculty members asserted that the University of Kashmir has already made big strides, including the much-acclaimed recognition of NIRF rank 33, under the leadership of the Honourable Chancellor and is marching ahead on the path of academic excellence.

"The entire teaching fraternity of the University assures the Honorable Chancellor and the Honourable Vice-Chancellor of continuing to work with greater dedication and commitment to realise the objectives of the flagship National Education Policy-2020 and to transform the University of Kashmir into a centre of excellence in near future," the faculty members said in the statement.(KNS).