Srinagar, Dec 7 (KNS): Syed Showket Gayoor, Executive Council member of Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) called upon the Vice Chancellor Prof. A. R. Trag Monday at the university in Awantipora.
Prof Trag congratulated Gayoor on his nomination for the Executive Council of IUST by Chief Minister Muftio Mohammad Sayeed, who is also the Chancellor IUST, and welcomed him.
A spokesman of the varsity told KNS Prof Trag briefed Gayoor about the university functioning and the journey of the university thus far.
Gayoor congratulated Prof Trag for IUST being accredited ‘B’ grade by the NAAC and for the grant of 12(b) status by UGC. He lauded the efforts of Prof Trag for these achievements.
While appreciating the vision of the university Gayoor suggested inclusion of Urdu, Kashmiri, Persian and Molecular Biology in the future academic plans. He suggested that programmes in Urdu and Kashmiri be instituted from the next academic session.
He further suggested that the university should lay emphasis on the recruitment of permanent faculty which will be in the overall interests of the students.
Gayoor was informed that for the recruitment of staff rules and regulations as laid down by the UGC/ University statutes are followed. Admissions also are made purely on the basis of entrance tests conducted by CBSE, AICTE, or itself by the university, besides reservations as stipulated by the Government are also considered in admissions.
Gayoor on enquiring about the research activities in the University was informed that the University pursues research as well under PhD programmes in various disciplines and externally funded research projects.
It was mentioned that presently there 34 research scholars are registered in the university under various departments. He was informed that the research projects to the tune of Rs 10 Crores were submitted to various funding agencies like UGC, ICAR, Ministry of Food Processing etc out of which projects worth more than Rs 6 Crores have been sanctioned.
Gayoor suggested that the faculty be urged to get more and more research projects and thus improve the research profile of the university.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The issue of land also came discussion, Prof Trag informed Gayoor that all the universities which were established in the State in the last decade or so have more than 4000 Kanals of Land which was procured with substantive support from the government. IUST presently is having on 294 Kanals of land which is a serious impediment in its future physical growth. The university by virtue of the IUST Act is a residential university and needs adequate land for raising the necessary infrastructure like academic blocks, laboratories workshops, library, hostels and residential quarters to make the university fully residential.
He however added that Chief Minister is taking keen interest in the development of the university and has been kind enough to issue instructions to initially allot around 1000 kanals of the State land available in the vicinity to IUST.
The university has requested to the State government regarding the financial assistance for purchase of propriety land lying between the IUST campus and the State land proposed to be transferred to IUST to act as which will act as corridor between the two.
Prof. Trag informed Gayoor that the university in the initial stage will be requiring huge funding in order to put the essential infrastructure in place. Funding will also be required to create a provision for meritorious but financially weak students for monetary support.
He was informed that the university in future contemplates new programmes in the fields of Nanotechnology, Robotics, M. Tech and research programmes in engineering disciplines, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, Water Engineering, Network Security, Wireless Communication, Environmental Science, Disaster Management, Mobile Telecommunication, Diploma in tunneling etc.
The meeting lasted for more than four hours followed by a campus visit by Gayoor. He appreciated the growth achieved by the university in a short span of time. Prof Trag thanked Gayoor for his time and concern about the university welfare. (KNS)