Jammu Jan 8: Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Nagrota constituency Devyani Rana chaired an extensive, people-centric review meeting of the Power Development Department (PDD) and the Health & Medical Education Department to assess the functioning of the departments. The meeting was convened to address pressing public concerns in the Nagrota constituency. The meeting focused on strengthening essential services, with particular emphasis on the needs of poor and vulnerable sections of society. The review was attended by the Superintending Engineer, JPDCL, along with Executive Engineers, Assistant Executive Engineers, Assistant Engineers and Junior Engineers of the Power Development Department. From the Health sector, Chief Medical Officer Jammu, Block Medical Officer (BMO) Dansal and Block Medical Officer (BMO) Bhalwal were present. While reviewing the Power Development Department, Devyani Rana reviewed concern over complaints from poor and low-income households regarding abnormally high electricity bills, which have caused significant financial distress to families across Nagrota. She said that several consumers have reported inflated bills despite limited usage and directed officials to immediately scrutinize such cases. The MLA stressed meter testing, correction of faulty readings, transparent billing practices and prompt relief to genuine consumers, especially those from economically weaker sections. She also directed the department to intensify awareness about the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana Scheme so that more households can benefit from renewable energy initiatives spearheaded by the Centre. She emphasised that rooftop solar can substantially reduce electricity bills and promote self-reliance and asked the officials to conduct local-level awareness drives and actively assist eligible families in availing the scheme. MLA also reviewed issues related to power supply, voltage fluctuations, damaged and overloaded transformers, pending infrastructure upgrades and unscheduled power cuts, particularly in rural and hilly areas. She instructed officers to ensure swift restoration of power supply, strengthen field-level infrastructure and improve the grievance redressal mechanism for time-bound resolution of public complaints. The acute shortage of manpower, especially linemen, also came up for discussion. Officials informed the MLA that the lack of adequate staff is adversely affecting timely redressal of power-related issues and restoration during breakdowns. Devyani Rana also assured that the matter of vacant posts and staff shortages would be taken up with higher authorities to ensure adequate manpower and better service delivery. While taking review of Health & Medical Education Department, MLA assessed the availability of doctors, paramedical staff, essential medicines, diagnostic facilities and ambulance services in health institutions serving Nagrota. She stressed the need to fill vacant posts, strengthen healthcare infrastructure and improve patient care to ensure accessible and affordable healthcare for all. Devyani Rana underscored that residents of remote and underserved areas should not be forced to travel long distances for basic medical treatment or suffer due to lack of essential facilities. She called for improved inter-departmental coordination and a more compassionate, people-friendly approach in service delivery. Reaffirming her commitment to public welfare, the MLA assured that all genuine grievances, particularly those related to high electricity bills, manpower shortages and healthcare gaps, would be taken up with the highest authorities. She emphasised transparency, accountability and responsive governance as the cornerstone of effective public service.
Srinagar, Jan 8: Contractual faculty members working in government degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department (HED) have expressed strong resentment over what they term as a glaring disparity in salaries, demanding revision of their pay in line with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and regularisation of their services. The faculty, many of whom hold PhDs and are qualified through NET, SET and JRF, said they have been denied UGC-recommended pay scales despite discharging academic responsibilities equivalent to their regular counterparts. âHundreds of highly qualified scholars have been pushed into silent suffering. For years, we have been assured that our pay revision is under consideration, but nothing has materialised so far,â said Dr Ishfaq Gowhar, a contractual faculty member. Earlier, Director Colleges J&K had acknowledged the legitimacy of the facultyâs demand, stating that while the issue was genuine, its implementation involved significant financial implications due to the large number of contractual appointments. âWe are aware that they deserve salary enhancement, but the number of contractual faculty is huge and it has financial implications,â he earlier said. Dr Gowhar pointed out that contractual lecturers, who form the backbone of the higher education system, continue to work on a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 28,000, which has remained unchanged for nearly a decade. âThe irony is that a Class IV employee with a Class 10 qualification draws a salary exceeding Rs 50,000, while doctorate-holding teachers engaged in teaching, mentoring and academic research are paid a fraction of that,â he said. He added that institutions such as SKUAST-K, University of Kashmir and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have implemented revised UGC pay scales, but the Higher Education Department has failed to extend similar treatment to its contractual faculty. Dr Gowhar said the demand for âequal work, equal payâ gets prominently featured in election campaigns, raising hopes among contractual teachers. âPromises were made and slogans echoed during elections, but once the process ended, our voices were reduced to silence. Even meeting officials now feels impossible,â he said. He said contractual faculty were not seeking privileges but dignity, fairness and recognition for their service. The faculty appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Education Minister to intervene and take concrete steps towards addressing their long-pending demands. âThis issue is not merely about salaries. It is about survival, justice and dignity in the classrooms of Jammu and Kashmir,â he said.
Srinagar, Jan 8: In a latest development, the Private Schools Association Jammu & Kashmir (PSAJK) has constituted an independent Election Commission to conduct and observe the elections of the association in a transparent, democratic, and time-bound manner. In a handout issued here, the Election Commission shall comprise former President PSAJK G N Var while former Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Mohammed Rafi and Chairman civil society Qayoom Wani have been designated as observers of the commission. The other members include MD Green scan consultations Farooq Ahamd Ashai, MD Thinksite Mahmood Rashid, Mushtaq Canny, Majid Bhat central PSAJK, Chairperson SRM Welkin Sopore Baseema Hajini, Marzia Javaid PSAJK, Advocate Tehseen Ahmad, Nazir Ahmad (former president Kupwar), Hafizullah Khudwani (Doda) and Maulana Ghulam Qadir Banday. "It was resolved by majority in advisory committee that the Elections of PSAJK shall be conducted under the supervision and observation of the Election Commission in three phases in all the districts of J&K UT," the handout reads. The district bodies have been asked to complete the electoral roll of members and submit in central office Bemina by or before January 30 of 2026.
Srinagar Jan 8: The Vice Chancellor University of Kashmir on Thursday said that the designation of Persian department as Gyan Bharatam for Cluster Centre for manuscript preservation will strengthen KU's role as key contributor to national cultural, research priorities. The statement comes in the wake of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, designating KUâs Persian Department as a Gyan Bharatam Cluster Centre for J&K for a five-year term. The selection has been done in recognition of the Departmentâs sustained academic performance and expertise in manuscript studies. Prof. Nilofer Khan welcomed the recognition and said the designation of the Department of Persian as a Gyan Bharatam Cluster Centre reflects the Universityâs long-standing commitment to safeguarding the nation's manuscript heritage. "This initiative will help preserve invaluable intellectual traditions for future generations through systematic and scientific methods," she said. She added that the project would strengthen varsityâs role as a key contributor to national cultural and research priorities. The Department will undertake large-scale projects related to the identification, cataloguing, preservation, conservation, digitisation, and research of manuscripts across Jammu and Kashmir. The initiative will cover valuable manuscripts housed in government, semi-government, public and private repositories, as well as temples, khanqahs, gurdwaras, trusts, and personal collections. Jammu and Kashmir is home to nearly 70,000 to 90,000 manuscripts, many of which suffered extensive damage during the 2014 floods, resulting in the loss of a significant portion of the regionâs documentary heritage. The project will be implemented in line with the guidelines of the Gyan Bharatam programme, Ministry of Culture, New Delhi, and will include the establishment of sub-centres in Jammu and other parts of the Valley to ensure wider outreach and access. The Department of Persian KU already hosts a Manuscripts Resource Centre (MRC) under the National Mission for Manuscripts and has successfully completed several major projects supported by UGC, ICHR, ICSSR, and the Ministry of Culture. The initiative is expected to play a key role in restoring, documenting, and researching rare manuscripts and Indian literary heritage in Jammu and Kashmir over the next five years. The initiative will be implemented under a Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier between Gyan Bharatam, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the Department of Persian, University of Kashmir, for a period of five years.
Jammu Jan 8: Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Nagrota constituency Devyani Rana chaired an extensive, people-centric review meeting of the Power Development Department (PDD) and the Health & Medical Education Department to assess the functioning of the departments. The meeting was convened to address pressing public concerns in the Nagrota constituency. The meeting focused on strengthening essential services, with particular emphasis on the needs of poor and vulnerable sections of society. The review was attended by the Superintending Engineer, JPDCL, along with Executive Engineers, Assistant Executive Engineers, Assistant Engineers and Junior Engineers of the Power Development Department. From the Health sector, Chief Medical Officer Jammu, Block Medical Officer (BMO) Dansal and Block Medical Officer (BMO) Bhalwal were present. While reviewing the Power Development Department, Devyani Rana reviewed concern over complaints from poor and low-income households regarding abnormally high electricity bills, which have caused significant financial distress to families across Nagrota. She said that several consumers have reported inflated bills despite limited usage and directed officials to immediately scrutinize such cases. The MLA stressed meter testing, correction of faulty readings, transparent billing practices and prompt relief to genuine consumers, especially those from economically weaker sections. She also directed the department to intensify awareness about the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana Scheme so that more households can benefit from renewable energy initiatives spearheaded by the Centre. She emphasised that rooftop solar can substantially reduce electricity bills and promote self-reliance and asked the officials to conduct local-level awareness drives and actively assist eligible families in availing the scheme. MLA also reviewed issues related to power supply, voltage fluctuations, damaged and overloaded transformers, pending infrastructure upgrades and unscheduled power cuts, particularly in rural and hilly areas. She instructed officers to ensure swift restoration of power supply, strengthen field-level infrastructure and improve the grievance redressal mechanism for time-bound resolution of public complaints. The acute shortage of manpower, especially linemen, also came up for discussion. Officials informed the MLA that the lack of adequate staff is adversely affecting timely redressal of power-related issues and restoration during breakdowns. Devyani Rana also assured that the matter of vacant posts and staff shortages would be taken up with higher authorities to ensure adequate manpower and better service delivery. While taking review of Health & Medical Education Department, MLA assessed the availability of doctors, paramedical staff, essential medicines, diagnostic facilities and ambulance services in health institutions serving Nagrota. She stressed the need to fill vacant posts, strengthen healthcare infrastructure and improve patient care to ensure accessible and affordable healthcare for all. Devyani Rana underscored that residents of remote and underserved areas should not be forced to travel long distances for basic medical treatment or suffer due to lack of essential facilities. She called for improved inter-departmental coordination and a more compassionate, people-friendly approach in service delivery. Reaffirming her commitment to public welfare, the MLA assured that all genuine grievances, particularly those related to high electricity bills, manpower shortages and healthcare gaps, would be taken up with the highest authorities. She emphasised transparency, accountability and responsive governance as the cornerstone of effective public service.
'I have complete faith in our Youthâs potential, their resolve to shape a developed India' Jammu, Jan 7: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha on Wednesday, virtually, flagged off a 53-member Youth Contingent from UT of Jammu Kashmir for New Delhi to participate in the 29th National Youth Festival-Viksit Bharat Young Leadersâ Dialogue-2026. To commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda on 12th January, the National Youth Festival (NYF) dedicated to youth empowerment and unity for the youth is organised annually. In the year 2025, the National Youth Festival was restructured as Viksit Bharat Young Leadersâ Dialogue to align with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. The contingent selected for the Viksit Bharat Challenge Track and Cultural/Innovation Track will represent J&K at the prestigious national event at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 10th to 12th January 2026. Interacting with the participating youth through virtual mode, the Lieutenant Governor extended his best wishes for the prestigious event. He congratulated the participants for emerging from local competitions to reach the national stage, noting that their journey reflects the immense potential inherent in the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. âYouth is not a matter about age. It is the mindset. It is about courage, curiosity, and the power to bring about change. I have complete faith in our Youthâs potential and their resolve to shape a developed India,â the Lieutenant Governor said. Invoking Swami Vivekanandaâs iconic clarion call, âArise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached,â the Lieutenant Governor urged the youth to make their dreams the sole purpose of their lives and to consider every challenge on the way as a lesson in discipline and patience. He emphasized that true leadership is defined not by personal achievements, but by the ability to create opportunities for others. âYour greatest responsibility is towards society and the nation. True progress is about creating opportunities for others to move forward. Develop future capabilities, focus on character building and embrace lifelong learning. Be bold, be fearless, think beyond boundaries. Your courage, discipline, clarity, and determination, combined with the experience will be your guide in this journey toward Viksit Bharat,â the Lieutenant Governor told the Youth. Commissioner Secretary to Government Youth Services and Sports Yasha Mudgal, Director General Youth Services and Sports Anuradha Gupta, senior officials, participating youth and officials accompanying the Contingent were present.
Srinagar, Jan 8: Contractual faculty members working in government degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department (HED) have expressed strong resentment over what they term as a glaring disparity in salaries, demanding revision of their pay in line with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and regularisation of their services. The faculty, many of whom hold PhDs and are qualified through NET, SET and JRF, said they have been denied UGC-recommended pay scales despite discharging academic responsibilities equivalent to their regular counterparts. âHundreds of highly qualified scholars have been pushed into silent suffering. For years, we have been assured that our pay revision is under consideration, but nothing has materialised so far,â said Dr Ishfaq Gowhar, a contractual faculty member. Earlier, Director Colleges J&K had acknowledged the legitimacy of the facultyâs demand, stating that while the issue was genuine, its implementation involved significant financial implications due to the large number of contractual appointments. âWe are aware that they deserve salary enhancement, but the number of contractual faculty is huge and it has financial implications,â he earlier said. Dr Gowhar pointed out that contractual lecturers, who form the backbone of the higher education system, continue to work on a fixed monthly honorarium of Rs 28,000, which has remained unchanged for nearly a decade. âThe irony is that a Class IV employee with a Class 10 qualification draws a salary exceeding Rs 50,000, while doctorate-holding teachers engaged in teaching, mentoring and academic research are paid a fraction of that,â he said. He added that institutions such as SKUAST-K, University of Kashmir and Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) have implemented revised UGC pay scales, but the Higher Education Department has failed to extend similar treatment to its contractual faculty. Dr Gowhar said the demand for âequal work, equal payâ gets prominently featured in election campaigns, raising hopes among contractual teachers. âPromises were made and slogans echoed during elections, but once the process ended, our voices were reduced to silence. Even meeting officials now feels impossible,â he said. He said contractual faculty were not seeking privileges but dignity, fairness and recognition for their service. The faculty appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Education Minister to intervene and take concrete steps towards addressing their long-pending demands. âThis issue is not merely about salaries. It is about survival, justice and dignity in the classrooms of Jammu and Kashmir,â he said.
Srinagar, Jan 8: In a latest development, the Private Schools Association Jammu & Kashmir (PSAJK) has constituted an independent Election Commission to conduct and observe the elections of the association in a transparent, democratic, and time-bound manner. In a handout issued here, the Election Commission shall comprise former President PSAJK G N Var while former Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Mohammed Rafi and Chairman civil society Qayoom Wani have been designated as observers of the commission. The other members include MD Green scan consultations Farooq Ahamd Ashai, MD Thinksite Mahmood Rashid, Mushtaq Canny, Majid Bhat central PSAJK, Chairperson SRM Welkin Sopore Baseema Hajini, Marzia Javaid PSAJK, Advocate Tehseen Ahmad, Nazir Ahmad (former president Kupwar), Hafizullah Khudwani (Doda) and Maulana Ghulam Qadir Banday. "It was resolved by majority in advisory committee that the Elections of PSAJK shall be conducted under the supervision and observation of the Election Commission in three phases in all the districts of J&K UT," the handout reads. The district bodies have been asked to complete the electoral roll of members and submit in central office Bemina by or before January 30 of 2026.
Srinagar Jan 8: The Vice Chancellor University of Kashmir on Thursday said that the designation of Persian department as Gyan Bharatam for Cluster Centre for manuscript preservation will strengthen KU's role as key contributor to national cultural, research priorities. The statement comes in the wake of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, designating KUâs Persian Department as a Gyan Bharatam Cluster Centre for J&K for a five-year term. The selection has been done in recognition of the Departmentâs sustained academic performance and expertise in manuscript studies. Prof. Nilofer Khan welcomed the recognition and said the designation of the Department of Persian as a Gyan Bharatam Cluster Centre reflects the Universityâs long-standing commitment to safeguarding the nation's manuscript heritage. "This initiative will help preserve invaluable intellectual traditions for future generations through systematic and scientific methods," she said. She added that the project would strengthen varsityâs role as a key contributor to national cultural and research priorities. The Department will undertake large-scale projects related to the identification, cataloguing, preservation, conservation, digitisation, and research of manuscripts across Jammu and Kashmir. The initiative will cover valuable manuscripts housed in government, semi-government, public and private repositories, as well as temples, khanqahs, gurdwaras, trusts, and personal collections. Jammu and Kashmir is home to nearly 70,000 to 90,000 manuscripts, many of which suffered extensive damage during the 2014 floods, resulting in the loss of a significant portion of the regionâs documentary heritage. The project will be implemented in line with the guidelines of the Gyan Bharatam programme, Ministry of Culture, New Delhi, and will include the establishment of sub-centres in Jammu and other parts of the Valley to ensure wider outreach and access. The Department of Persian KU already hosts a Manuscripts Resource Centre (MRC) under the National Mission for Manuscripts and has successfully completed several major projects supported by UGC, ICHR, ICSSR, and the Ministry of Culture. The initiative is expected to play a key role in restoring, documenting, and researching rare manuscripts and Indian literary heritage in Jammu and Kashmir over the next five years. The initiative will be implemented under a Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier between Gyan Bharatam, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the Department of Persian, University of Kashmir, for a period of five years.
Srinagar, Jan 8: The University of Kashmir (KU) has made the biometric attendance mandatory for the students of its affiliated colleges from Academic session 2026-27. The development comes in wake of the complaints about the thin attendance of the students in various private B.Ed colleges affiliated with the Kashmir University. A circular in this regard has been issued by the Assistant Registrar Dean Colleges Development Council (DCDC) of the University. "All the Chairpersons and Principals of private affiliated colleges of the University of Kashmir are hereby informed that biometric attendance for all the enrolled students and staff has been made mandatory from the year 2026-27," the KU circular reads. The Principals of all the affiliated colleges have been directed to install biometric attendance machines in their respective institutions on or before the commencement of the Academic year 2026-27 under intimation to the Dean College Development Council of the University. "The college shall also ensure proper upkeep, maintenance, and systematic preservation of all biometric attendance records for future reference and verification," it reads. The Colleges have been directed to comply with this directive "without fail." The move comes in wake of the inspections conducted last year by the DCDC of KU in various B.Ed colleges where most of the students were found absent. An official said that there were complaints about the poor attendance of the students in B.Ed colleges. "The students do not attend their B.Ed classes regularly which defeats the purpose of the course," the official said. Earlier, DCDC of KU earlier barred the B.Ed students to appear in teh semester exams for falling short of attendance. The decision was taken in wake of the surprise inspection conducted by Dean College Development Council (DCDC) in various B.Ed colleges of Kashmir in June-July month of 2025 and several students were found absent from the classes. Following this, the students were directed to attend supplementary classes to complete the recommended attendance for appearing in their exams. Also, the exam of these students was deferred by few months.
KS News Desk Baramulla, Jan 6: Drug abuse has emerged as the biggest challenge in Jammu and Kashmir after terrorism, Deputy Inspector General of Police, North Kashmir Range (NKR), Maqsood Ul Zamaan said on Tuesday, asserting that police are taking sustained and strong action to curb the menace. Talking to reporters here, the DIG said police in North Kashmir have made significant progress against drug trafficking, with large quantities of narcotic substances recovered and several people arrested in recent months. He said many of the accused involved in drug-related offences have also been detained under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT NDPS) Act. âThe J&K Police cannot fight this battle alone. Public cooperation is crucial. Without the support of common people, achieving the desired success against drugs is not possible,â Maqsood Ul Zamaan said. The DIG said police have also begun attaching and seizing properties of drug traffickers as part of efforts to dismantle the entire network and cut off financial links. Responding to a question on the use of virtual private networks (VPNs), Ul Zamaan said such tools are often misused to conceal illegal activities and that their misuse is being closely monitored as it could pose a threat to national security. On infiltration attempts in North Kashmir, the DIG said the region being a border area remains sensitive, but security agencies have put robust arrangements in place. âThe situation is under constant surveillance, and security forces are fully alert,â he said. Zamaan reiterated that police would continue to intensify operations against drug trafficking while simultaneously seeking cooperation from the public to address the problem effectively. (KNS)
Addresses teachers convention at Udhampur, hails then CM Dr. Farooq Abdullahâs decision of introducing ReT scheme KS News Desk Udhampur, Jan 5:Â Minister for Education, Social Welfare, Health and Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo Monday addressed the One Day Convention of Teachers here, underscoring the pivotal role of teachers in shaping a progressive and enlightened society. Director School Education Jammu Naseem Javaid Choudhary, ACR Udhampur, Joint Director School Education Udhampur/Reasi, DSWO Udhampur, CMO Udhampur, CEO Udhampur, other senior officers of Education department and large number of teachers were also present on the occasion. Speaking to a large gathering of educators, the education minister lauded teachers as the true architects of building progressive society, stating that their contribution goes far beyond classrooms and textbooks. âTeachers play a decisive role in nurturing responsible citizens and strengthening moral and intellectual fabric of societyâ, she said. The education minister called upon teachers to adapt to evolving educational challenges and adopt innovative teaching methods to meet the aspirations of the younger generation. She stressed that continuous professional development and value-based education are essential to keep pace with changing times. She lauded the teachers for their contribution to education sector and said that under the visionary leadership of then Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, the revolutionary step of introducing Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) scheme was initiated which changed the dynamics of school education sector in J&K. Â She added that due to ReT scheme, students of far-flung areas, who couldnât afford to move to cities for educational purposes, received education in their respective areas. She highlighted that the teachers need to be acknowledged for their contribution to the society, adding that the large number of IAS, IPS and JKAS officers have studied from government schools for which their teachers need to acknowledged. She emphasised the need to reform and strengthen the teacherâstudent relationship saying the mutual respect, trust and understanding must form the foundation of all educational institutions. She highlighted that some positive reforms need to be initiated for improving student-teacher relationship in educational institutions. She reiterated the governmentâs commitment to improving the education sector and assured that sustained efforts are being made by the Omar Abdullah led government to upgrade infrastructure, enhance teaching standards and promote holistic learning across educational institutions of J&K. Addressing the gathering, Director School Education Jammu said the government has worked tirelessly from last one year for the development of education sector, particularly the change of Academic session, timely updation of seniority lists, conduct of DPCs and other related issues have been solved and some are under active consideration of the government. He highlighted that various reformative steps for the betterment of education sector are under process of the government, which will significantly improve the educational standards across Jammu and Kashmir. On the occasion, various teachers spoke and lauded the efforts of Government, especially education minister for various path breaking initiatives in education sector. They expressed gratitude to Minister for various decisions like change in academic session, regularisation of CPWs, posting of Principals and other teachers in various schools which was long pending issue, availability of textbooks in schools, timely updation of seniority lists as well as regular conduct of DPCs at all levels. On the occasion, the teachers also put forth some demands before the minister like provision of leave salary to teachers at the time of retirement, restoration of Old Pension Scheme (OPS), withdrawal of teachers from non teaching assignments in other departments like Census, Surveys and others as well as timely disbursement of dues for Mid Day Meal (MDM) scheme. On the sidelines of the Convention, the education minister distributed sewing machines among women beneficiaries of Social Welfare department. Â She also distributed bicycles among school children for their outstanding performance in various National sports championships and academic activities.
VC sets sight on top spot among SAUsKS News DeskSrinagar, Jan 1:Â On New Years Day, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir held a special celebratory event to mark the start of 2026 by honouring the scientists, students, and university staff whose efforts propelled the institution to its current standing as the third-best state agricultural university(SAU) in the country.Addressing a packed audience, Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai set a high bar for the coming year. While presenting the Achiever of the Year awards, Prof Ganai credited the university's upward growth trajectory to the relentless hard work of its staff."It is your dedication that has made this university the third-best in the country," Prof Ganai remarked. "The surge in externally funded projects, patents, innovations, and startups is a testimony to your labour. We are a brand university now, and every initiative we take must be for the upliftment of our stakeholders. Our vision is clear: to emerge as a global transdisciplinary university, a strategic policy thinktank, and target J&K as a model bioeconomy for the nation."Registrar, SKUAST-K, Prof Azmat Alam Khan, provided an overview of the previous years milestones, highlighting how the university has become central to the sustainable agriculture and economic development of Jammu and Kashmir.The event also saw the high-profile launch of the SKUAST-K Calendar for 2026. Describing the publication as more than just a datebook, the Vice Chancellor noted that each page was designed to depict the institution's uniqueness and growth story. "Sky is our limit," he told the gathering, "and this calendar invites everyone to be a part of our transformative journey." Alongside the calendar, the December 2025 edition of Shalimar AgriTalk was released, featuring various happenings at the university, success stories and the Vice Chancellors roadmap for the New Year.In a move toward further industrial integration, the university held an e-launch for 550 MSME skill programs aimed at fostering skill development and entrepreneurship among the youth pf Jammu and Kasshmir.The awards ceremony itself was diverse, recognizing a wide spectrum of contributions. "Achiever of the Year" certificates were handed out for innovations, academic excellence, community outreach, and Human Resource Development. Recipients included faculty and student startup founders, Research Station and KVK heads, and Principal Investigators leading major projects like HADP and JKCIP. Scientists who developed groundbreaking technologies and new crop varieties stood alongside administrative staff from various directorates, all recognized for their role in the university's ecosystem.The proceedings were marked by a sense of community and a poignant farewell. Prof. Haroon R. Naik welcomed the faculty and officials, while Prof. Nasir Ahmad Dar conducted the days events. The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks by Joint Registrar Pervaiz Ahmad Bhat. Bhat, who is set to superannuate next month, received a warm acknowledgement from his colleagues for his years of service to the university administration. Vice Chancellor Prof Ganai thanked Bhat for his dedicated service as an astute administrator and a pillar of institutional integrity, whose tireless efforts significantly strengthened the universitys governance during his long and distinguished tenure.Director Extension, Prof Raihana Habib, Director Education Mohammad Altaf Bhat, Deans of various faculties, Comptroller SKUAST-K, Controller Examinations, and other officers of the university were also present at the occasion.
Department saves property worth Rs 5,000 crore, fire incidents decline 25 percent,KS News DeskJammu, Jan 01: The Fire and Emergency Services (F&ES) Jammu and Kashmir responded to 6,039 fire calls, 59 rescue calls and 53 false alarms across the Union Territory in 2025, officials said.As per the official figures, the department deployed 322 fire tenders and Quick Response Vehicles (QRVs) supported by 2,157 personnel, saving property worth approximately ?5,000 crore while limiting losses to around ?300 crore.The number of fire incidents declined to 6,039 in 2025 from 8,033 in 2024, a reduction of about 25 percent, attributed to intensified prevention drives and public awareness campaigns.Director Fire and Emergency Services, Alok Kumar, said the department continued its Har Ghar Fire Fighter campaign, conducting 9,887 awareness programmes across schools, hospitals, nursing homes and other establishments, reaching over 10.3 lakh people.Officials said fire tenders, QRVs and fire pumps were pre-positioned at vulnerable locations during extreme weather, and local volunteers were trained in basic firefighting. Institutional audits were conducted at 3,728 hospitals, hotels, schools, government offices and commercial establishments, with recommendations issued to improve fire safety infrastructure.The department also supported flood operations in Anantnag and Srinagar, rescue operations in border districts under Operation Sindoor, and fire safety during the Amarnathji Yatra by establishing more than 30 temporary fire stations.A new Fire Training Centre at Bari Brahmana trained two batches in Basic Firemanship and six batches in refresher courses.Officials said the achievements reflect a holistic approach combining operational readiness, prevention, training and community participation to safeguard lives and property across the Union Territory. (KNS)
'Results likely to get delayed in absence of Chairman' Jammu, Jan 7: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) on Wednesday said the result of the class 10th examinations will be declared soon after the appointment of the Chairman of the Board. The statement comes amid the uncertainty about the declaration of the results by JKBOSE. In an official handout issued here, JKBOSE has advised students not to pay heed to fake links and websites announcing declaration of class 10 results. "Result of class 10th will be declared within few days soon after the appointment of new Chairman," the statement reads. The JKBOSE has stated that the results of annual examination of class 10 of Kashmir valley and winter zone areas of Jammu Division are almost ready. "But its approval by Result Declaration Committee headed by BOSE Chairman is a pre- requisite before its declaration. In absence of the Chairman the results are likely to get a little delayed," it reads. The JKBOSE officials have advised the students to wait for the formal declaration on the official website of the Board- www.jkbose.nic.in. "Students should not get misled by scamesters and fake narratives circulated by some mischievous elements, whose sole aim is to create confusion in the innocent student community," the statement reads.
