Says platforms like India Skills offer our youth a chance to showcase their talent at national and international levels
KS News Desk
Srinagar, Sept 19: The University of Kashmir (KU), through its Directorate of Lifelong Learning (DLL), organised an Awareness-cum-Orientation programme on India Skills 2025.
The event was held under the banner of Seva Parv -2025 in collaboration with the Mission Directorate, J&K Skill Development Department (JKSDD), and coordinated by the Department of Students Welfare (DSW).
The programme introduced students and trainees to the upcoming India Skills 2025 competition. It familiarised them with the selection process and highlighted the scope such platforms create for professional and career growth.
Presiding over the inaugural session, KU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nilofer Khan reaffirmed the Universitys commitment to strengthening skill-based learning and entrepreneurship.
Equipping our students with modern skills is vital not only for their personal growth but also for the economic and social development of J&K. Platforms like India Skills offer our youth a chance to showcase their talent at national and international levels, she said.
In his remarks Dean Academic Affairs KU Prof. Shariefuddin Pirzada, underlined the need to integrate skill-based training within the academic system to improve innovation and employability.
Registrar KU, Prof. Naseer Iqbal said that the Universitys various initiatives reflect its growing emphasis on preparing students for emerging job markets.
Mr. Shahzad Alam (IAS), Director JKSDD, presented an overview of the India Skills 2025 competition. He also highlighted entrepreneurship as a key driver for sustainable livelihoods.
Mr. Syed Tabasum Geelani, OSD, Mission Directorate JKSDD, described skill enhancement as a visa to new opportunities in a highly competitive environment. He encouraged students to participate in national-level skill contests to broaden their prospects.
In his welcome remarks, Director DLL KU Prof. M.I. Geer spoke about the Directorates initiatives to promote lifelong learning through diverse training programmes. He reiterated its commitment to strengthening industryacademia partnerships.
As part of the programme, trainers and trainees who had successfully completed DLLs skill-based courses were felicitated.
Altaf Hussain, Education Extension Officer, DLL, conducted the proceedings of the session while Mr. Waseem Raja, Project Officer, DLL, proposed the vote of thanks.
Alongside the orientation, the Institute of Home Science launched a donation drive for clothing and stationery. Counters for books, clothes, and stationery have been set up across the campus to encourage student and staff participation.
The initiative aims to promote compassion and community service values as part of Seva Parv 2025.
'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.
Suhail Khan Baramulla, Jan 6: A young aerospace engineer from Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district is proving that dedication and ambition can propel one to global heights. Munaf-ul-Raquib who holds a B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering, has gained international recognition for his research on black holes and cosmology. Munaf-ul-Raquib revealed that his paper on the thermodynamics of black holes was recently published in the International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR). “About a year ago, I conducted research on the gravity of black holes and cosmology, which has now been published in IJSR,” he said. He said that since his research was published in the international journal, he has been receiving opportunities from various countries to participate in research dialogues. Raquib added that in the coming months he is scheduled to participate in international conferences in Paris on April 16 and later in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Sopore aerospace engineer noted that he is also participating in various conferences across different countries. Speaking about his research, Munaf-ul-Raquib addressed a fundamental paradox in astrophysics: how black holes can appear to violate thermodynamic laws, particularly concerning entropy.“If we observe a black hole, it seems to contradict thermodynamic principles,” he said. Using the frameworks of Anti-de Sitter space (AdS) and Conformal Field Theory (CFT), Raqeeb’s research proposes a theoretical model that reconciles black hole mechanics with thermodynamics. “In this paper, I have explained how a black hole can function without violating thermodynamic laws,” he said. He described the achievement as both personal and symbolic. “It is a proud moment for me to represent my state, especially Sopore, on an international platform,” he said. Raqeeb shared that Astrophysics was his childhood dream, and his grandfather encouraged me immensely. "After my grandfather passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic, my parents continued to champion my aspirations. My parents left no stone unturned in helping me pursue my dreams,” he said. He said that his academic path included taking the JEE and later the AME CET entrance exams, through which he secured a seat in aerospace engineering at the Nasik Research Centre. “My parents not only supported me morally but also created an environment where I could pursue my dreams freely,” he said. He emphasized the role of family in nurturing talent. “Just as my parents supported me, it is the responsibility of all parents to help their children follow their dreams.” “Young people should avoid wrong practices. They must dream of a beautiful tomorrow but work hard today to make their parents proud,” he further added.
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.
Srinagar, Jan 8: The Director of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has pulled up the officers vested with the powers of Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) as their additional assignment, for indulging in administrative works, beyond their domain. As per the order issued by the Director School Education Kashmir Naseer Ahmad Wani, the officers having additional DDO powers, have been reprimanded for going beyond their role of duties. "It has come to the notice of the DSEK that many officers of the department vested with DDOs powers are affecting transfers and doing administrative works having no authority to do so," the order reads. As per the order, all these DDOs holding charge in additional capacity have been asked to utilise the powers for the purpose of drawing and disbursing salary and other financial matters within the limits of the authority. "The officers shall not exercise any administrative powers particularly with respect to the transfer of staff," it reads. The DSEK has warned of disciplinary action in case of violation of the order by any officers. "Any deviation from the instant order shall be viewed seriously and invite disciplinary action," it reads.
Baramulla, Jan 9: Deputy Commissioner Baramulla on Thursday said that the situation caused by the landslides on Ur-Baramulla was temporary and would be resolved once the excavation process of the road is completed. The statement comes amid the concerns over recurring landslides on the Uri–Baramulla road due to ongoing road widening project being executed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Talking to Kashmir Square, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Minga Sherpa said that such issues are common during the construction of hill roads and should not be viewed as an unusual development. “There is no major issue. Whenever a hill road is constructed or widened, such problems are recurrent,” he said. He further said that the slopes usually take time to stabilise after excavation. "The excavation process affects the natural stability of the hillside and it generally takes one to two years for slopes to fully stabilise," he said. Minga Sherpa said several slope stabilisation measures are already in place to minimise risks. “Grouting has been done and protective walling has also been constructed at several points,” DC Baramulla told Kashmir Square. He further said that around 200 metres of excavation work is still pending on the stretch and the remaining cutting work is expected to be completed within a month. “Once the excavation is finished, the BRO and concerned agencies will carry out full-fledged slope stabilisation measures. After that, such incidents will not occur again,” he said. Over the past few weeks, the Uri–Baramulla road, a vital link connecting the border town of Uri with Baramulla district witnessed intermittent traffic disruptions due to landslides triggered by excavation work, raising safety concerns among commuters. The Baramulla–Uri National Highway remained closed on Thursday after another landslide struck the stretch - the third such incident reported in the last 20 days, causing severe inconvenience to commuters. A fresh landslide hit the highway on Thursday afternoon, forcing authorities to immediately halt traffic movement on the route as a precautionary measure. It was the third such incident in just 20 days on the Baramulla–Uri National Highway, following two earlier slides that also triggered full traffic halts and diversions through alternate routes. Only emergency vehicles were allowed to pass, while all routine traffic was stopped to avoid any untoward incident. An official said the road clearance operations were launched soon after the incident, with personnel and machinery mobilised to remove debris and stabilise the affected area. "The highway was made motorable again from the evening hours," he said. The closure of the main Baramulla–Uri National Highway compelled authorities to divert vehicles through the dilapidated Khadniyar–Gantamulla road.
Srinagar, Jan 9: The University of Kashmir (KU) on Friday announced winter vacations for its main and satellite campuses from January 10 to February 22 of 2026. Registrar Kashmir University Prof Naseer Iqbal confirmed about the development. "The university shall observe winter vacations from January 10 to February 22, 2026,” Registrar KU said. Notably, the varsity administration earlier announced vacation for students stating that the winter vacation for faculty will be announced within days. The winter vacations were delayed for the faculty of the University in view of the Convocation scheduled in January, as earlier notified by the varsity administration. The University administration in a notification issued earlier had said the 21st Convocation of the University will be held in the last week of December 2025. However, a KU official said that the dates were not finalised as the varsity could not receive the confirmation about the Chief Guest for the occasion. Meanwhile, Registrar KU said that as and when the varsity will receive the confirmation about the chief guest and the final dates, the event will be held accordingly. "Vacations will not be any hurdle in it," he said.
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 KU’s 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 Department’s 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 University’s 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 varsity’s 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 region’s 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 07: The UGC–Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre (MMTTC), University of Kashmir (KU), on Tuesday began a week-long Faculty Development Programme on Academic Leadership and Resource Management (Interdisciplinary) at the Main Campus. The programme aims to strengthen leadership capacities among faculty members, enhance effective resource planning, and encourage interdisciplinary approaches to academic governance in higher education institutions. In her message, Vice-Chancellor KU, Prof. Nilofer Khan, highlighted the need for academic leadership that is responsive to institutional change. “Universities today require leaders who can combine academic vision with responsible resource management to ensure quality, equity, and sustainability in higher education.” Speaking at the inaugural session, Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir, Prof. A. Ravinder Nath, highlighted the importance of continuous faculty development and remarked, “Leadership in academia must evolve with changing educational demands, and programmes like this play a vital role in preparing faculty for administrative and academic responsibilities.” Registrar KU, Prof. Naseer Iqbal, in his remarks, said that structured training programmes contribute to strengthening institutional efficiency and enable faculty members to engage more effectively with policy, planning, and governance processes. Earlier, in his welcome address, Director MMTTC KU, Prof. Nazir Ahmed Nazir, noted that the programme seeks to build informed academic leaders by integrating leadership skills with effective resource management in contemporary university settings. Prof. Sabiya Mufti, Course Coordinator, presented an overview of the programme, detailing its objectives, structure, and expected learning outcomes. The programme includes a series of expert sessions on academic leadership, institutional governance, resource management, interdisciplinary practices, and policy implementation in higher education. It is being attended by faculty members from various higher educational institutions across the country. The proceedings of the inaugural session were conducted by Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim Wani, Coordinator MMTTC KU, while the vote of thanks was proposed by Prof. Sumeer Gul, Deputy Director MMTTC KU.