'Will bridge the gap between scientific advancements and commercial opportunities'
KS News Desk
Srinagar, Mar 24: A three-day National conference cum workshop kick-started at University of Kashmir (KU) on Monday.
The workshop is being organised to provide a platform for experts, researchers, students, orchid growers and policy planners from across the country to discuss innovative strategies for orchid preservation, sustainable cultivation and cutting-edge pharmacological applications.
Titled Excellence in Ornamental and Medicinal Orchids: Bridging Gaps in Innovation, Cultivation, Conservation, and Resource Development of Orchid-Based Pharmacological Advances & Orchid Show the conference is being organized by the Department of Botany KU, in association with The Orchid Society of India (TOSI) and in collaboration with the Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh and the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Kolkata.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Vice-Chancellor KU Prof. Nilofer Khan stressed on the varsity`s commitment to nurturing innovation and preserving botanical heritage.
Our university will serve as a platform for startups and research in orchid cultivation, helping bridge the gap between scientific advancements and commercial opportunities, she said.
Director BSI, Dr. A A Mao, in his special remarks, highlighted the timely relevance of the conference and said safeguarding floral diversity is crucial for strengthening the bio-economy of our country and initiatives like this will yield long-term benefits.
Secretary TOSI, Prof. Promila Pathak, emphasized the role of shared knowledge in driving orchid research and innovation while Deputy General Manager, NABARD J&K Surinder Singh, highlighted the economic potential of orchids and the need to promote ventures in floriculture and medicinal plant research.
Head, Department of Botany KU, Prof. Aijaz Wani, shared the aims and objectives of the program while President TOSI, Prof. A K Bhatnagar, in his welcome address, stressed on the importance of Kashmirs horticultural tradition and the challenges posed by climate change in preserving natural heritage.
The formal vote of thanks was proposed by Prof. Zahoor A Kaloo, faculty at Department of Botany KU and local organising secretary of the program.
The inaugural session featured the release of TOSI Journal, the TOSI Newsletter, a souvenir and a book Trees and Shrubs of Kashmir: A Phenology Field Guide.
The program also features an orchid exhibition, poster presentations, TOSI executive council meeting, and an on-the-spot painting competition for school children to showcase the rich diversity of orchid culture and artistic expression.
'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 Kashmirās 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). āAbout a year ago, I conducted research on the gravity of black holes and cosmology, which has now been published in IJSR,ā 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.āIf we observe a black hole, it seems to contradict thermodynamic principles,ā he said. Using the frameworks of Anti-de Sitter space (AdS) and Conformal Field Theory (CFT), Raqeebās research proposes a theoretical model that reconciles black hole mechanics with thermodynamics. āIn this paper, I have explained how a black hole can function without violating thermodynamic laws,ā he said. He described the achievement as both personal and symbolic. āIt is a proud moment for me to represent my state, especially Sopore, on an international platform,ā 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,ā 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. āMy parents not only supported me morally but also created an environment where I could pursue my dreams freely,ā he said. He emphasized the role of family in nurturing talent. āJust as my parents supported me, it is the responsibility of all parents to help their children follow their dreams.ā āYoung people should avoid wrong practices. They must dream of a beautiful tomorrow but work hard today to make their parents proud,ā he further added.
Srinagar, Jan 8:Ā 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 regardĀ 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 UriāBaramulla 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. āThere is no major issue. Whenever a hill road is constructed or widened, such problems are recurrent,ā 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. āGrouting has been done and protective walling has also been constructed at several points,ā 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. āOnce 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,ā he said. Over the past few weeks, the UriāBaramulla 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 BaramullaāUri 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 BaramullaāUri 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 BaramullaāUri National Highway compelled authorities to divert vehicles through the dilapidated KhadniyarāGantamulla road.
Jammu, Jan 9: Vice Chancellor, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology (SKUAST) Jammu Prof. B N Tripathi Friday called on J&K Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha, at Lok Bhavan here. The Vice Chancellor briefed the Lieutenant Governor on the progress achieved by the University in the areas of education, research, and extension, including major initiatives undertaken under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) and the J&K Climate Innovation Programme (JKCIP). Prof. Tripathi informed that SKUASTāJammu has been designated as a Centre/Regional Outreach Unit of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) for Jammu. He informed that the Centre will facilitate the collection of region-specific data on crop costs, prices, and farmersā issues, thereby strengthening evidence-based Minimum Support Price (MSP) recommendations and farmer-centric policy planning. The Vice Chancellor also apprised about the sanction of an ANRF-PAIR IIT Bombay Hub project under the Partnership for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) for development of an AI-driven agriculture system aimed at enhancing farmer market linkages and operational efficiency, with a focus on traditional products, involving an outlay of over Rs 6 crore. In addition, an ICAR-NASF project for genome analysis amounting to Rs 2 crore has been sanctioned. He further informed that the establishment of an AICRP Centre for Poultry Breeding at SKUASTāJammu is at an advanced stage of approval, while regular centres for beekeeping and mushroom cultivation are under active consideration by ICAR. He informed the LG Manoj Sinha that at present, the University was implementing externally funded projects worth approximately Rs 100 crore.
Srinagar, Jan 9: In a landmark decision, the Ladakh administration has ordered omission of the non-transferable clause in regularisation ofĀ Teacher Grade II and III teachers, bringing relief to hundreds of teachers in the region. The government order, issued on January 8, 2026, comes in wake of a directive from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Jammu Bench, which ruled that Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers should be treated on par with General Line Teachers for transfer purposes. The ReT scheme, launched in 2000, aimed to decentralize elementary education management. Although the scheme was closed in 2018, ReT teachers continued to serve under the erstwhile scheme. In 2019, they were regularized as Teacher Grade II and III, with a non-transferable clause except on a mutual transfer basis. The CAT judgment, citing a previous case (Jyoti Gupta & Ors. vs. School Education Department & Ors.), directed the Ladakh administration to treat ReT teachers like General Line Teachers, enabling transfers within districts. The government order has sanctioned the omission of the non-transferable clause, effective immediately, allowing Teacher Grade II and III teachers in Ladakh to avail transfers as per General Line Teacher service conditions. This move is expected to boost teacher morale and address long-standing grievances. Education activists hail the decision as a significant step towards improving the education sector in Ladakh. Notably, the ReT scheme was formally closed in 2018 by the erstwhile State of J&K and all advertisement notices, issued for engagement of ReTs were cancelled, with an enabling provision that the ReT teachers already engaged under the scheme prior to the closure of the Scheme, shall continue to be governed by the erstwhile scheme till their regularization or otherwise; "The enabling provisions of the Rehbar-e-Taleem Scheme, in terms of Govt. Order No. 396 dated 28.04.2000 read with Govt. Order No: 919-Edu of 2018 dated: 16.11.2018 provided that the ReTs engaged under the scheme were to be regularized as āRegularised Rehbar-e-Taleem Teachers (RReTs)ā after completion of five years of continuous service," the government order reads. Also, the government order issued in January 2019 and July, 2019, the Government of the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir subsequently created the cadre of Teacher Grade-II and Teacher Grade-III for the purpose of streamlining salary and related issues of Graduate and Under Graduate āRegularised Rehbar-e-Taleem Teachers (RReTs)ā respectively. "After bifurcations of the erstwhile State of J&K into Union territory of J&K and Union territory of Ladakh, the UT of J&K vide order issued in April 2021 has allocated 1083 supernumerary posts to Ladakh for transition of the RReTs as Grade II & Garde III Teacher," the order reads. In terms of Clause 3 (a) of the Govt. Order issued in 2019, among others, provide that the service conditions of the Regularized ReT Teachers, as Teacher Grade- II and Teacher Grade-III shall beĀ same as prescribed for the General Line Teachers with the exception that they shall not be transferable except on mutual transfer basis on other posts of other ReT Teachers on case-to-case basis and on the merit of each case. "After apportionment of manpower between the two UTs, representations were received in the Department from Teacher Grade -II/III for merger of cadre of Teacher Grade-II and Grade III with General Line Teacher and omission of the non- transferable clauses of government order issued in 2019," the order reads. The administration of UT Ladakh constituted a committee for examining the transfer policy for RReTs (Grade-II/III Teachers) and the Committee submitted its report with recommendations that all service conditions of General Line Teachers including the transfer within districts may be extended to Teachers Grade II and Teacher Grade-III "The matter was also examined by the General Administration Department, UT of Ladakh and it was advised that the non-transferrable clauses, as appeared in Government Order No: 20- Edu of 2019 and No: 243-Edu of 2019 dated: 16.07.2019 may be omitted through an administrative instruction in order to permit transfer of the RReT teachers," reads an order issued by Administrative Secretary School Education Department (SED) of Ladakh Bhanu Prabha. The matter was under examination in the Department, some Regularized Rehbar-e-Taaleem Teachers approached the Central Administrative Tribunal, Jammu. "In compliance with the directions of the CAT, sanction is hereby accorded to the omission of the non-transferrable clauses and the said clause shall be deemed to have been omitted in respect of Regularized Rehbar-e-Taleem Teacher of Ladakh appointed at Teacher Grade II and Teacher Grade III, after their appointment to the UT of Ladakh and are serving in Ladakh," the order reads.
Srinagar, Jan 8:Ā 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 regardĀ 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.