KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
In the presence of Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar and Minister of State for Education Ms Priya Sethi, Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) through Director IIM Lucknow Wednesday signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Commissioner Secretary, State Higher Education Department for establishment of IIM at Jammu at one of the desired place selected by the State Government and also immediately take up work for establishing Transit Campus at few designated places in Jammu.
The MOU was signed by Dr Ajit Prasad, Director IIM Lucknow and Dr Asghar Samoon, Commissioner Secretary, Higher Education at Civil Secretariat Srinagar, an official spokesperson said this evening.
Naeem Akhtar termed the MOU as a landmark decision that will go a long in producing world class management professional from the State.
He also asked the MHRD to work concurrently for establishing offsite campus of IIM Jammu in Srinagar to benefit students of Kashmir division too.
Ms Sethi also called for creating awareness programmes and special coaching classes so that prospective students become aware and are trained for qualifying for admission in IIM Jammu.
According to the MoU, IIM Lucknow will be the Mentor Institute for IIM Jammu acting through its Director, Department of Higher Education, MHRD.
MHRD announced the setting up of IIM at Jammu in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015 and it had desired the state government to provide 200 Acres of land at a suitable location free of cost and free from all encumbrances for the purpose.
Of the proposed sites, MHRD has intimated that if the State Government provides an approach road then village Raika would be preferable site for IIM Jammu otherwise Nagrota is the recommended site.
According to MOU for establishing the transit campus for IIM Jammu, Higher Education Department has requested Registrar, University of Jammu to vacate sheds near the entrance gate to hand-over the same to IIM Jammu and vacant Administrative block of Government College of Engineering at Old University Campus Jammu which has also been provided to IIM Jammu. IIM Lucknow will build classrooms, mess, hostel facility etc at these places after demolition of old structure and repair/alteration of buildings wherever necessary.