KL Report
SRINAGAR
The Islamic University of Science and Technology( IUST), Awantipora, Kashmir established in 2005, has emerged as a major knowledge hub ,offering programmes in 9 schools of study including Business Studies, Technology , Science, school of Humanities and Social science , school of Health Science, Islamic Studies, Journalism, Law and Life Sciences.
The University has comparatively achieved many distinguishing features in just 8 academic years as it has become during the first university in the state to offer Undergraduate (UG) and Post Graduate degrees in Food Technology and is first University in the state to start Master’s degree in International Peace and Conflict Studies in collaboration with University of Peace, Costa Rica, a UN mandated university, an official statement said.
This was stated at the 5th Executive Council meeting of the IUST, the highest decision making body of the University, held at the Government Guest House, Srinagar.
The Vice Chancellor of the IUST in a power point presentation gave a detailed account of the functioning of the university, academic courses offered to the students and various ongoing infrastructural development projects.
He said IUST is the first university to introduce B.Sc. Programme in Actuarial and Financial Mathematics and runs research centres including Rinchen Shah Centre for West Himalayan Cultures and an International Centre For Spiritual Studies, conceptualised to encourage studies and research on spirituality and to provide a spiritual response to the growing ideological conflicts and intellectual challenges of the materialistic world, the statement said.
He said about 1900 students have Graduated from the university during last 6 year whereas 4607 students have been enrolled during the same period.
VC further said that the University is shortly establishing an Advance Centre for Information Technology and E-Governance at a cost of Rs 2.83 crore for which the proposal has been already submitted to Department of Information and Technology, J&K Government. He said a whooping sum has been provided to the deserving students to facilitate them persue their studies.
Worthwhile to mention that the Expert Committee of the University Grants Commission (UGC) comprising eminent academicians of the country during its recent visit to the university has appreciated it’s functioning as it has commented in the report submitted to UGC that “ the committee noted with much satisfaction that the University only in its eight academic year, exudes vibrance, joiedevivre, commitment, effective teacher-student interaction, an open and welcoming administration and an earnest desire for growth and development”.
The Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Abdul Rahim Rather assured all the logistic support of the state government to the IUST Awantipora, to facilitate it to achieve heights of academic excellence and its future expansion.
“All the required measures will be taken to handover additional 1400 kanals of land in the vicinity of the IUST to make it one of the best residential universities of the Country,” he said.
The meeting discussed agenda items in detailed and took some important resolutions regarding the university governance. Proposals regarding the promotion policy of non teaching staff, enhancement in the retirement age of faculty, establishment of Advanced Centre for Information Technology (ACIT) and e-governance cell, increase in the intake capacity, institution of new programmes, and pension policy for staff and creation of posts were approved. The members while lauding the growth of the university expressed hope that the university shall continue to grow in future as well, the statement said.
Prof. Trag informed the members that substantial support from the government is required to sustain and increase the present growth rate of the university.
