SMVDU Contractual Staff to Get Permanent Status, LG Announces

SRINAGAR: In a major relief to lower middle-level non-teaching employees, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday announced the removal of the five-year contract system at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Katra. Employees whose contracts had been continuously renewed will now be regularised, ending years of uncertainty over job security.

Delivering the inaugural address virtually on the university’s 22nd Foundation Day, LG Sinha said the decision was a response to a “long pending persistent demand” from the staff and a step towards fairness, talent retention, and institutional stability. “This move will strengthen the foundation of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University and empower employees to contribute with greater confidence,” he added.

The Lieutenant Governor praised SMVDU’s growth into a multi-disciplinary institution aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) and lauded its rise among India’s top 100 universities. He cited increasing enrolment in forward-looking programmes like B.Tech in Robotics and AI, MSc in Data Science, and “Design Your Own Degree” as evidence of the university’s innovative transformation.

Calling for a skill-driven learning ecosystem, LG Sinha said, “We have the onerous responsibility of preparing the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, architects and skilled professionals.” He urged students to use their knowledge for nation-building and encouraged alumni to support societal needs and the university’s progress.

The LG also paid tribute to those who lost their lives in recent natural disasters in Kishtwar and Kathua, assuring that relief and rehabilitation efforts were underway. “The Government of India is fully committed to the rehabilitation of the affected families,” he stated, after discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Dignitaries present at the event included SMVDU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pragati Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary Shantmanu, senior members of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, and local legislative leaders.