University of Kashmir Council Clears New Integrated Master’s Programmes, Nursing Institute  | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The University of Kashmir’s highest decision-making body has cleared a wide-ranging set of academic and administrative proposals, including the launch of multiple five-year integrated master’s programmes, the establishment of an Institute of Nursing and Paramedical Sciences at the Kupwara campus, and revisions to admission and degree regulations in line with the National Education Policy 2020.

The approvals were accorded at the 84th meeting of the University Council, which gave in-principle clearance to a revised policy for admission of foreign national students, the introduction of five-year integrated master’s programmes in disciplines such as Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Applied Geology, Tourism and Travel Management, Home Science, media studies and several language and humanities subjects, and a change in nomenclature of the Department of Earth Sciences to the Department of Geology. The Council also approved the Programme Project Report for an M.A. in History through the Centre for Distance and Online Education, extended merit and merit-cum-means scholarships to students enrolled in five-year integrated programmes, and cleared regulations governing these programmes.

Among other decisions, the Council approved modifications in undergraduate statutes to align degree nomenclature with NEP-2020, adoption of standardised formats for certificates, diplomas and degrees, and the introduction of a two-year diploma in Calligraphy as a joint academic programme with the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. Proposals for new diploma programmes in Criminal Justice through distance education and for strengthening multilingual and classical language studies through integrated programmes in Kashmiri, Persian, Sanskrit, Hindi and Linguistics were also approved.

The Council discussed governance and regulatory matters aimed at improving teaching, learning and research outcomes, and took note of an MoU signed between the University of Kashmir and Siddharth University, Uttar Pradesh, to promote academic collaboration in research and education.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nilofer Khan presented the agenda items and briefed the Council on the University’s academic and research achievements.

The meeting was chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, in his capacity as Chancellor of the University of Kashmir, who emphasised the need for contemporary, interdisciplinary and skill-oriented programmes aligned with NEP-2020, with a focus on innovation, employability and entrepreneurship, while responding to regional developmental needs. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, vice-chancellors of universities in Jammu and Kashmir, senior government officials, academics and members of the University Council, both in person and virtually.