Srinagar, Apr 20: Kashmir University’s, highest decision making body, University Council, Friday turned down the proposal by the varsity to shift to five-day a week from the present academic session.
A senior official privy to the meeting said the proposal for moving to five-day week was on the agenda for today’s meeting of the Academic Council which was held at Raj Bhavan, Jammu. The meeting was chaired by Governor NN Vohra who is also Chancellor, of the varsity, and attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Pro-Chancellor of the varsity.
“The proposal came up for the discussion but Council did not approve it,” the official told Greater Kashmir.
Last March, Vice-Chancellor of the Kashmir University Prof Talat Ahmad had announced five-day week for the varsity in the upcoming academic session.
Prof Talat had sought cooperation from the deans of the faculties and heads of various departments of the University to gear up for shifting to new calendar. Talking to Greater Kashmir the VC said the Council has not rejected the proposal. “But it sought more time to discuss the issue.”
Responding to another question, the VC said: “Till the final decision is taken, the university will go by the existing 6-days week pattern.”
The University Council is the supreme decision making body of the KU and it has the power to make regulations and to amend or repeal them, to advise the Senate and the Syndicate on all academic matters, to prescribe the courses of study and qualifications of teachers, to make provision for admission of students to the various courses, and so on. Apart from the Varsity the council members also include senior officials from state Education and Finance departments.
Official sources said the Syndicate, the second highest decision making body of the varsity, had approved the proposal earlier. “The University authorities were optimistic that the Council will also okay the proposal,” sources said. “The Chancellor suggested that the proposal should be taken up for discussion during the next meeting of the Council.”
Two other universities in Kashmir, the Islamic University of Science and Technology at Awantipora, Pulwama and SK University of Agricultural Science and Technology have already adopted five-day week academic calendar.
Established in late 40’s as University of Jammu and Kashmir with three postgraduate departments the varsity through a special ordinance in 1965 was bifurcated into two separate universities, one each for Kashmir and Jammu. Since then the Kashmir University has been following 6-days week.
Meanwhile Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah decided to provide a seed capital of Rs 50 lakh each to the University of Kashmir and the University of Jammu for the promotion of research activities, a statement said.
Vohra observed that there was need for enlarging the outreach of various skill up gradation and placement programs like UDAAN so that maximum number of youth could be benefited.
Chief Minister, while referring to the augmentation of hostel and other facilities for the students in the University, stressed for preparing projects for funding by various sources, including the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs to avail maximum benefits of the available schemes.
Prof Talat Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir, in his comprehensive power point presentation, dwelt on the status of various ongoing research projects, “achievements” of the University in varied fields since the last meeting of the Council and status of the establishment of new satellite Campuses.
The meeting was attended by other members of the Council.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 21 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST