Srinagar, June 8: The Government is contemplating to start short term winter courses and summer courses both in Srinagar and Jammu provinces during winter and summer vacations for ensuring better utilization of time and energy of budding students of the state.
 This was stated by the Minister for Higher Education, Labour and Employment, Abdul Gani Malik while addressing a function at Islamic University of Science and Technology, (IUST) Awantipora.
 The 2-day function was organized by HOPE 2012, University Youth Festival, Youth for Society for collection of charity for social cause.
 The students of IUST, Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra, SSM College of Engineering, Parihaspora, University of Kashmir, Central University and NIIT in collaboration with J&K Bank jointly organized the function.
 Referring to the function, the Minister lauded the role of IUST for organizing the first ever function with difference. He appreciated the efforts of Vice-Chancellor, IUST Prof. A R Trag and his team for shaping the academic as well as extra-curricular standards of the University. Malik impressed upon the management to maintain cordial atmosphere in the University and speed up growth of various faculties to extend all possible teaching and research facilities to the students.
 Addressing the 2-day concluding function, Vice-Chancellor, IUST, Prof. A R Trag expressed his gratitude to the Minister for Higher Education for providing logistic support to IUST in acquiring land and in building infrastructure for housing computer science, electronics and hostels for the students of the University.
 He said the Chief Minister as well as Higher Education Minister are taking keen interest and constantly monitoring the University functioning so that the campus emerges as one of the best Universities of the country.
 Prof. Trag said that Rs 4.32 crore are being spent on Electronic Department block, Rs 5.44 crore for Girls Hostel and work on Computer Science block has already been taken up by the University. He said that solar street lights are being set up through battery Bank to make the University Green campus and provide students best possible lighting facility during curtailment of electricity.
 About the academic programmes of the University Prof. Trag said that with roll of 2483 students, the number of courses has been raised to 14, which include MBA, MCA, M. Sc Food Technology, M.A. Mass Com, M.A. International Relationship and several other courses of vital importance.
 The Vice-Chancellor said that the University has signed a tripartite MOU with University of Delhi and University of Kashmir in order to facilitate Inter-University faculty and student ex-change for academic development and excellence. He said another MOU is likely to be signed with Tokyo University of Foreign Studies later this month.
 To enhance the employability of Management and Engineering students in Middle East Countries, Special Courses in Communicative Arabic language have been devised for interested students, Prof. Trag added.
 Earlier, Dean Students Welfare Prof. K. K. S. Jamwal presented welcome address on the occasion.
 The Minister awarded best talented personalities and students with trophies on the occasion. They include popular satirist of the Valley, Zarief Ahmad Zarief and Organizer of the event, Prof. Saher Iqbal. She said that the band of young men and women possess great amount of talent and it needs to be channelized properly.
 Student Taha Mugal, Umar Hafiz and several other groups of students of the State were also awarded with trophies for their best performance during 2-day youth festival of Islamic University of Science and Technology.
 Prof. Fozia Qazi presented the vote of thanks.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 8 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 8 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 9 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST