NEP-2020 has envisaged that National Testing Agency (NTA) be assigned the task of conducting the entrance test for the admissions to various programs in higher education in India.
For the 2022 academic session, NTA has already announced the admissions and invited applications from the eligible candidates in various UG & PG programs for almost all central universities, along with the Central University of Kashmir (CUK).
Since then, CUK has been taking some practical and tangible measures to warmly greet the freshers, ensuring a better academic ethos at the campus.
Keeping in view their unlike aptitude and interests, there is no solitary academic corridor for students to pursue, nor does CUK expect students to follow the same academic path.
CUK has 09 schools with more than 21 departments in which nearly 35 UG plus PG programs are on offer for students to make their choices diverse.
All the departments in CUK are dedicated to explore different spheres of human discipline. Whether a student wants to pursue teaching or practice law, open a startup, or want to serve the public, the underpinning of the programs run in CUK gives a student the vision, develops creative thinking and life skills for a purposeful living.
From the moment a student steps into CUK, he is greeted with originality & novelty. He gets the opportunity to participate in pioneering discussions. The premier institution also offers the support and resources to pursue inquisitiveness as investigate, experiment and explore their own world.
In admissions, CUK is following the reservation policy prescribed by the GOI. The university admits students of all backgrounds. The classroom heterogeneity develops truthfulness, temperament and moral concern for others, which plays a significant role in living a considerate life. Fulfilling diverse student needs is the mission of CUK.
It has students representing different cultures who organize various events and activities to celebrate their identities, adding to the richness of campus life. The university is immersed in an atmosphere of indefinite possibilities. Spread over four campuses, students can explore different programs.
They can dive into the ocean of knowledge through the library’s rich volumes of hard and soft readings. Discussions with peers and teachers can also open new doors to new perspectives. Thus, at CUK, students can fully follow their imaginations to practical realities.
Although there is every scope for improvement in infrastructure, such an academic environment has been created where students happily share their ideas and participate in sports and cultural activities, through which they learn and understand varied perspectives and experiences and develop friendships and connections that stay long for life.
The university always starts the new session by organizing an orientation program for freshers in which faculty try to catch students’ potential, stretch-ability, academic pursuits, reserve power, new initiatives, and personality type. This also helps identify their interests in community engagement, genuine commitment and leadership roles.
CUK has produced brilliant contributors who have challenged themselves and grown as better human beings. It has developed self-confidence among them, which has helped to find out how best they can use their talent. From day one on campus, students have access to teachers from varied socio-cultural, religious and regional backgrounds.
Faculty here is to share their knowledge & expertise while interacting with students. They also help them choose their trail and offer the direction to get them where they deserve to reach. Students can meet their teachers any time before and after class who remain available online also. Such interactions help students in their social life as well.
The university has come up with the latest labs widely used for research and practical purposes. The interconnection of these labs has encouraged students & researchers to cut across borders and collaborate in the biological, computational, engineering, and physical sciences. As far as research is concerned, almost 300 research scholars are registered.
Fellowships and Non-NET scholarships are being granted to them. CUK has opened new transformative possibilities in conducting original research as per the interests of students/scholars. There is a provision for a research project/dissertation in each program.
This allows a student to work closely with faculty by taking part in research at the early stage. No matter what the student’s interests are, he remains assured to explore new possibilities that flash his inquisitiveness. CUK offers its faculty many minor research projects to boost the varsity’s quality research culture.
The university has established Design & Innovation Centre (DIC) for the innovative sustainable project on vocational education, giving it a feel of a local craft. In DIC, students and faculty work alongside to develop new ways to produce local goods on scientific lines, offering our graduates a brighter future.
Considering the importance of community engagement and citizenship programs, the NSS wing has been put in place. Through NSS, the premier institution intends to give back to society by involving students in various social activities & supporting the goals of serving those around.
These activities remain helpful in exploring new talents and developing new interests. It also helps students to uphold a commitment to making society a better place to live in.
Thus, the academics here goes beyond coursework. The active participation of students in varied areas creates new opportunities to expand their comfort zone and discover novel things.
CUK has been proactive and has started to implement NEP-2020 in a phased manner. It has initiated the process of signing MoUs with all the neighbouring institutions of repute.
It has explored the possibility of adopting Exit and Lateral Entry policy in almost all programs. The annual academic calendar is already in vogue that helps the institution to complete academic programs in an allotted timeframe. Making the academic programs in line with NEP-2020, all the departments are in the process of updating the curriculum.
This premier institution always strives for those who could shine in scholastic & co-scholastic fields. The university recognises academic excellence and presents scholarships to those students with unique talents. A merit scholarship is being offered to outstanding students. Thus, the varsity aspires to get the best in their classrooms, regardless of their financial background, which hardly impacts admissions.
Although CUK gives the platform, the responsible students should carve out opportunities out of the available resources as students at CUK have demonstrated their talent by appearing and getting adjusted through different on-campus and off-campus placement drives, & some graduates have come up with innovations to start their careers.
To conclude, a university should prepare a student for a successful life. It must also train him to benefit from prospective learning opportunities of all kinds. Keeping in view the diversity of student talent and interests that require proper grooming, CUK takes the student’s circumstances into consideration, varying from the personal viz economic to psychological on the one side and strengths to optional opportunities to learn on the other.
Thus, no matter what an aspirant’s academic or professional goals may be, this institution provides a strong base from which a student can discover and comprehend the new social demands.
However, only interested students should strive to get admission who offer the most promise for their contribution to shaping the future of the society. These aspirants can visit CUK on all working days.
CUK welcomes you to the campus, and you can feel the difference by interacting with the students, researchers, faculty and even the university authorities.
Dr. Mohammad Sayid Bhat, Sr. Assistant Professor, Central University of Kashmir.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.