Jammu, Mar 28: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired a high-level review of the Higher Education Department (HED) to chart a roadmap for advancing Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in Jammu and Kashmir toward excellence. The meeting included Vice-Chancellors, Registrars, Directors, and senior officials from universities and colleges across the Union Territory.

Emphasising accountability and time-bound reforms, the Chief Secretary directed all HEIs to implement measures recommended during the 5th Chief Secretaries’ Conference under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He stressed filling at least 90% of faculty vacancies by August 2026 and conducting a comprehensive audit of courses to phase out low-demand or outdated programmes while introducing emerging, technology-driven and skill-based courses to enhance employability.
Vice-Chancellors of IUST and SMVDU were tasked with assessing engineering and architecture colleges, while the University of Jammu and University of Kashmir were asked to review affiliated colleges with low enrolment. The meeting also focused on expediting infrastructure development in newly established colleges.
The Chief Secretary reviewed the status of 3,635 teaching and 2,955 non-teaching posts, noting that 3,425 teaching and 2,413 non-teaching positions are currently filled. Student enrolment across 09 universities and 152 colleges exceeds three lakh.
Key reforms discussed included the Global Talent Return Scheme, Professors of Practice, apprenticeship-integrated degrees, cross-disciplinary curricula, foreign collaborations, skill-based education, innovation and incubation centres, and expansion of international student intake by 20%. The agenda also prioritises transforming select HEIs into model finishing schools, developing mega educational hubs, and establishing research parks in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions.
The Chief Secretary reaffirmed the commitment to making Jammu and Kashmir’s higher education ecosystem dynamic, inclusive, and globally competitive, capable of producing skilled, innovative, and employable youth.