Srinagar, July 29: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has congratulated the University of Kashmir on being accorded the prestigious Category-I status by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the UGC (Categorisation of Universities for Grant of Graded Autonomy) Regulations, 2018, describing the achievement as a landmark milestone for higher education in Jammu and Kashmir.

Congratulating the Vice Chancellor, faculty, students and the entire University fraternity, the Chief Minister said the recognition is a testament to the University’s sustained commitment to academic excellence, quality research and institutional development.
He said the achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of generations of educators, researchers, scholars and students who have contributed to building the University’s reputation as one of the country’s leading centres of higher learning.
The University of Kashmir has been granted the highest level of regulatory freedom under the UGC’s graded autonomy framework. With Category-I status, the University will be empowered to independently manage academic programmes, introduce open and distance learning courses, establish collaborations, and recruit foreign faculty without requiring prior approval from the Commission.