Jammu, Mar 12: Minister for Education, Social Welfare, Health and Medical Education Sakeena Itoo on Thursday said the government is committed to strengthening the higher education sector in Jammu and Kashmir with a vision to position the Union Territory as a hub of quality higher education and research excellence.

The Minister made these remarks while chairing a high-level meeting to review the academic performance, research initiatives and institutional development of universities across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was attended by Vice Chancellors of major universities including Prof. Umesh Rai (University of Jammu), Prof. Nilofer Khan (University of Kashmir), Prof. Pragati Kumar (Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University), Prof. Shakeel Ahmad Ramshoo (Islamic University of Science and Technology), Prof. Jawaid Iqbal (Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University), Dr. K.S. Chandreshekar (Cluster University Jammu) and Prof. Mohammad Mobin (Cluster University Srinagar), along with senior officials of the Higher Education Department.
During the meeting, the Minister reviewed academic functioning, research output, faculty development programmes, infrastructure expansion and student-focused initiatives being undertaken by the universities.
Sakeena Itoo stressed that universities must evolve beyond their traditional role of awarding degrees and become centres of innovation, research and knowledge creation. She urged institutions to foster vibrant academic ecosystems where ideas flourish and young minds are empowered to contribute to societal progress.
Highlighting the importance of strengthening research culture, the Minister asked Vice Chancellors to identify priority research areas aligned with the region’s needs, including sustainable development, climate resilience, agricultural innovation, tourism studies, technology integration and social sciences. She also called for greater interdisciplinary collaboration, stronger industry partnerships and effective utilisation of research funding to enhance outcomes and global academic visibility.
The Minister reviewed ongoing research projects, patent filings and publication records, and encouraged universities to promote incubation centres, start-up ecosystems and technology transfer mechanisms to translate research into practical solutions.
She also stressed the need for curriculum modernisation, adoption of outcome-based education frameworks, expansion of skill-based programmes and strengthening of digital learning infrastructure. Continuous faculty training and improved student support systems were also highlighted as priorities.
Itoo further reviewed infrastructure development, campus expansion plans, hostel facilities and smart classroom initiatives, urging institutions to ensure transparent governance, efficient administration and optimal use of resources.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment, the Minister said sustained support will be provided for research funding, infrastructure modernisation and capacity-building initiatives to elevate J&K’s universities to national and international standards.
During the meeting, registrars of various universities presented progress reports and outlined future academic and research plans aimed at transforming the higher education landscape of Jammu and Kashmir