Cluster Universities: Govt names VCs

5 Colleges each in
Srinagar, Jammu to
make clusters


JAMMU: Setting the ball rolling to make the Cluster Universities functional from the current academic session, the Government today ordered appointment of Vice-Chancellors and Registrars for the two new varsities in the State.
As per the orders issued by the Chief Minister, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, who is the Chancellor of these Universities, Dr Anju Bhasin, Professor, Department of Physics, University of Jammu has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of the Cluster University Jammu while Dr Sheikh Javid Ahmed, Dean Research at the University of Kashmir has been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of the Cluster University Kashmir.
Prof Sheikh Javid studied at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mumbai and obtained his PhD degree in Theoretical Physics in 1987. After several years of post-doctoral studies at some of the leading laboratories of the World, he joined the faculty of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Mumbai in 1994. He joined Kashmir University as a Professor in 2003. He has published more than 125 papers in the most prestigious journals and some of his publications are among top cited papers in Nuclear Physics.
The tenure of the Vice-Chancellors of the Cluster Universities shall be for a period of five years from the date they assumes office.
In another order, the Chief Minister has ordered appointment of Dr Yaseen Ahmad Shah, Principal S P College, Srinagar as the Registrar of Cluster University, Kashmir and Dr Jatinder Khajuria, Joint Registrar (Finance), University of Jammu as Registrar of Cluster University, Jammu.
The Cluster Universities have established in the state under centrally-sponsored Rashtriya Ucchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) to run series of additional and advanced courses in the existing colleges, with one of the colleges each in Srinagar and Jammu acting as the Lead College for the new University. The Government has already approved creation of 124 posts for these Universities.
The Cluster University in Jammu will comprise GGM Science College, Government MAM College, SPMR College of Commerce, Government College for Women Gandhi Nagar and Government College of Education Canal Road.
Similarly, the Cluster University in Srinagar will comprise Amar Singh College Srinagar, SP College Srinagar, Women’s College MA Road Srinagar, Government Degree College Bemina and the College of Education, Srinagar.
All the participating colleges will be converted into constituent colleges of the Cluster University. While in Jammu GGM Science College will be the Lead College for the new University, in Srinagar Amar Singh College will be the Lead College.
“Setting up of Cluster Universities, one each in Srinagar and Jammu, will not only augment the existing higher education facilities in J&K, but help diversification of the academics with introduction of latest job-intensive courses at the graduate, post-graduate and diploma levels,” said Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar, who has been tirelessly pursuing the pioneering initiatives in JK’s educational sector.
“The move shall go a long way in expanding access to higher education by increasing the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in the State,” he said and added that each Cluster University will offer post-graduate and diploma courses in social sciences, liberal arts, humanities, engineering, science, teacher education, languages, entrepreneurship development, management and other job-intensive courses.
With the setting up of two Cluster Universities in J&K, the total number of Universities in the State has gone up to 11.
Pertinently, J&K already has nine universities including University of Kashmir, University of Jammu, Central University Kashmir, Central University Jammu, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Islamic University of Science and Technology Awantipora, SKUAST-Kashmir, SKUAST-Jammu and Mata Vaishnov Devi University Katra.
Besides there are six satellite campuses of the University of Jammu and University of Kashmir in the State. These include North Campus Delina, South Campus Anantnag, Leh Campus and Kargil Campus affiliated with Kashmir University and Kathua and Bhaderwah Campuses, affiliated with Jammu University.

ANJU BHASIN,
J&K’s first woman VC says
gender doesn’t matter in
positions of responsibility

As government rolls out Cluster Universities by appointing staff, Prof Anju Bhasin creates the history by becoming first woman Vice Chancellor ever at any University in Jammu and Kashmir. Anju is a proficient researcher with more than 28 years of experience in Experimental Particle Physics, having mostly worked in four international collaborations EMU01 (Nuclear Emulsion), A Large Ion Collider Experiment (ALICE) at CERN, Geneva; STAR (Solenoidal Tracker at RHIC) at BNL, USA, CBM (Compressed Baryonic Matter) at GSI, Germany and INO (Indian Neutrino Observatory) at Tamil Naidu, India. She has 355 publications in referred and reputed international journals and has the distinction of being an elected member of Management Board (Jan 2017-Dec 2019) of ALICE Experiment, CERN, Geneva, Switzerland.

Barely hours after she received her appointment orders as the Vice-Chancellor of Cluster University Jammu, Prof. Anju Bhasin had an exclusive interview with The News Now on this significant development. Here are some experts from the conversation with SAHIL RASGOTRA & AKRITI JAMWAL:

TNN: What are your initial thoughts on being first woman ever to become VC in J&K.
ANJU: I am honoured. It is the biggest recognition that can be of any teacher’s services. It is a great moment in the education history of the state that we have a female at this top job. Not only will it break the already worn-out myth that a woman is not the most suitable candidate for such a position, but will also encourage many women in and around to come up to the top. However, on a personal note, I don’t believe in gender bias in any job as such positions don’t have anything to do with your gender, especially for a position of such particular kind. Here, what is important is your academic performance, how can you contribute to the education system, how can you create a better atmosphere for students to learn, how can you impart them with quality education at par with any of the international university. Age and gender should be the last things to be considered in such appointments, I feel.

TNN: As you are a noted researcher of international fame, what steps can we expect from you to improve this particular section of academics?
ANJU: There are many aspects to this whole setup. Of course, required focus will definitely be on research part, none of the other features will be ignored in any way. As I come from a science background, there will be good laboratories, good faculty, people who have the research aptitude. But on a whole, besides all these, we need to have good educational input to be fed in all sections to have the quality of education go up, on par with any of the reputed universities world over. Rest assured, everything possible will be done to ensure that our students excel as good as any of the institution in India or abroad which is considered as the benchmark in that particular field.

TNN: It has been hardly a couple of hours that you received the information regarding your appointment. Has the feeling sunk in yet? Are you already feeling the pressure of such huge responsibility?
ANJU: I really do not know exactly. Responsibility is of course there. As I am not faced with the job just yet, I think the pressure has not yet come up. The things will, for sure, change once I join the varsity. I hope to put in my best efforts to do well as its VC.