Jammu, October 13, 2025 : Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday chaired the 36th meeting of the Executive Council of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) at Raj Bhawan, where several key academic and administrative matters were discussed and approved in principle.
During the meeting, the Lieutenant Governor emphasized the need for a comprehensive review of university initiatives and programs to ensure regular curriculum updates in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, with the aim of transforming SMVDU into a premier national-level educational institution.
“The university must focus on lifelong learning, community engagement, and industry collaboration to create a dynamic academic ecosystem,” the LG said.
He underscored the importance of skill enhancement, research and innovation, faculty development, and the introduction of new academic programs from the upcoming academic year.
Highlighting the growing global relevance of language learning, the Lieutenant Governor directed the university to establish a dedicated Faculty for Languages, offering integrated courses in Hindi, Dogri, French, and German. He encouraged students from technical and foreign language streams to also pursue regional and national languages to promote cultural integration.
LG Sinha also instructed the university to ensure complete digitalization of all records, emphasizing transparency, efficiency, and ease of access in administrative and academic processes.
The meeting also reviewed the status of ongoing projects and construction works, the implementation of NEP-2020, and deliberated upon issues related to admissions, faculty recruitment, promotions, and the digitization of the student life cycle through the e-Samarth dashboard.
The Executive Council was informed that SMVDU has been designated as a “TCS Priority College” by Tata Consultancy Services for a period of three years under its campus recruitment initiative — a recognition expected to boost placement opportunities for university students.
Prof. (Dr.) Pragati Kumar, Vice Chancellor, SMVDU, presented the agenda items before the Council for consideration and ratification.
The meeting was attended by:
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Prof. (Dr.) Pragati Kumar, Vice Chancellor, SMVDU
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Prof. Umesh Rai, Vice Chancellor, Jammu University
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Prof. Nilofer Khan, Vice Chancellor, Kashmir University
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Prof. Pankaj Chandra, Vice Chancellor & Chairman, Board of Management, Ahmedabad University
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Prof. A.S.K. Sinha, Director, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Amethi
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Prof. Manoj Singh Gaur, Director, IIT Jammu
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Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor
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Sachin Kumar Vaishya, CEO, SMVDSB
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Ajay Kumar Sharma, Registrar, SMVDU
and other members of the Executive Council.
