Akshay Azad
Jammu, Feb 6: The pressure of increasing number of students seeking admissions into under graduate and post graduate courses on Jammu and Kashmir Universities is likely to ease, as six colleges each from both capital cities of state, may be de-affiliated from respective Universities to create two new Cluster Universities in next three years.
Sources informed Early Times that the plan finalized by higher education department, in the recently held meeting of State Higher Education Council (SHEC) chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah under Rashtriya Uchatar Shiksha Abhiyan, SHEC has proposed creation of two cluster Universities in the capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar by plucking off six colleges from the universities of Jammu and Kashmir.
"The proposed Cluster Universities will have separate Vice Chancellor, Controller Examination, Registrar and other requisite staff", sources said, adding that though the VC, Controller Examination, Registrar beside other important posts would be sanctioned in the first year but the remaining posts would be sanctioned and filled in a phased manner in coming three years, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17.
The proposed cluster University of Jammu will comprise of MAM College Jammu, Government College for Women Gandhi Nagar, Government College for Women Parade, GGM Science College, Commerce College and Government College of Education Jammu, sources said.
They further informed that the proposed Cluster University of Srinagar would comprise of Amar Singh College Srinagar, SP College Nawakadal, Government College for Women Nawakadal, Government College of Education Srinagar, Government Degree College Bemina and Government College for Women MA Road Srinagar.
Sources further informed that the prerequisite for constitution of a Cluster University was that the college should have been in existence for more than 15 years, besides the existing combined enrollment of 2,000 students and proposed enrollment of students must be enough to sustain the institution (proposed University) was 4,000, while the proximity between colleges would not be more than 20 kilometers, have teaching programme in both under-graduate and post-graduate courses.
"Existing combined enrollment of 2000 students and proposed enrollment of students must be enough to sustain the institution as a university (4000) is prerequisite", sources said, adding that the enrollment in proposed colleges of Srinagar is 20340 and Jammu is 20109, which filled the requirement.
Sources further said that in all the proposed colleges, except Government Colleges for Women Nawakadal, under-graduate and post-graduate courses have been running.
According to proposed plan, the Higher Education department has made it clear that Jammu University and Kashmir University could de-affiliate these colleges and these colleges would become constituent colleges for proposed Universities.
Sources further divulged that GGM Science College Jammu would be Nucleus College of proposed Cluster University of Jammu, while the Amar Singh College Srinagar would be Nucleus College for Cluster University Srinagar, wherein Vice Chancellor and his office would be established.
"Once the plan finalized by State Higher Education Council will be approved by RUSA, the execution of plan will be started in Jammu and Kashmir and after three years, the above said six colleges will de-affiliate from Jammu and Kashmir University respectively", sources said, adding that with the de-affiliation, the burden of both universities would relieve. |
