University of Kashmir

About University of Kashmir

University of Kashmir (UoK) is a State University which was established as an institute of higher education for conducting examinations in 1948. Later in 1956, the authorities established 3 postgraduate departments in order to revive the old tradition of learning and teaching. These departments were English at Srinagar, and Economics and Geology at Jammu. Thus came into existence a full-fledged University, then christened the University of Jammu and Kashmir. The University was shifted to the present campus, known as Amar Singh Bagh, when the land was donated by Dr. Karan Singh, the second Chancellor of the University. In 1965, the University was reorganized and divided into two divisions of equal status; one for the province of Jammu and the other for the province of Kashmir - with a central organization having specific legislative and executive powers relating to budget, finance, planning, coordination, improvement of standards of teaching and examinations and devising of courses of studies. By an ordinance promulgated by the Governor of the State of J&K on 5 September 1969 - which was subsequently replaced by an Act of the State Legislature and was published in the Government Gazette on 10th November 1969, the University of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two full-fledged Universities : the University of Jammu and the University of Kashmir. Accordingly, the statutes and regulations of the Jammu and Kashmir University Act, 1965 were modified. UoK is a member of The Association of Indian Universities (AIU).

The University of Kashmir is spread over 263 acres, divided into 3 parts:

1.  Main Campus - It is located on the bank of the Dal with mountains on it's 3 sides. It is also known as Amar Singh Bagh.

2.  Naseem Bagh Campus - It is a famous Mughal Garden with very old Chinar trees- housing a few departments

3.  University Town - Also known as Mirza Bagh Campus, it serves as residence for the teaching and non-teaching staff of the University. It is situated on the bank of the famous, Nageen Lake.

Constituent Colleges

• Government Medical College, Srinagar. Programmes offered: MBBS, Diploma in Anaesthesiology, Gynaecology; Ophthalmology, MD & MS.
• Government Dental College, Srinagar. Programme offered: BDS.
• Government College of Education, Srinagar. Programmes offered: BE d; ME d.
• Government College of Physical Education, Srinagar. Programmes offered: BPEd; MPEd.
• Institute of Music and Fine Arts, Srinagar. Programmes offered: B.Muse, BFA.

Post Graduate Centres:

• P.G Centre, Government Degree College, Leh.
• P.G Centre, SSM College of Engineering, Baramulla.
• P.G Centre, Sri Partap College, Srinagar.
• P.G Centre, Govt. College for Women, M.A. Road, Sriangar.
• P.G Centre, Amar Singh College, Sriangar.
• P.G Centre, Govt. College of Education, M.A. Road, Srinagar.
• P.G Centre, Government Degree College, Bemina.
• P.G Centre, Government College of Physical Eduction, Gandarbal.
• P.G Centre, Islamia College of Science & Commerce, Srinagar.

Location - The main campus of the University is situated on the outskirts of Srinagar on the western side of Dal Lake.

Transportation - The Campus is connected with the city by a well maintained transport system. Srinagar is well connected by air, rail and road.

• Srinagar Airport (14 kms from the Srinagar city) is connected by different airlines to other parts of the country.
• The city can also be approached by train. Nearest railhead is Jammu Tawi, 293 km from Srinagar city and is connected to all parts of the country with mail and express – trains.
• A well maintained network of roads connect Srinagar with important towns and cities of the country. The city falls on the National Highway 1A (NH-1A) and is linked with rest parts of the country. The main bus station of Srinagar is at city centre of Lal Chowk. For transportation in and around auto-rickshaws and mini-buses are easily available.

Faculty and Departments

Arts

1. Department of Arabic.
2. Department of English.
3. Institute of Foreign Languages.
4. Department of Hindi.
5. Department of Kashmiri.
6. Department of Library and Information Science.
7. Department of Linguistics.
8. Department of Persian.
9. Department of Sanskrit.
10. Department of Urdu.

Business and Financial Studies & Management

1. Department of Business & Financial Studies.
2. The Business School.

Education

1. Department of Education.
2. Department of Physical Education.

Law

1. Department of Law.

Applied Science & Technology

1. Department of Computer Sciences.
2. Department of Electronics & Instrumentation Technology.
3. Department of Food Science & Technology.
4. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
5. Institute of Home Science.

Biological Sciences

1. Department of Biochemistry.
2. Department of Biotechnology.
3. Department of Botany.
4. Department of Zoology.

Physical & Material Sciences

1. Department of Chemistry.
2. Department of Environmental Science.
3. Department of Geology & Geophysics.
4. Department of Geography & Regional Development.
5. Department of Mathematics.
6. Department of Physics.
7. Department of Statistics.

Social Science

1. Department of Economics.
2. Department of History.
3. Shah-i-Hamadan Institute of Islamic Studies.
4. Media Education Research Centre (MERC ).
5. Department of Political Science.
6. Department of Psychology.
7. Department of Sociology & Social Work.

Engineering

Music & Fine Arts

Oriental Learning

Facilities

Satellite Campuses - The University of Kashmir has established and commissioned two Satellite Campuses at Fatehgarh, Anantnag (called South Campus) and Delina, Baramulla (called North Campus). Three more Satellite Campuses at Kupwara, Kargil and Leh are being established for the benefit of people living in remote areas.

Hostel - The University maintains five hostels at the campus. Each hostel provides mess facility and service of room attendants to its boarders. The allotment is made by a committee approved for the purpose according to certain prescribed norms. Meritorious students and those belonging to far-flung areas of the state are given preference.

Library - The University of Kashmir Library System comprises of more than 54 libraries which are attached  to different Departments / Centres of the University.  They function as branches of its Central Library known  as Allama Iqbal Library. The resources of the library comprise of books, manuscripts journals, Microfiche, CDROMs, theses, dissertations, audio cassettes, film strips etc. The library has also established a Career Corner that provides special material to students preparing for competitive tests like CAT, MAT, GMAT, NET, besides civil service examinations like IAS, IPS, IFS, KAS etc. The library has a well equipped Audio Visual Section too. The University Library System is fully computerized and offers online access to various databases of its resources through Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) now available on worldwide web through the University Website. The Internet Access Centre of the Library has more than hundred computers offering adequate internet browsing/downloading and e-mail facility to students, scholars, teachers etc.

Directorate of Distance Education - It offers various graduate and post graduate courses in various disciplines.The Directorate has a well-equipped library with updated reference material, books and journals on the subjects offered by it. The Directorate has been fully computerized with latest Information and Communication Technology. The Directorate has envisaged a strong network of study-cum-information centres located at district headquarters. At the study centres, the learners interact with academic counsellors and other learners, watch/ listen to audio/ video cassettes.

Reservation of Seats - In all programmes offered by the University, 61% of the seats are filled from amongst the students who have applied under open merit category and 39% from amongst the Reserved Categories with the selection in the latter category being made on the basis of merit explained above. In case of M.Sc. Bio-technology, however, only two seats shall be available for Reserved Categories and shall be offered to two candidates who top in the merit list of Reserved Categories, provided that only one candidate shall be taken from one category.  

Health Service -  The University of Kashmir has its own Health Centre with well qualified doctors and paramedical staff. The Health Centre provides its services round the clock to students and employees, especially to those who live on the University Campus. The Health Centre provides treatment and essential medicines to patients free of cost.

It also provides the following diagnostic facility to patients:

• Diagnostic Laboratory: The laboratory of the Health Centre is well equipped with latest Computerized Automatic Haematological Analyser (Sysmex KX-21). Biochemistry Analyser and Electrolyte Analyser. The laboratory is run by an expert technical staff.
• X-Ray Unit: It is equipped with 300 MA X-Ray plant.
• ECG Unit: It is equipped with 6 lead ECG machine which acquires 6 lead channels of patients simultaneously.
• Dental Unit : It is provides high quality dental health care to needy students and staff.

Research Centres

• EMMRC - The Centre has a Satellite Interactive Terminal (SIT) for Virtual Classroom Operation through Educational Satellite (EDUSAT). The educational Television (ETV) programmes produced by the centre are telecast on DD national, DD bharti, Gyan Darshan, & Vyas - the higher educational channel of UGC. The centre provides an excellent opportunity for teachers to share & generate educational content in the form of Educational Television (ETV) programmes, multimedia & Learning  objects, documentaries. This benefits students by providing them access to vast Educational resources available within & outside the state through Virtual Educational Classroom. For more info contact - 0194-2420610
• DLLL - Directorate of LifeLong Learning is involved in Adult Education, Continuing Education, Extension and field outreach like teaching, community development, research, extension and field outreach. It provides and establishes skill based trainings, courses, counselling and coaching for competitive examinations, entrepreneurship programmes, community development centres, continuing education and various outreach activities to the people. The Directorate was earlier known as Centre for Adult Continuing Education and Extension (CACEE).
• CORD - Centre of Research for Development provides training, facilities and guidance for pursuing M.Sc project works of other Indian Universities in various areas like plant biotechnology, limnology, aquatic ecology, terrestrial ecology etc. It also undertakes Limnology/ water quality/ Air Quality tests for various Central/ State Govt. Departments/ Public Sector Agencies/ Organizations. The Centre has collaborations with a number of Institutions like - Space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad. etc.
• COPT - Centre of Plant Taxonomy conducts research studies on the floral wealth of the Himalayan region. It provides essential service of plant identification and other crucial information to other departments and organizations within and outside the country. The Herbarium of the University, KASH is one of the largest herbaria in the country, containing 40,000 plant specimens collected from various regions of the State, including far-off areas such as Gurez, Karnah, Padder, Zanaskar, Nubra. It harbours a rich repository of precious information about the plant wealth of this Himalayan region by preserving the plant specimens belonging to about 3000 species, including specimens of about 300 endemics and 355 threatened plant species.
• USIC - University Service and Instrumentation Centre has a well equipped air conditioned Analytical Instrumentation Laboratory housing various scientific instruments. The Centre has a well- equipped Workshop where prototype models for research projects, scientific innovations & inventions and specific instruments are fabricated. The availability of heavy duty electro-mechanical instruments and a battery of skilled engineers and technicians provide the students, innovators & research scientists an ideal environment for technical & studies and workshop facility.
• Sheikh-ul-Alam Chair (Markaz-i-Noor) - It's objective is to promote the understanding of Shaikh Noor-ud-Din Wali, the social significance of his spiritual placement, his poetry, message and the Reshi tradition that followed him in larger sociological terms. It also involved in exploring the socio-religious and cultural dimensions of the rich heritage of Kashmir with special reference to Rishis tradition.
• Women's Studies Centre - It is engaged in academic upliftment of women with by making women aware of their potential by providing them access to educational and occupational facilities through field and extension work and  training. It achieves it's purpose through - Teaching & Training Research and Extension Documentation and Publication Advocacy Seminars and Workshop Networking and Coordinating with other agencies.
• Bio-informatics Centre - The centre envisages to increase its software and data analysis resources to cater to requirements in other areas of biotechnology viz proteomics, molecular modeling and drug designing. The centre envisages starting a postgraduate program in the near future.
• Centre of Central Asian Studies - It provides a platform for creating and enhancing intellectual space for interdisciplinary research and inter-faith dialogue for promoting better understanding between India and Central Asian. It is achieved through various research projects and programmes.
• Iqbal Institute - Though, Iqbal Institute of Culture and Philosophy is specialised in study of Iqbal but it also admits students for research from various disciplines like Urdu, Arabic, Persian, English, Political Science, Philosophy Education and Islamic Studies.
• State Resource Centre - It is involved in providing academic and technical resources support base for all literacy and Adult Education Programmes in the state run by Central or State Government or any Non Governmental Organization. It accomplishes it's objectives through it's 5 separate Units.
• Population Research Centre - It conducts a Study of the Assessment of Health Status of the Elderly in Jammu and Kashmir. It is also involved in socio-economic, demographic and health status of the population living in and around Dal Lake in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Institute of Kashmir Studies - It is involved in re-examining and re-evaluating the sources of pluralistic Kashmiri tradition: Folklore, historical texts, archaeological findings.
• Academic Staff College - It is involved in organising General Orientation Courses & Refresher Courses for teachers.

Merit Scholarships and Student-aid Fund

a) Students selected for admission to various programmes in the University are eligible to receive two merit scholarships which are paid to the two top merit holders. Merit scholarship in favour of 1st & 2nd semester students is granted on the basis of merit obtained in the Entrance Examination, while in the 3rd + 4th/5th +6th Semesters it is granted on the basis of merit obtained in the 1st + 2nd / 3rd + 4th semesters. The scholarship is granted from the date of admission to the programme up to the last date of the examination, subject to a maximum period of 12 calendar months.

b) Research Scholarships: There are four research scholarships in each Department/Research Centre for carrying out research leading to the award of Ph.D./M. Phil. degrees in addition to the contingency grant payable annually for meeting miscellaneous expenses.

c) Students-aid Fund: The University has also adopted a scheme called Student-aid Fund under which financial assistance is extended to meritorious students who come from low income group families.

d) The Kashmir University Alumni Association also provides financial assistance to students with poor economic background. Preference, however, is given to orphans.

Entrepreneurship Development - The University offers assistance in Entrepreneurship Development and Self-employment opportunities among unemployed Science and Technology (S & T) persons of Kashmir so as to motivate them to choose entrepreneurship as their career instead of looking for a job. Entrepreneurship Development Cell (EDC) of the University provides a platform for inventors and innovators of the valley to facilitate them with workshop facilities for prototype fabrication, expert guidance on patenting and project report generation for establishing an SSI unit. EDC bridges the gap between the entrepreneur and the funding agencies.

Students Welfare Department - The Department functions for the overall benefit and welfare of the student community of the University. The Department addresses social and academic concerns of students through sustained and meaningful interaction in different forms.

Some of activities and units are:

• Annual Students Magazine: The Department publishes an annual magazine “Gulala”, which contains various literary and research articles written by students, teachers and research scholars. The magazine promotes the art and habit of writing among the students of the University.
• Red Cross Unit: The Red Cross Unit stands for the humanitarian assistance programme, executed through University Volunteers. The Unit keeps close liaison with IRCS, J&K Chapter and jointly organizes various programmes, workshops and blood donation camps and other related programmes at the campus.
• Students’ Grievance Cell: The Cell looks after the grievances of the students and acts as a bridge between the University authorities and the students.
• Special Cell for Specially Challenged Students: The Cell provides facilities for specially challenged students within and outside the university system, which help them to ensure a dignified and respectable status and career after the completion of their studies. One of the prime concerns of the cell is also to sensitize the civil society about the diverse problems and challenges faced by the special category of our society.
• Cultural Club: A Cultural Club has been constituted with sections like Literary Club, Drama Club and Art Club. The Club organizes various activities including Seminars, Debates, Elocutions, Creative Writing Competitions, Fine Arts, Theatre Events, Youth Festivals, Cultural/Literary Tours, Youth Exchange Programmes at Local, Zonal, National and International levels.
• KU Red Ribbon Club: The main aim of the Club is sensitization and awareness of masses about HIV/AIDS through various interaction programmes. The Club also organises blood donation camps.
• Educational Tours: The Department also arranges educational tours for the students to visit various centres of excellence outside the valley. The students acquire learning experience by interacting with students and faculty members of other institutions.
• Other Services: Transport facility for students coming from District Headquarters and issuance of identity cards and character certificates to the students is also looked after by the Department.

Sports - The University Grants Commission has set up a Nodal Centre in the Directorate of Physical Education and Sports to foster the spirit of adventure sports in the universities and colleges of North India. The University has now become a facility centre for adventure sports like Ice-skiing, Ski-mountaineering, Mountaineering, Waterskiing, Kayaking and Canoeing, Aqua Para Shooting and White Water Rafting. Any bonafide student of a college and university can take part in the training programmes run by the Nodal Centre.

Centre for Career Planning and Counselling - The main task of the Centre is to plan and support career counselling, students’ placement, marketing of the University and its programmes. It provides services and resources for students in career and educational planning and helps them in their job search.  In addition, the Centre is also responsible for creating and sustaining relations with the public.

National Service Scheme - National Service Scheme (NSS) inculcates the spirit of voluntary work among students and teachers for community service. Each NSS unit comprises of 100 students whose activities are organized and coordinated by their respective programme officers. The In-charge of the NSS units at the University, College and +2 levels is the Programme Coordinator, NSS University of Kashmir.

Public Relations Centre - It is situated just near the Moulana Rumi Gate, the Centre acts as a bridge between the internal and external public of the University and the University administration. It has a student enquiry and Counselling Cell and the officer in-charge handles all matters pertaining to right to information act. All information regarding the examination schedules, timings etc. is available at the Centre. There is also a Guidance & Counselling Cell which caters to the needs of the students while they decide to choose various streams as careers after graduation. A counsellor looks after the cell.

Achievements

• Since 2002, the University stands accredited as an A-Grade University by the National Accreditation & Assessment Council (NAAC) of the University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi.
• Kashmir University Botanical Garden was globally recognised by the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BG CI), UK. The Garden is now a registered participant in the worldwide implementation of the International Agenda in support of plant conservation, environmental awareness and sustainable development. It is spread over an area of 10 acres in the University Campus and supplemented with a High Altitude Satellite Garden at Gulmarg. Presently, about 500 indigenous plant species and about 170 exotics are growing in the KUBG.
• The Herbarium of the University of Kashmir (KASH) is recognized by the New York based International Bureau for Plant Taxonomy.
• The Departments of Botany and History were selected by the University Grants Commission, Government of  India, New Delhi under its prestigious Special Assistance Programme (SAP) Phase I while Department of Zoology was selected for SAP Phase II .