If an institution has to survive and be buoyed up, it must continuously grow and show better results in its performance and output. The growth must be steady, progressive and evenly spread. We can apply this simple principle in the case of a firm, a company, an institution or in any entity etc engaged in activities having direct bearing upon human beings. If there is sudden reversal or any flip flop which results in a negative growth, the institution needs an overhaul and revamping.
Something like that having taken place in respect of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology (SKUAST) Jammu must be a cause of concern as its annual ranking by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) , New Delhi puts the University at No. 24 plummeted from 15 last year . Which areas are there in the University which have poorly performed must be looked into at the outset. The level of the quality of academics and research needs to be reviewed as these two wings are most important and must be above suspicions of average level output. Why has this institution, established nearly two decades back, be showing poor results as compared to newly established ones with lesser facilities on comparative grounds.?
This University at Jammu needs not draw any solace and satisfaction from the woebegone performance of SKUAST Kashmir for having got rating of 27 or three less than them. In fact, comparisons are required to be made with better performing competitors. Refreshing our memories about the basis of such ranking by the ICAR , several parameters are taken into account like student and faculty profile , placement of students, publications in high ranking journals and citations , patents, revenue generation etc. This is aimed at enhancing the standards of Agricultural education in parity with innovations, new experiments and technologies taking place all over the world.
We urge the state authorities to have all the shortcomings in the functioning of the SKUAST Jammu known and areas identified in order to streamline the management of the Agricultural University so that not only it gets back its last year ‘s ratings but improves upon it continuously in the coming years.
Follow our WhatsApp channel