The University of Jammu on Tuesday celebrated its 58th Foundation Day with Vice-Chancellor Prof Umesh Rai calling upon the University fraternity to move beyond conventional, marks-oriented education and build an academic ecosystem centred on problem-solving, project-based learning, research, innovation, entrepreneurship and societal relevance.
Addressing the gathering, Vice-Chancellor, Prof Rai said the 58th Foundation Day was not merely an occasion to celebrate the University’s journey, but also a moment to reflect on the kind of institution it must become for the generations ahead.
He said the University of Jammu had reached a stage where it must move beyond following established models and have the confidence to create new ones for higher education.
“I have never believed that we should simply copy another university. I want the University of Jammu to be an example for others,” he said, calling upon the University fraternity to work collectively towards making Jammu University a model institution for the country.
The Vice Chancellor said the changing world required universities to rethink the way students are taught, assessed and prepared for life.
Education, he said, could no longer remain excessively centred on marks, examinations and rote learning. The real measure of a student should increasingly be the ability to think, collaborate, create and solve problems.
“We cannot determine the future of today’s students according to the standards and circumstances of our own student days,” he said.
Emphasising project-based and interdisciplinary learning, the Vice-Chancellor said students from different disciplines should be encouraged to work together on real-life problems. He said the University had already begun experimenting with such approaches and urged faculty members to make project-mode learning an integral part of curriculum design. Assessment, too, must evolve to recognise both collaborative work and individual contribution. Referring to the University’s new undergraduate-postgraduate programme, Prof Rai said the initiative was aimed at bringing students from different academic streams onto a common multidisciplinary platform, with exposure to areas such as Information Technology, mathematical ability, data, communication skills, coding, Artificial Intelligence and financial literacy.
He cautioned that innovative programmes should not eventually slip back into conventional teaching practices. “Please do not take it towards rote learning. Take it towards project-mode learning and real-life problem-solving,” he told the academic fraternity.
Placing research at the heart of the University’s future, Prof Rai said the institution had witnessed encouraging growth in its research performance, with citations increasing from around 944 to 10,549. The University’s admissions had also increased from around 1,800 last year to more than 2,800 this year, which, he said, reflected growing confidence in the institution.
He also highlighted the University’s initiative to establish the Centre for Regional Studies, Culture, Dialects and Emotional Intelligence, which would undertake research across Jammu and Kashmir and explore its culture, literature, dialects, traditions and heritage, besides examining their possible linkages with tourism, entrepreneurship and the economy.
Calling himself merely a “catalyst” in the University’s transformation, the Vice Chancellor credited the progress to the collective efforts of the University fraternity. “Every one of you has a role to play,” he said, urging faculty members, officers, employees, researchers and students to take ownership of the University’s future.
On the 58th Foundation Day, he called upon the University fraternity to renew its commitment to the institution and build a University that not only responds to the changing needs of higher education but also provides direction to others.
Chief guest Dr Dheer Singh, Director, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, congratulated the University fraternity and said universities were not merely places of teaching but institutions that shape individuals, society and the nation.
Dr Singh identified education, research and employment as three crucial dimensions of a modern university and stressed that research should move beyond laboratories and academic publications to create technologies, products, enterprises and solutions for society.
Guest of Honour Manish Vij, Managing Partner, Smile Group and Founder, Vanna Ventures, New Delhi, said universities must prepare students to combine disciplinary expertise with the ability to work across domains and address real-world challenges.
Using the letter “T” as an analogy, he said its vertical line represented depth and specialisation, while the horizontal represented cross-functional and interdisciplinary learning.
Earlier, welcoming the guests, Prof. Neelu Rohmetra, Dean Research Studies, University of Jammu, described the University’s 58-year institutional journey as a testimony to resilience, perseverance and the contribution of generations of stakeholders.
A special feature of the 58th Foundation Day celebrations was the felicitation of distinguished alumni who have excelled in the fields of judiciary, civil administration, tourism and entrepreneurship, besides student achievers and best-performing employees of the University.
Among those honoured was Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal, alumnus of Law and presently Judge of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. With a distinguished legal career spanning over three decades, Justice Nargal has extensive experience in constitutional, service, taxation, academic, civil and arbitration matters. He served in several important capacities, including Senior Additional Advocate General for the J&K Home Department and counsel for various government and public institutions.
The University also honoured Udham Dass, JKAS, an alumnus of the Department of History and presently serving as Additional Secretary at the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat, J&K. A member of the JKAS 2008 batch, he completed his M.A. in History from the University of Jammu during 2001-03 and was a Gold Medallist. He subsequently pursued M.Phil. and Ph.D. in History and qualified UGC NET and JRF NET. As he could not attend the function owing to official engagements at Lok Bhawan, Srinagar, the memento was received on his behalf by the Registrar, University of Jammu.
Ansuya Jamwal, JKAS, alumnus of The Business School and presently Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, was felicitated for her contribution to public administration. An MBA from the University of Jammu, she joined the Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Service in 2004 and has served in several important assignments across Social Welfare, Tourism, Government Medical College and Hospitality & Protocol. Her contribution to inter-departmental coordination, emergency response, rescue and relief efforts during challenging situations, including Operation Sindoor and the August 2025 floods, was also acknowledged.
Another distinguished alumnus felicitated on the occasion was Vijay Kumar, a member of the second batch of the Master’s in Tourism Management, 2004, who is presently Joint General Manager-Tourism, IRCTC Ltd., North Zone, New Delhi.
The University also felicitated Shri Rajat Salgotra, a Gold Medallist in MBA International Business from the International Centre for Cross-Cultural Research and Human Resource Management and former Cultural Secretary of the University. A first-generation entrepreneur, he is the Founder and CEO of Samast Eco Alternatives Pvt. Ltd., a sustainability-focused startup that upcycles cow dung and temple flower waste into eco-friendly products.
The University also felicitated student achievers for their outstanding accomplishments in sports, cultural activities, NSS and NCC, recognising their achievements at University, national and international levels.
The best-performing employees of the University were also honoured for their dedication and contribution to the institution. Those recognised included Vikas Bhat, Section Officer, Vice-Chancellor’s Secretariat; Neeru Gupta, Section Officer, Examination Wing; Ashwani Kumar, Mali, Landscaping Unit; and Jagtar, Sanitation Worker, Department of Botany.
Earlier, as part of its commitment to social responsibility and youth engagement, the University of Jammu organised a Nasha Mukt Pledge, led by Vice-Chancellor Prof Umesh Rai. The pledge reaffirmed the University’s resolve to contribute towards a drug-free society, in alignment with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lieutenant Governor and Chancellor Manoj Sinha for a Nasha Mukt Bharat and a drug-free Jammu and Kashmir.
The event was ably conducted by Prof Sarika Manhas, Co-Chairperson, Campus Cultural Committee. The vote of thanks was delivered by Dr Neeraj Sharma, Registrar, University of Jammu.
