1,900 students graduate from AJK varsity

Graduating students awarded degrees at eighth convocation of the University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir.

MUZAFFARABAD: About 1,900 graduating students were awarded degrees at the eighth convocation of the University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJKU) in Muzaffarabad on Tuesday. The university also gave gold medals to 34 students for excelling in their fields.

While addressing the convocation President and Chancellor AJKU, Raja Zulqarnain Khan, urged the government to complete the tendering process early so that construction work on the new university campuses in Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot could be started.

“The financial crunch at the national level has also affected universities, including AJKU,” Khan said.

He added, “The overall budget has been reduced and cuts have been imposed on the development budget, which
has hampered [our developmental goals].”

He said that the education sector should be spared budgetary cuts so that academic activities are not impaired and the development of academic institutions is not affected.

“The university should consider resource diversification because if funding alternatives are not found, education in the region will be hindered each time there is a financial crisis,” Khan said.

The vice-chancellor of the university, Professor Dr Habibur Rehman, congratulated the graduating students and wished them a
successful future.

While addressing the students he said, “The university is proud of your performance and achievements. I am certain that you will prove to be an asset to our nation and contribute towards the progress of the country. We hope that you would continue to display the same degree of commitment in the future as well.”

Recounting the performance of the university during the last year he said, “At present, 20 research projects worth Rs267 million are being undertaken in different departments of the university. These projects have greatly enhanced the research activities of the respective departments and made available enough resources for the training of faculty and students.”

Rehman added that about 32 faculty members have been sent abroad on scholarships for higher education in different disciplines. The numbers
of departments at the Rawalakot campus, he said, have been increased.

He also said that the university is also planning to start new courses, including Kashmir Studies, LLB and B.Ed programme, at the Kotli campus of AJKU.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2010.