Jammu and Kashmir has started work on a Multiversity ecosystem that would bring its universities and premier institutions together on one collaborative platform. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo held a detailed consultation on Thursday with Vice Chancellors and senior Higher Education Department officials to examine how the region’s combined academic, research, technological and infrastructural strengths could be used more effectively.
The meeting was attended by the Vice Chancellors of J&K’s universities, Commissioner Secretary Higher Education Ram Niwas Sharma, Director Colleges and other officers. Discussions centred on an institutional framework for inter-university collaboration, shared academic resources, multidisciplinary learning, student and faculty mobility, research partnerships and stronger industry linkages, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Dulloo said the world is changing rapidly as technology transforms lifestyles and workplaces. While technology is replacing some conventional jobs, he noted, it is also creating more complex challenges that demand knowledge across disciplines. The future, he said, will belong to people who keep upgrading their knowledge, acquire varied skills and work across institutional and professional boundaries. Such capabilities, he added, cannot be built in isolation and need greater networking.
A Multiversity, in his view, could serve as the institutional mechanism for preparing a future-ready generation by combining the strengths of different institutions and letting students access diverse fields of knowledge.
The Chief Secretary placed special emphasis on research outcomes, calling for a move “from papers to patents” with a clear roadmap for innovation and technology transfer. He directed that the proposed framework set out specific milestones, timelines, institutional responsibilities and measurable outcomes so that the concept becomes action on the ground.
Prof. Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, Vice Chancellor of the Islamic University of Science and Technology, gave a detailed presentation on the concept and its relevance. He said an inter-institutional framework must be built today for institutions to stay relevant tomorrow, and that NEP-2020 provides clear policy direction. He pointed to the region’s diverse ecosystem, which includes academic and agricultural universities, AIIMS, SKIMS, IIT, IIM, technical institutions and a large network of colleges. These bodies could share infrastructure, expertise and resources without duplicating facilities.
His presentation outlined a possible academic architecture, interdisciplinary learning pathways, shared courses and facilities, internships and apprenticeships, industry and public-sector links, anchor institutions and Key Performance Indicators to track progress.
Several Vice Chancellors offered suggestions:
University of Kashmir Vice Chancellor Prof. Neelofar Khan noted that collaboration is not new to J&K, though it has been limited in scale, and stressed skill development and industry-academia linkages.
University of Jammu Vice Chancellor Prof. Umesh Rai said NEP-2020 already provides a broad roadmap. He suggested mechanisms for seamless credit transfer across institutions, using MOOCs and the Academic Bank of Credits.
Cluster University of Srinagar Vice Chancellor Prof. Mohammad Mobin said the Cluster University model already brings multiple colleges under one academic framework. He proposed building on that experience while addressing the challenges faced in implementation.
Cluster University of Jammu Vice Chancellor Prof. K. S. Chandrasekar described the Cluster Universities as an early collaborative model in the country and suggested exploring further additions under the new framework.
SMVDU Vice Chancellor Prof. Pragati Kumar highlighted the Government of India’s I-STEM platform for sharing high-end research equipment. He said financial mechanisms are needed to support faculty and student exchange.
BGSBU Vice Chancellor Prof. Jawaid Iqbal called the two Cluster Universities “mini-Multiversities” and proposed bringing in more institutions through online, offline or hybrid modes.
Commissioner Secretary Ram Niwas Sharma said several private universities elsewhere in the country already share resources, faculty and students across courses. He suggested that one institution could be identified as a Special Purpose Vehicle or anchor to drive the initiative in a focused way, starting with a select set of courses.
