SRINAGAR, July 3: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Wednesday expressed its gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for approving the establishment of a full-fledged Department of Library and Information Science at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), calling it a long-overdue academic development nearly four decades in the making.
In a statement issued to Kashmir Convener, Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor of JKSA, described the approval as a “historic academic milestone” and a “visionary decision” that would significantly strengthen India’s academic and professional landscape, particularly in the field of library and information sciences.
“JMI has been offering a Bachelor’s course in Library and Information Science without a dedicated department or permanent faculty for almost 40 years. The establishment of this department, along with the sanctioning of six permanent teaching positions, marks a major structural reform,” Khuehami said.
JKSA commended Vice Chancellor Prof. Mazhar Asif and Registrar Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi for their continued efforts in pursuing the matter with the Ministry of Education and University Grants Commission (UGC). The Association noted that their leadership played a key role in securing the long-pending approval.
Highlighting the importance of the new department, Khuehami said it would provide cutting-edge academic training in knowledge management, digital cataloguing, metadata creation, research indexing, and archival science. “This will open doors for careers in academic libraries, digital repositories, national archives, and research institutions,” he added.
The Association said the move supports the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by fostering multidisciplinary learning, digital literacy, and research-led education. It further stated that the department will benefit students from diverse backgrounds, including those from Jammu and Kashmir, seeking to contribute to the knowledge economy.
The Association thanked the Prime Minister, the Education Minister, the Ministry of Finance, and the UGC for their collective support in advancing higher education. It said the move will help Jamia Millia Islamia reinforce its legacy of academic excellence and social reform.