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Established:
1982
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Type:
State Agricultural University
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Location:
Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
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Campus:
Multiple Campuses
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Nickname:
SKUAST Kashmir
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Vice-Chancellor:
Dr. Tej Pratap
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Website:
http://www.skuastkashmir.ac.in
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir is an agricultural university located in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. With its main campus in Shalimar, Srinagar, the University has multiple campuses, colleges, research and extension centers across the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh regions of the state.
History
The university was founded in the year 1982 by an Act passed by the State Legislature of Jammu and Kashmir. It was named after Kashmiri leader Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah who is popularly known as Sher-e-Kashmir (Lion of Kashmir). The name given to the university was "Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology" (SKUAST).
Initially, the university had jurisdiction over the entire State of Jammu & Kashmir with its headquarter at Shalimar, Srinagar. When the SKUAST Act came in force, the agricultural education, research and extension training units were transferred to SKUAST from various development departments viz; Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Sheep Husbandry and Sericulture of Jammu & Kashmir State.
In the year 1998-99, the territorial jurisdiction of the University was redefined by amending the SKUAST Act 1982 under which a separate agricultural University was established for Jammu Division and named as Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-J) with its territorial jurisdiction extended to the entire Jammu Division. The parent University was renamed as Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K)
Establishment of the university
In 1979, the expert team of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) on the proposal of state government recommended establishment of agricultural university for the advancement of agricultural sector in the state. The Act for establishment of a university under the name and style of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology was passed by the State Legislature in the 33rd year of the Republic of India on 31 March 1982 which came into force on 1 August 1982 with its jurisdiction over the entire State of Jammu and Kashmir and headquarter at Shalimar, Srinagar.
With the establishment of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology (SKUAST) named after great patriotic leader Jenab Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah (popularly known as Sher-e-Kashmir) the agricultural education, research and extension training units were transferred to SKUAST from development departments of Jammu and Kashmir State — agriculture, animal husbandry, sheep husbandry and sericulture. The university operates on the Land-Grant College concept following the Model Act of SAUs evolved by ICAR. It is a multicampus university.
It is a matter of great satisfaction that extremely incoherent and stagnated research infrastructure, an initial customary educational base and non-existent extension education services have given way to an organised institution of SKUAST, which has taken over responsibility of supporting the state in its effort to develop its agricultural economy in agriculture and allied sectors. There is no doubt that SKUAST has developed faster than many agricultural universities in the country.
In 1998-99, the territorial jurisdiction of the university was redefined by amending the SKUAST Act 1982 under which a separate agriculture university was established for Jammu Division and named as Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-J). Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir has jurisdiction over Kashmir Valley and Ladakh comprising two agro-ecological zones. These include
Mid-high altitude temperate zone namely the Kashmir Valley covering the districts of Anantnag, Budgam, Baramullah, Pulwama, Kupwara, Bandipora, Ganderbal and Srinagar which has annual precipitation of 660 to 1400 mm with average temperature around 13°C and the altitude ranging between 1500–2500 m amsl.
Cold-arid region of Ladakh comprising the districts of Leh and Kargil which are cold desert with precipitation around 100–120 mm and altitude 2500–5300 m amsl and temperature fluctuating between +40 to -40°C.
Library Information System
Being multicampus in nature, the University has Central Library at Shalimar and College Libraries at Faculty of Agriculture, Wadura and Faculty of veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Shuhama. For Sericulture a small Library is there at the Division of Sericulture, Mirgund. Research Stations do not have library except reference literature. Since 2001-02, 11,100 books and 104 research periodicals have been added. University is subscribing to 40 International and 65 National Journals. It is rich with Books, back volumes of periodicals and CDs. University libraries have about 50,000 book accessions; 20,000 Journals (back volumes) and 10,000 Reports. Each year about 2000-3000 Books are being added. The thesis prepared by M.Sc. and Ph.D., students in various disciplines, as part of degree programme, have now been digitized. The Library Information System has been enriched with world’s leading agricultural databases. As a result scholars from other universities visit our Central Library for review.