| In view of the special status of State of Jammu and | | | | issue many had proposed for setting up two separate |
| Kashmir, which has separate regions with distinct | | | | campuses of the university in either regions of the |
| geographical, social, cultural and ethnic characteristics, | | | | state. Even Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took up the |
| the Central Government has decided to establish, as a | | | | issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, suggesting |
| special exemption, two Central Universities in the State, | | | | that the university could have two campuses. |
| one in Jammu region and another in the Kashmir Valley | | | | But keeping in view the regional aspirations, the |
| fulfilling higher education requirement of the two | | | | Government acted otherwise and decided to set up |
| regions, at the cost of IIM as it has dropped the idea | | | | two Central Universities in the state of Jammu and |
| for establishing an IIM in J & K State. | | | | Kashmir. As reported by HRD Minister Kapil Sibal both |
| It is worthwhile to mention here that Earlier, | | | | Central Universities will offer distinct courses in |
| Government had decided to open up a central | | | | emerging areas of Nano-Technology, Bio-Technology |
| university in the state, and the same had started | | | | and Information Technology. But now the Million Dollar |
| functioning for some days from a temporary campus | | | | question to solve is that whether the two central |
| in Srinagar under Vice Chancellor Abdul Wahid who | | | | universities in the state will flourish to the same extent? |
| had advertised some posts of faculty members. | | | | As many are of the view that in Kashmir region |
| However, a controversy erupted after certain political | | | | mostly due to bandhs and strike calls the education |
| parties of Jammu region domination demanded that | | | | system has to suffer a lot and the chilling winter |
| the university be set up in Jammu leading to violent | | | | season adds more to the problem. Then how in such |
| agitations in the region following which the HRD | | | | circumstances the University would go along with the |
| ministry intervened and asked the Vice Chancellor to | | | | one that of Jammu region where season as well as |
| bring to a halt the process of appointments. | | | | social, political and economical conditions are |
| Thus the Central University got trapped in controversy | | | | favourable for the better education system. |
| with both regions demanding the institute to be located | | | | Prof. (Dr.) Ashiq Hussain |
| in their areas. To end the ongoing agitations on the | | | | Deptt. Of Chemistry, Govt. |