I am greatly honored and privileged to have an opportunity to lead the University of Jammu, which is a premier Institute of higher learning and research in the U.T of Jammu and Kashmir. Through this great Institution, I wish to contribute to the empowerment of young and new India through the pursuit of education, learning, research and innovation at the highest level of excellence. I envision providing the leadership with highest degree of the persistence, resilience and perseverance, based on the interplay of discovery, discussion,debate and mutual trust. I shall ensure that the University does introspection and improves upon, where it needs to make up, and build on its strength to face emerging challenges of the modern time, so that in coming years it ranks among the best institutions of higher learning and research in the world. I have a firm belief that the positive pooling of energy of the faculty, staff and students who in my opinion, are always eager to enrich the institution can ensure this goal.

The University of Jammu is committed to implement the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP-2020) in letter and spirit. As a first step towards this, we aim to introduce multi- and cross-disciplinary courses across science, social science, arts, humanities, and sport disciplines. The curriculum will be reorganized, wherever needed, such that a student can choose what s/he wants to study, rather than what is s/he ‘enforced’ to study. In today’s world where existing information quickly becomes obsolete, I would work for a dynamic curriculum which encourages students to learn and innovate, and enables them to take the advantage of career opportunities that come their way. I also believe that the research excellence is a defining feature of an institution’s landscape, which incrementally affects it by attracting outstanding postgraduate students and academics. Whereas the University of Jammu will nurture and protect fundamental research to provide the foundation of innovations, it will also focus on areas that directly impact and improve lives of people and provide opportunities to people.
I will also focus on creating opportunities for the distance and open learning aimed at promoting wider access of higher education and skill development across all sections of the society. My overall endeavor will be to introduce job-oriented courses that are in sync with the emerging national and global trends as well as relevant to the market requirements. This will increase the employability and enhance the innovation and entrepreneurship among the students.
I am always guided by the words of wisdom of Shri Swami Vivekananda: ‘arise, awake and rest not, till the goal is achieved’. My efforts would be that the University of Jammu provides an excellent ecosystem to all stakeholders to achieve the goal of the overall development both at the personal and professional level.

Prof. Umesh Rai