The Department of Science and Technology, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, organized a two-day meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the J&K Science, Technology & Innovation Council (JKST&IC) on 14th and 15th October 2025 at the SKICC, Srinagar. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Secretary, Science & Technology, as the Chairperson of the Committee.

The TAC convened to evaluate and finalise research proposals under the Sponsored Research and Extension Programme (SREP)—a flagship initiative of the Science & Technology Department aimed at promoting indigenous research and supporting scientists in developing solutions to region-specific socio-economic and environmental challenges.

This year, the Department received 525 project proposals, including 306 from the Kashmir region and 219 from the Jammu region, from a wide range of universities, medical and technical institutions, and research laboratories across the Union Territory. The proposals were reviewed across 20 thematic areas, focusing on climate change, glacier studies, water and energy security, food sufficiency, environmental protection, public health, and natural disasters, among others.

The Committee comprised eminent scientists and academicians, including Dr. Anish Yadav (SKUAST-Jammu), Dr. Parvinder Pal Singh (CSIR-IIIM Jammu), Dr. Mudasir Andrabi (SKUAST-Kashmir), Dr. Aabid Hussain Shalla (IUST-Kashmir), Dr. Meena Sharma (University of Jammu), Dr. Kumud Ranjan Jha (SMVDU), Dr. Ambika Prasad (IIT Jammu), and Dr. Anil Bhat (SKUAST-Jammu). Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, Additional Director, JKST&IC, served as Member Secretary of the Committee.

In his remarks, Dr. Shahid Choudhary emphasized that novelty, methodology, and societal impact should be central to the evaluation process. He reiterated the Government’s resolve to build a strong ecosystem for research, innovation, and technological advancement in Jammu & Kashmir. “The R&D funding policy is designed to provide early-stage support to promising ideas, enabling researchers to transform their innovative concepts into scalable and sustainable solutions,” he stated.

Dr. Choudhary further underlined that the Science & Technology and Biotechnology Departments have a major mandate to finance and facilitate R&D across diverse disciplines. He urged researchers to maintain high ethical standards, ensure the efficient use of public funds, and align research priorities with societal needs while safeguarding academic freedom and scientific excellence.

The Chairperson also directed the Council to develop an online portal for submission, evaluation, and tracking of research proposals to ensure transparent and merit-based funding. He suggested that universities and research institutions nominate expert panels for internal screening before forwarding proposals to the Department.

The TAC concluded its deliberations with the finalisation of select high-impact, regionally relevant projects that will be placed before the Government for approval. The selected projects are expected to contribute significantly to scientific advancement, policy innovation, and sustainable development in Jammu & Kashmir.