Ehsaan Yousf
Srinagar October 10: The University of Kashmir (KU) has retained its 4-Star Rating under the Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) framework of the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
The University secured a total score of 76.79 out of 100 in the latest IIC performance assessment, declared on October 5, 2026. The rating recognises the University’s initiatives to strengthen its innovation ecosystem and encourage students and faculty members to translate ideas into practical solutions. Institutions securing a 4-star rating are considered among the best-performing institutions with a streamlined campus ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE), Institute of Technology (IoT), Zakura Campus, which also serves as KU’s Institution Innovation Council, facilitates activities aimed at nurturing creativity, entrepreneurial thinking and start-up development across the University.
Congratulating the CIIE team, Vice-Chancellor, KU, Prof. Nilofer Khan, said the continued recognition reflected the importance the University places on promoting an innovation-driven academic environment.
“Retaining this rating is an encouraging recognition of our continued efforts to nurture innovative thinking and entrepreneurial talent. We want our students and researchers to feel empowered to explore new ideas, develop practical solutions and contribute to society through their creativity and enterprise,” she said.
Registrar, KU, Prof. Naseer Iqbal, congratulated the team and said the achievement reflected the varsity’s commitment to creating opportunities for students and faculty to engage in innovation and entrepreneurship.
Director, IoT, Zakura Campus KU, and Chairman, CIIE, KU, Prof. M. Tariq Banday, said the rating shows the collective efforts of the CIIE team in building a culture of innovation and enterprise.
Under the MIC–AICTE framework, the Council undertakes a range of activities throughout the academic year, including innovation and entrepreneurship awareness programmes, expert interactions, ideation and problem-solving sessions, design thinking, intellectual property rights awareness, exposure visits, idea competitions, hackathons, prototype showcases, mentoring and start-up development initiatives.
These activities include those prescribed under the IIC calendar, MIC-driven initiatives, celebrations and self-driven programmes, with outcomes documented and reported through the designated IIC portal.
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