Secretary S&T chairs TAC to finalise research projects

Srinagar, Oct 15: 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 October 14 and 15  at the SKICC, Srinagar. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Secretary, Science & Technology, as the Chairperson of the Committee, said an official statement.

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.

Dr Shahid Choudhary emphasised 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.