Jammu, July 17
Jammu University has locked horns with outside universities that have started operating here by opening their unauthorised study centres and technical colleges.

Jammu University today warned that the degree issued to students by such institutions was not recognised for the purposes of admission or employment in the university.

A number of study centres of various universities and those deemed have mushroomed within the territorial jurisdictions of the Jammu and the Srinagar Universities without permission of the state government or the local university. Many such centres have been opened on shabby premises that lack infrastructure.

Prof Rajive Gupta, Director, College Development Council, Jammu University, said any course run by these study centres and franchise, except the IGNOU, was not recognised by Jammu University.

Mr Gupta has inserted advertisements in the local newspapers, declaring such study centres as unauthorised.

In a bid to remove confusion among the students who have taken up its different courses, Punjab Technical University (PTU) has also inserted an advertisement, saying that it offered distance education across the country by the provisions of its Act. A large number of Kashmiri students are pursuing their studies in the colleges affiliated to the PTU and every year the university conducts counselling in J&K, the public notice added.

The PTU has clarified that the degrees awarded through distance education are on a par with the regular one.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) had recently said the deemed-to-be universities were not permitted to affiliate any college or institute. The UGC had also notified that private franchising of higher education was not permissible.

Srinagar, July 17
Troops gunned down two militants in a night-long operation in north Kashmir, a Defence Ministry spokesman said.

However, people took to the streets alleging that there was no militants and the troops set on fire two houses without any provocation.

The spokesman said troops, on specific information, cordoned off Arin village, Bandipora, about 55 km from here, in north Kashmir last night

However, when the troops were about to storm a particular house, militants, hiding inside, opened fire and also hurled grenades.

The cordon around the house was further tightened and the militants were repeatedly asked to surrender, he said, adding that they continued firing from automatic weapons.

Two militants were killed in the encounter, the spokesman said. — UNI