OnlyKashmir.in News Desk
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) has achieved a major milestone in the region’s higher education sector by becoming the first university in Kashmir to conduct a completely paperless postgraduate semester examination. The initiative marks a significant step towards modernising the examination system through advanced digital technology.
Around 150 postgraduate students appeared for a tablet-based examination in the subject Statistical Methods for Applied Sciences, replacing the traditional pen-and-paper format with a secure digital platform. The initiative forms part of the university’s broader vision to establish a technology-driven academic ecosystem that enhances efficiency, transparency and sustainability.
The digital examination was introduced under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, who described the transition as a transformative reform rather than merely replacing paper with electronic devices. He said the initiative reflects the university’s commitment to innovation while preparing students for an increasingly technology-oriented academic and professional environment.
The examination process was supervised by Controller of Examinations Prof. K. N. Qaisar, Dean, Faculty of Horticulture Prof. Raihana Habib Kanth, and Head, Division of Agricultural Statistics Prof. Imran Khan, ensuring strict academic standards and cybersecurity measures throughout the assessment. Technical support during the examination was provided by Dr. Aziz Mujtaba Aezum, Dr. M. Iqbal Jeelani, and Dr. Immad A. Shah, enabling smooth and uninterrupted conduct of the examination.
The paperless system offers encrypted answer submissions, secure question delivery, automated audit trails and quicker evaluation while eliminating paper consumption and printing costs. Operating within a locked digital environment, it prevents access to external resources, thereby strengthening examination integrity and fairness.
University officials said the platform also familiarises students with computer-based competitive examinations such as ICAR-NET, GATE, CSIR-UGC NET and Civil Services examinations. Having already implemented paperless undergraduate assessments, SKUAST-K now plans to gradually extend the digital examination model across all academic programmes, setting a new benchmark for technology-enabled education in Jammu and Kashmir.
