Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland University, Prof JK Patnaik with members of Department of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Morung Express News
Zunheboto | December 17
Completing three years as Vice-Chancellor of Nagaland University (NU), Prof JK Patnaik highlighted the university’s upgradation in rankings research, enhancement of research output, shifting of campus as some key achievements.
In an interview conducted by Nagaland University’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication (DJMC), he also shared his experiences and challenges, including those arising from the multi-campus structure, and outlined a broader vision and plans to strengthen infrastructure and support academic growth.
Career trajectory
Reflecting on his career prior to joining NU, Prof Patnaik informed that he had served as the Pro VC of Mizoram University.
He also noted that nearly half of his four-decade academic career has been spent in the North-East, which he said helped him understand Nagaland’s academic and socio-cultural ecosystem.
Speaking on his motivation to assume the post, Prof Patnaik said the Vice-Chancellorship represents the culmination of his academic career and carries the responsibility of steering the university in line with its Act and Statutes, while aligning with national academic and research priorities.
Every university has its own challenges and opportunities, and the role of a VC is to translate institutional vision into reality, he stressed.
Achievements and constraints
In a comparative note, Prof Patnaik highlighted that while Mizoram University had attained NAAC ‘A’ and later ‘A+’ status, NU was graded ‘B’ when he joined and has since been upgraded to ‘B+’ during his tenure.
He also highlighted several foundational challenges, including the absence of statutory officers, inadequate infrastructure, unfilled teaching and non-teaching positions, and the lack of essential administrative mechanisms.
Among the major achievements, he cited the regularisation of statutory positions, improvement in faculty strength, enhancement of research output, and inclusion of Nagaland University in the 150–200 band of the NIRF rankings.
He also emphasised the significant increase in research publications and patents during the past three years.
Addressing challenges, Prof Patnaik identified the multi-campus structure of the university as a major administrative difficulty.
He described the shifting of the School of Engineering from Medziphema to Kohima as one of the most significant and “historic” decisions of his tenure, which resulted in substantial financial savings for the university.
Improving the academic ecosystem and infrastructure were also key priorities, he said, maintaining that laboratories, hostels, faculty accommodation, and academic buildings have now been upgraded to meet 21st-century standards.
He added that over Rs 10 crore was spent last year alone on advanced laboratory equipment, including cancer research facilities, which he said are among the best in the North-East.
On student and research scholar welfare, Prof Patnaik stated that Nagaland University is among the few institutions where all research scholars receive scholarships.
PhD scholars are financially supported to attend international conferences and are provided assistance for sample processing and research needs, he highlighted.
Future plans
On infrastructure development, Prof Patnaik said around 20 new buildings are planned over the next two years across the university’s campuses, including hostels and residential quarters for faculty and non-teaching staff.
Highlighting concerns over road connectivity, he said discussions have been initiated with the state administration to create a bypass for the national highway passing through the campus, citing student safety as a major concern.
Negotiations with local stakeholders are still ongoing, he added.
In his message to students, faculty members, and other stakeholders, the VC urged the academic community to adopt a focused and disciplined work culture to remain competitive at national and international levels.
He expressed confidence that with dedication and sustained effort, the people of Nagaland can achieve excellence and bring laurels to the State and the university.
The interview was conducted by Petekhrienuo Kulnu, a research scholar at DJMC, NU, and is available on the university’s official YouTube channel, according to Peter Ki of the Public Relations Office (PRO), NU. The interview script was prepared and arranged by Dr Arjun Das, Head of the Department, DJMC, NU.
