Garhwal Post Bureau
DEHRADUN, 13 Aug: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today inaugurated the newly constructed Biological Sciences Laboratory building and the Central Library at Doon University and also launched the university’s Community Radio Station 88.4 FM. On this occasion, he also made a series of announcements aimed at strengthening academic infrastructure, foreign language education and student facilities at the university.
The Biological Sciences Laboratory building has been constructed at a cost of Rs 11.20 crores, while the Central Library building has been built at a cost of Rs 17.39 crores, taking the total cost of the two newly inaugurated facilities to Rs 28.59 crores. Dhami said the new infrastructure would provide better facilities for academic and research activities and contribute to the overall development of students.
On this occasion, the CM also inaugurated the Doon University’s Community Radio Station 88.4 FM and described it as an important facility for the university and the wider community. He announced that two posts of Programme Coordinator and Technical Assistant would be created for the effective operation of the community radio station.
In a significant announcement, Dhami said the Central Library of Doon University would be named after Bharat Ratna awardee Dr BR Ambedkar. He said the library would henceforth be known as a tribute to the contribution of Dr Ambedkar to education, social reform and nation building.
The CM further announced that two electric buses would be provided for students of Doon University. He also announced that the foreign language departments of the university would be strengthened to enable them to provide skill-based education to students of other educational institutions in the state and create better employment opportunities for the youth.
Dhami said appropriate additional posts would be created for the Spanish, German, French, Chinese and Japanese language departments. He observed that strengthening these departments would help students acquire foreign language skills that can improve their employment prospects and also meet the growing demand for foreign language professionals in different sectors.
The CM said the state government is working continuously to strengthen higher education infrastructure and improve the quality of education and research. New colleges and model colleges are being established, while facilities such as women’s hostels, IT laboratories and examination buildings were being expanded. He said efforts were also being made through fresh recruitment to address the shortage of teachers in higher educational institutions.
He said the government is also promoting research through the CM’s Research Promotion Scheme, under which faculty members are being provided research grants of up to Rs 18 lakh. Outstanding research work is also being encouraged, he added.
Dhami claimed that the state government is committed to making higher education more contemporary and aligned with future requirements. In accordance with the National Education Policy, modern areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Big Data were being promoted in universities and research institutions. Projects such as Science City and Astro Park were also being taken forward to encourage scientific research in the state.
The CM said that the government is simultaneously working to create greater employment and self-employment opportunities for young people through various schemes. Homestays, organic farming, tourism and local enterprises are being promoted so that young people can find livelihood opportunities within the state instead of being compelled to leave their native places in search of employment.
Doon University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Surekha Dangwal praised the CM for his support to the university and for taking a series of decisions aimed at strengthening its infrastructure and academic facilities. She expressed gratitude to Dhami for inaugurating the new Biological Sciences Laboratory and Central Library buildings and for launching the Community Radio Station.
Prof Dangwal said the announcements made by the CM would further strengthen the university and provide students with better academic, research and skill-development opportunities. She particularly welcomed the decision to strengthen the foreign language departments and create the required posts for Spanish, German, French, Chinese and Japanese, saying that it would broaden the academic and employment opportunities available to students.
The VC also appreciated the announcement of two electric buses for students and the decision to create posts for the effective functioning of the community radio station. She said the new facilities and initiatives would help Doon University expand its academic activities and strengthen its position as an important centre of higher education in Uttarakhand.
Dhami also participated in the inauguration of the session of the academic year 2026-27 at the university and welcomed the newly admitted students. He said university life provides an opportunity for the students to develop their personalities, acquire new knowledge and prepare themselves for future challenges. However, he stressed that the focus of the government’s initiatives at the university remains on providing better infrastructure, academic facilities and opportunities for skill development and research.
The CM said the youth were the country’s greatest strength and called upon students to make full use of the facilities and opportunities being created for them. He said the government was committed to ensuring that the youth of Uttarakhand received quality education and adequate opportunities to build their careers without having to leave the state.
MLA Vinod Chamoli, Media Advisory Committee chairman Prof Govind Singh, Additional Secretary Manmohan Mainali and faculty members of Doon University were among those present on the occasion.
