Three major universities in Kashmir—Kashmir University, Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), and SKUAST-K—have terminated their Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the US-based NGO "Kashmir Care Foundation" (KCF) over adverse security remarks.
The cancellations followed security reviews and intelligence reports flagging the collaboration as not in the "larger institutional interest". The agreements, signed between December 2025 and April 2025, were intended for workshops and academic engagements in STEM and humanities. The decision highlights increased scrutiny of foreign partnerships in Kashmir's educational sector.
As per the details, these universities in Kashmir have terminated their academic agreements with a United States-based organization, Kashmir Care Foundation (KCF), following internal reviews, according to official documents.Separate communications issued by SKUAST-K, the University of Kashmir, and IUST confirm the cancellation of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) or Letters of Agreement previously signed with the foundation.
According to a memo issued by the Directorate of Research at SKUAST-K, the Letter of Agreement signed with Kashmir Care Foundation on April 15, 2025, has been cancelled with immediate effect. The document, dated March 25, 2026, was issued under the authority of Director Research Prof. Haroon R. Naik.
Similarly, the University of Kashmir, in a communication signed by Registrar Prof. Nasser Iqbal, stated that the MoU executed on December 15, 2025, had been reviewed by competent authorities and found not to be in the larger institutional interest. The university said it had exercised provisions under the agreement to terminate it with immediate effect.
The communication further clarified that no liabilities, financial or otherwise, had accrued to either party and that no funds had been received or disbursed under the agreement.
In a separate notice, the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Awantipora, also announced termination of its MoU with the same foundation. The university said the decision followed a review by competent authorities and invoked provisions under a force majeure clause to cancel the agreement.
The IUST communication confirmed that no financial or contractual obligations had arisen from the MoU and described the notice as a formal termination of the understanding.All three institutions cited internal review processes as the basis for their decisions, though no further details were provided regarding specific concerns or findings.
The agreements had been aimed at academic collaboration, including initiatives related to education, research, and exchange of knowledge between the institutions and the foundation.The coordinated timing of the decisions across multiple institutions indicates a broader reassessment of such collaborations, though each university issued its own independent communication.
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