Annual intake of UG/ PG students to be enhanced 10 percent annually in agricultural universities
ndian Agricultural Universities Association (IAUA) has recommended enhancement of 10 percent UG/PG seats annually in all farm varsities to increase gross enrolment ratio (GER) in the higher educational institutions of agriculture and allied disciplines. At present, agricultural universities, totaling about 75, represent 9% of the country’s public sector universities but intake capacity (GER) is only one percent which is a matter of concern.
The think tank body also recommended designing market oriented course curricula by involving industry experts in designing courses. Certificate and diploma courses will also be started in skill development and rural entrepreneurship under self financing mode for generation of rural employment. Optional courses in agricultural journalism and mass communication, corporate communication, religion and culture, foreign languages, environmental conservation, yoga, physical education, dance, music, soft skills development may also be started. PG students and young researchers will be encouraged to visit centres of excellence in India and abroad.
The two-day IAUA convention which concluded at Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) on Tuesday was attended by about 40 vice chancellors from across the country including some VCs presence in online mode. The convention also advocated that organic or natural farming should be conducted in 10% area of country’s arable land with prime objective of improving soils health and checking environmental degradation. In initial phase yield will be only optimal and not maximum but disease and pest management issue will have to be well taken care of.
Establishment and strengthening of Incubation Centre for encouraging entrepreneurship and startups among farm graduates for increasing innovation, processing and profitability in farm sector was also recommended.
Dr RC Srivastava, Secretary General, IAUA and Vice Chancellor of Dr Rajendra Prasad Agricultural University, Samastipur, Bihar, who chaired the plenary session, stressed that state governments should provide adequate funds to agricultural universities for construction of new hostels so that increased numb
BAU Vice Chancellor Dr Onkar Nath Singh said agricultural universities are mirror of the society in which expectations of state’s populace is reflected. Agriculture being a state subject, state government’s consent will also be required while introducing major shift in admission policy or starting new courses.
Dr Prabhakar Mahapatra, Dr MS Malik, Dr Sushil Prasad and Dr MK Gupta presented the recommendations of 4 technical sessions which were discussed by attending VCs. Convenor of the event Dr A Wadood on behalf of BAU and Dr Dinesh Kumar from IAUA proposed vote of thanks.
Today’s technical session on ‘Enabling farmers’ access to technology, market, credit and extension services was chaired by Dr JP Patel, Vice Chancellor, Navsari Agricultural University, Gujarat. Dr VM Bhale, Vice Chancellor, Punjabrao Deshmukh Krish Vidyapith, Akola, Maharashtra chaired the session on ’Creating favourable ecosystem for entrepreneurship development in agriculture & allied sectors’.
Those who participated in the deliberations included Dr BC Deka, VC, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Dr BS Mahapatra, VC, Bidhanchand Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, WB, Dr NP Singh, VC, Banda University of Agriculture & Technology, UP, Dr JP Sharma, VC, Sher-e Kashmir University of Agriculture & Technology, Jammu, Prof Samar Singh, VC, Maharana Pratap Horticulture University, Karnal, Haryana, Dr NK Gontia, VC, Junagarh Agricultural University, Gujarat, Dr Hulas Pathak, VC, Indira Gandhi KV, Raipur, Dr BK Kathira, VC, Anand Agricultural University, Gujarat, Dr Parvinder Kaushal, VC, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, HP and Dr Arun Kumar, VC, Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur.
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