Indian Agricultural Universities Association (IAUA) has recommended enhancement of 10 per cent UG and 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 per cent of the Country’s public sector universities but intake capacity (GER) is only one per cent which is a matter of concern.
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 per cent area of Country’s arable land with the prime objective of improving soil health and checking environmental degradation. In the initial phase yield will be only optimal and not maximum but disease and pest management issues will have to be well taken care of.
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 centers of excellence in India and abroad.
Establishment and strengthening of the Incubation Centre for encouraging entrepreneurship and startups among farm graduates for increasing innovation, processing and profitability in the farm sector was also recommended.
Secretary General, IAUA and Vice Chancellor of Dr Rajendra Prasad Agricultural University, Samastipur, Bihar, Dr RC Srivastava who chaired the plenary session, stressed that State Governments should provide adequate funds to agricultural universities for construction of new hostels so that increased number of students as envisaged in the New Education Policy could be accommodated because nature of farm varsities is residential one.
BAU Vice Chancellor, Dr Onkar Nath Singh said agricultural universities are a mirror of the society in which expectations of the State’s populace are reflected. Agriculture being a state subject, State Government’s consent will also be required while introducing major shifts 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 Vice Chancellor, Navsari Agricultural University, Gujarat, Dr JP Patel. VC Punjabrao Deshmukh Krish Vidyapith, Akola, Maharashtra, Dr VM Bhale chaired the session on ’Creating favourable ecosystem for entrepreneurship development in agriculture and allied sectors’.
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