Lok Sabha Question No. 2240 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-29
Subject: Agricultural Education
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: V. SATHYABAMA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2240 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29/11/2016

## AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION

## 2240. SHRIMATI V. SATHYA BAMA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k ,oa fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the steps taken by the Government to popularize the agricultural education;
- (b) whether teachers and other facilities are available for new curriculum in the agricultural institutes, if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the  details  of  the  key  recommendations  of  the  committee  constituted  by Agriculture  Research  Council  to  bring  change  in  the  curriculum  of  agricultural education and the details of the recommendations implemented by the Government thereon?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f'k ,oa fdlku dY;k.k ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h

(SHRI S.S. AHLUWALIA)

(a) (i) To popularize and promote Higher Agricultural Education in the country, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) conducts the All India Entrance Examination annually for admissions to 15% seats in Bachelor degree programmes, 25%  seats each in Master's and Ph.D. degree programmes  in  Agricultural Universities.    ICAR  awards  National  Talent  Scholarship  (NTS)  in  Agriculture  & Allied Science subjects for pursuing UG and PG programmes outside their state of domicile, Junior Research Fellowships (JRFs) for pursuing Masters programme and Senior Research Fellowships for pursuing Ph.D. degree programmes in Agriculture & Allied Sciences.  In addition, Merit-cum-Means and Post-Metric Scholarships are also given to attract meritorious undergraduate students belonging to below poverty line and from the weaker section of the society.

(ii) Student READY (Rural and Entrepreneurship Awareness Development Yojana) Programme to develop Rural and Entrepreneurship Awareness among agricultural students has been launched by Hon'ble prime Minister on 25.07.2015

(iii)  The  ICAR  provides  limited  need  based  funding  for  student  and  faculty amenities, renovation, modernization of laboratories, smart classrooms modernization  of  farms  and  state  of  art  equipments  for  Central  instrumentation laboratory and UG and PG laboratories for strengthening of teaching and learning by  providing  support  for  curriculum  development  and  to  support  PG  research  in basic  and  frontier  science  subjects  under  its  Plan  scheme,  'Strengthening  and Development of Higher Agricultural Education in India'.

(iv)  The  confidence  and  skill  of  the  students  is  enhanced  through  Experiential Learning Modules.

(v)  To enhance the research capabilities and capacity building the centres, Niche Area  of  Excellence  have  been  identified  and  the  programme  is  aimed  to  achieve global competitiveness in agricultural education and research.

(b) The new curriculum is being implemented by the agricultural universities/institutes and the requirement of teachers and other facilities are taken care of by the respective universities/institutes.

(c) The Fifth  Deans  Committee  Report  has been  approved to bring uniformity and upgradation in curricula to meet the present day demand of higher agricultural education  in  the  country.    The  recommendations  have  been  circulated  to  all Agricultural Universities for implementation. The key recommendation of committee is annexed (Annexure) .

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## [Part (c) of Lok Sabha USQ No.2240 for 29-11-2016]

## Key Recommendations of Fifth Deans Committee

- 1 .  Student READY (Rural and Entrepreneurship Awareness Development Yojana)

In compliance with the Student READY programme launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of  India  on  25 th July,  2015,  the  following  components are  recommended for conducting one year program in all the UG disciplines:

- Experiential Learning
- Rural Agriculture Work Experience
- In Plant Training/ Industrial attachment
- Hands-on Training ( HOT) / Skill development training
- Students Projects
2. Common Courses - It was a general consensus that students of all disciplines need to be taught the courses on the following topics. The title of the course may, however, be kept as per the feasibility of the Institute.
1. Environmental Studies and Disaster Management
2. Communication Skills and Personality Development
3. Information and Communication Technology
4. Entrepreneurship Development and Business Management
5. Agricultural Informatics
6. Economics and Marketing
- 3 . New Programmes - Fifth Deans' Committee has introduced the following new courses:
-  B. Tech. (Biotechnology)
-  B.Sc. (Hons) Sericulture
-  B.Sc. (Hons) Home Science rechristened as Community Science
-  B.Sc. (Hons) Food Nutrition and Dietetics
4. Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for Establishment of new Colleges:

Fifth Deans' Committee has Developed DPRs for establishment of colleges by integrating the recommendations of Committee on Minimum Standards on Higher Agricultural Education in terms of faculty strength, land requirement, departments and infrastructure.

## 5. Holistic distribution of courses:

The Committee recommended to distribute courses in the following format to inculcate the Basics, Principles and Skills in a systematic way.

I year          - Basic and fundamental courses

II Year        - Principles

III Year       - Production system

IV Year      - Skill and entrepreneurship   development

## 6. Declaring degrees in Agricultural Sciences as professional:

The  committee  recommended  that  all  degrees  in  the  disciplines  of  Agricultural  Sciences  be declared as professional courses, which include undergraduate in:

- 1) Agriculture

- 2) Agriculture Engineering

- 3) Biotechnology

- 4) Dairy Technology

- 5) Fisheries

- 6) Food Technology

- 7) Forestry

- 8) Home Science( Community Science)

- 9) Horticulture

- 10) Sericulture

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