Lok Sabha Question No. 3761 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-22
Subject: Recruitment of Scientists
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RANJANBEN BHATT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3761 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22/12/2015

## RECRUITMENT OF SCIENTISTS

## 3761.  SHRIMATI RANJANBEN BHATT:

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

(a) whether  the  standard  of  young  scientists  passing  out  from  Agriculture  Universities located in different States of the country is quite poor;

(b) if so, whether the Government is likely to issue guidelines to the States to upgrade the standard of the said scientists, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether there has been shortage of agricultural scientists in the country, if so, whether research work is being affected by the shortage of the said scientists;

(d) whether the Government proposes to take any steps to meet the shortage of the said scientists, if so, the details thereof and the time by which it is likely to be implemented; and

(e) whether the Government has taken steps to improvise the recruitment process of the scientists, if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R

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

## (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

(a) & (b): No, Madam.  In view the need for further upgrading the standard of Scientists and Higher Agricultural Education in the country and to make them more competitive at the World level, however, DARE/ICAR is giving due focus on imparting quality training to the faculty of various State Agricultural Universities and improving the syllabus of the UG & PG Degree  programmes.    For  improving  educational  standards  and  assuring  an  acceptable institutional quality, the accreditation of AUs and their constituent colleges is being done at regular  intervals.  National  Academy  of  Agricultural  Research  Management  (NAARM), Hyderabad  imparts  quality  training  to  the  faculty  of  Agricultural  Universities  across  the country including young scientist to improve their knowledge base and to impart newer skills

O.I.H.

in the areas of Agricultural Research and Education. The curriculum of Agriculture education is  also  revised  at  regular  intervals  to  make  it  more  relevant  and  farmers  friendly.    In  this regard, the major issues addressed through various Deans Committees include; defining UG & PG degree for general market needs and for specialized jobs and uniformity, restructuring UG  practical  for  increased  practical  and  practice  contents,  guidelines  for  assessing  the training  needs  and  performance  of  teaching  faculty,  reforms  in  Governance  in  SAUs  and developing  a  model  DPR  for  establishment  of  Colleges.  In  addition,  Student  READY programme encompassing skill development, experiential learning,  rural  awareness and  inplant training has been developed as a component of UG course curriculum.

(c) No, Madam.

(d) Recruitment of ICAR Scientists is a continuous process. All possible steps are being taken to fill vacant position of Agricultural Scientists on priority basis through Agricultural Scientists' Recruitment Board (ASRB). During the last 18 months more than 1000 different scientific  posts  of  different  levels  have  been  filled  up/advertised  for  recruitment.  In  this regard, it is mentioned that selection for 833 scientific posts including entry level Scientists and other higher scientific posts have been made by ASRB in last 18 months upto October, 2015. In addition to this, 150 scientific posts of different levels have also been advertised by the  ASRB  during  the  same  period.  In  the  overall  scientific  cadre's  sanctioned  strength  of 6313, less than 10% of posts are vacant. It is normal that less than 10% of total posts of an organization remain vacant due to death, retirements on superannuation, resignations, interorganizational movement etc.

(e) Improvisation  is  ongoing  process  and  the  same  is  being  done  in  the  recruitment process of scientists also. The ASRB has started taking online preliminary examination from Agricultural Research Services Examination-2014 onwards. A permanent committee named as committee on Agricultural Research Services is in existence in the ICAR to look into the issues  of  Agricultural  Scientists  and  the  recommendations  of  the  committee  are  being implemented from time to time.

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