Higher education in agriculture in India has not yet got the needed support to modernise and upgrade itself to meet the challenges of global competition. The state agriculture universities, numbering about 41, are suffering from severe financial constraints. The state agriculture universities (SAUs) in particular, suffer on account of inadequate support from state governments, which is not enough to meet even the salaries and establishment charges. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) extends financial support to the SAUs, which amounted to about 58.62% of ICAR?s Xth Plan outlay.
An effective assessment of the critical needs of SAUs was made during the terminal year of the Xth Plan. The XIth Plan Working Group on Agricultural Research and Education constituted by the Planning Commission also made an in-depth analysis and recommended Rs 10,000 crore as funding support to SAUs out of Rs 30,000 crore total recommended for ICAR. However, the Planning Commission has made an allocation of Rs 12,023 crore out of which ICAR plans to allocate Rs 3,000 crore for education. In addition, an additional amount of Rs 760 crore was proposed for developing farm facilities and limited essential equipment. Further, in response to the PMO?s initiative for revamping agricultural universities, over and above the normal ICAR support, a sum of Rs 1,710 crore was proposed.
Also, during the follow up meeting in the prime minister?s office (PMO) on October 12, 2007, it was opined that funds to the universities be provided for region-specific technology development which may cost around Rs 500 crore during the XIth Plan. Thus, over and above ICAR planned outlay for universities, an additional total sum of Rs 3,000 crore have been proposed in response to various initiatives.
Apart from low funding India?s higher education in agriculture suffers from low access?gross enrolment ratio being about 10% compared with 60% in the US and Canada and 40% in several European countries. Several SAUs are not accredited yet, and hence difficult to ensure quality standards. Other constraints which need to be overcome are gender participation, old course curricula and delivery methods, inbreeding and lack of faculty-competence in cutting edge technologies.
Under changing global scenario, issues such as the cutting-edge technologies, quality of produce and products, competitive pricing, value chain, sustainability, climate change and gender mainstreaming are becoming the key elements to be addressed under higher agricultural education system. Excellence is the outcome of quality. For bringing in excellence in SAUs, the state-of-art facilities, faculty development, promoting ICTs, improved course curricula and delivery methods, personality development measures are, therefore, needed to be promoted and developed.
This will ensure meeting the contemporary and emerging needs in this globally competitive era in regard to teaching, training, demonstration and entrepreneurship development for sustainable and economically viable agricultural production system.
In view of the above concerns, several high level deliberations have been held including those in the vice chancellors? conferences organised by the ICAR. Keeping in view the minimum essential requirements, which can bring about tangible changes at the ground level, several new initiatives were put forth in this meeting in PMO. As a synthesis, 11 areas are identified by ICAR that need financial support, target-setting and effective monitoring for much desired output, outcome and long-term impact.
These 11 areas are?modernisation of farms and laboratories including provision for refurbishing, renovation, equipment, implements and farm machinery; ICTs, connectivity, video conferencing and modern delivery systems; training, reorientation and faculty development especially in frontier areas of science and technology; provision of visiting faculty and adjunct professorship to fill the critical gaps and excellence-promotion. e-learning tools and course-content development, digitisation, e-subscription and networking and overall library strengthening; development of learning resources, experiential learning and hands-on- training facilities; niche area of excellence and development of disciplines in a phased manner; regionwise, situationwise and system-specific integrated technology development with programme/project-based specific funding; overseas fellowships or scholarships; gender mainstreaming including girls? hostel and other amenities and facilities and sports and games facilities including gymnasiums.
However, an additional sum of Rs 500 crore has been agreed by the Planning Commission to cater to the needs for expansion of teaching facilities and enhancing research capability of SAU?s in identified priority areas. This fund is to be used as complementary funding of proposals submitted by state governments and SAUs for the 11 identified areas, including any time-bond research or proposals received from the universities on strategic research. The SAUs through state governments can avail of funds under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) to formulate such proposals.
The recent conference of vice-chancellors of SAUs held in January this year had proposed that the regionwise, locationwise and situation and system specific cutting-edge development, and strategic research, individual institutional proposals need to be developed at the state level. The state-line departments would pose the researchable issues to the SAUs, which would in turn examine them and submit their proposals to the Union agriculture ministry. Funds in this regard would be allocated within the RKVY and managed by the Union agriculture ministry. Support to university should be linked to their assuring technological backstopping to Krishi Vigyan Kendras and in turn to ATMAs and other technology-transfer departments at the district level.
Setting up of an educational museum in each of the SAUs in the XIth Plan is a new concept. Such museums will evolve continuously in developing appropriate instructional strategies and methods for enhancing scope of teaching. The educational museums would be set up with 100% funding by ICAR under the Plan scheme of ?Strengthening and Development of Agricultural Education?.
The new programme?niche areas of excellence was started in the Xth Plan with the objective to achieve educational excellence in teaching, research, consultancy and other services. Total 28 niche areas of excellence centres were approved and are in operation.
A provision of establishment of experiential learning units and hands-on-training was made in the Xth Plan to link education with building professionalism among agricultural graduates by transcending limited practical training in laboratories into comprehensive practice sessions involving every aspect of an agricultural enterprise from cultivation to consumption. ICAR sanctioned total 183 such experiential learning units in 43 SAUs with an allocation of Rs 70.36 crore. The IV Deans Committee has also made a strong recommendation for inclusion of hands-on-training to UG students.
With a view to enhancing the quality and relevance of agricultural education in the country, ICAR started accreditation of agricultural universities in 1996. A total of 14 agricultural universities have so far been accredited and proposals for another five agricultural universities have been finalised. However, a majority of agricultural universities have yet to pursue the submission of the Self Study Report so that the accreditation process is completed in the shortest possible time.