Dr. Kusumakar SharmaAssistant Director General (HRD)

Indian Council of Agricultural Research,New Delhi

STATUS OF HIGHER AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN

INDIA

> 17% of the world’s human & 11% livestock population and counting

4.2% of the world’s water2.4% of the world’s area142 m ha cultivated & 60 m ha net irrigated138% cropping intensity52% of population earns livelihood in agriculture14.7% contribution in GDP10.5% earning of total exports

India Today….

Y = 4 t/ha.. * KBS

Traditional Farming(Early 1900s)

Mechanization

(1960s)

Green Revolution(1970s)

Biotechnology Era

(2000s)

Technology Convergence (21st century)

Y = < 0.5 t/ha, Feudalism

Y = >0.5 t/ha, Land Reforms

Y = >1 t/ha, Co-operatives

Y = >1.5 t/ha, HRD/ Technological Break Through

Distinct Transitions: History of Agriculture

* Knowledge based Society

India in World Food Basket….

CommodityPresent Annual

Production, mt

Rank in the World

Demand by 2020, mt

Food grain 257 III 284Pulses 17.2 I 22Oilseeds 30 V 68Horticulture Produce 234 II 336

Milk 127 I 152Meat 6.8 V 11Eggs (billion no.) 65 III 88

Fish 8.3 II 12

Opportunities of Agricultural Science

and Technology Technology led agriculture growth possible only by strengthening institutions of higher agriculture educationScience, Technology and Innovation (STI)-major drivers of national development

Vital role in agricultural transformation, reducing hunger and poverty

Agriculture R&D policy integrated with the national R&D system and STI Policy-2013The research focus shifted from a commodity based approach to a farming systems approachFocused, time bound multi-disciplinary research conceived through research consortia platformsLaunched National Action Plan for Climate Change to cope with the climate change

Inter-departmental platforms for research involving CSIR, DBT, ICMR, DRDO, DST research institutes, universities and Ministries of Environment, Space and Earth Sciences proposed

Promise and Perils of the agricultural sector

Food self-sufficiency must for food & nutritional security, economic progress

and industries

The challenge is to produce more from less for more

One (1) %-age point growth in agriculture is 2-3 times more effective in reducing

poverty than non-agriculture sector growth

Need for a shift from food-grains to other sub sectors of agriculture

Importance of agriculture to due to concerns for food security, employment,

rural poverty and availability of wage goods

Paradox of relatively low contribution to GDP but dependency of more than 50%

of India’s population

Low productivity- represents a huge need & opportunity

Low investment in research

Very limited access to markets

Poor Policy & regulatory enviornment

Low input usage and yield levels

Low agricultural productivity : a multi-faceted problem

FarmersParticipation

ImprovedTechnologies

Increased Farm Income

HigherProduction

Diversification

Trade & MarketDevelopment

HRD for increased Farm Income…..

PolicyInitiatives

CompetentHuman Resource

Legacy of Education….

Agricultural education existed in India even during ancient period.

Agriculture was included in curricula of Nalanda and Takshila Universities as one of the 18 arts. In the relatively recent past, agricultural education in India started way back in 1877 with establishment of first agricultural school at Saidapet in Madras. Organized courses in agricultural education started in the beginning of the 20th century when six agricultural colleges were established.

National Agricultural Research & Education

System

NARES:- One of the largest in the World!

DUs05

SAUs

55CUs04

KVKs 63

4 ICARR Inst.

99

AICRPs/NetworkProject60/18

14

4

344

Veterinary Sciences Horticulture Fisheries

Composite

AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITIES BY SECTOR

Non-Formal Education

Formal Education

Informal Education

Structure of Agricultural Education

Need for a common platform for

informal workers for providing uniform

certification and accreditation system,

based on actual skills or competencies

Informal Agricultural Education

Learning-how to learn!

Potential of farmers hidden

for want of awareness in

use of modern agricultural

tools and techniques

Exposure scientific interventions and

innovations through on-farm

demonstrations, TV/Radio etc.

Non-planned or organized

everyday experiences

(incidental learning).

Hands-on experience by

succeeding generations from ancestors

Central & State govts share Joint responsibility for

education

Central Advisory Board of

Education guides Ministry of HRD

Uniform structure of school education

throughout the Country

Elementary

Primary stage (I-V)Middle stage (VI-

VIII)

Secondary stage (IX-X) Senior

secondary stage (XI-XII)

Formal Agricultural

Education:10+2 level

Agriculture- National Curriculum for School Education-2000

(based on minimum level of learning)Pre-Primary environmental

awareness

Primary Classes (III- V) environmental phenomenon

Upper Primary Classes (VI-VIII)

Agriculture and technology processes as part of work education

ICSE, CBSE & State boards

Introduced agriculture as an optional subject

Graduate level Agricultural EducationDepartment of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) of the Central Government responsible of coordinating agricultural education in the country through ICAR.

A State Agricultural University (SAU) is established through the enactment of Legislative Act of the respective state.

Standard pattern for a bachelor degree in agriculture and allied sciences, except veterinary science commonly referred to as the 10+2+4 pattern.

ICAR fosters a countrywide arrangement with the AUs to set aside 15% of their seats for Bachelor degree programs to be admitted through its All India Entrance Examination to improve overall quality of agricultural education

Post Graduate level Agricultural Education

ICAR as nodal agency at the national level is striving to bring uniformity in syllabus, nomenclature, mode of examination and distribution of credits among major and minor

fields and research work

PG degree awarded by AUs in 93 sub- subjects under 20

major subject groups

The professional degrees are of 4

semester duration based on a 4-year

bachelor

ICAR conducts entrance test for PG admissions to fill all

the seats of ICAR Dus and 25% of the seats

of SAU’s and CAU

AUs award Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)

degrees in 14 major subject-groups

covering 56 sub-subjects. Admission

requires a Master' Degree in the same

subject.

The Ph.D. degree is of 6 semester duration

involving original research and also

coursework spread-over atleast two

semesters

ICAR research institutes and

laboratories are recognized for doctoral

work although the usual case is that a

university awards the degree.

All India Entrance ExaminationUG : 15% seatsPG : 25% seats

Fellowships / ScholarshipsSRF : 202JRF : 475NTS : ICAR UG Admissions outside stateMCM : 7% of studentsInternship : BVSc RAWE

• Students Counselling, • Personality

Development ,• Placement• Examination reforms

Attracting talents to Agricultural Education….

Course Curricu

lum

1

2

3

4

5

ICAR’s Deans Committees regularly suggests model course curricula, syllabi and academic regulations.

Rationalization of policies for admission, programme duration, credit requirements, evaluation & curricula grading-updating-revision

UG curricula for 7 major faculties revised with focus on courses like IT, bio-stats., bio-tech., ABM, banking & co-operation etc.

Revised UG curricula also provide 6 months of Rural Agricultural Work Experience. Detailed curricula developed for 16 PG Programmes.

Transparency in the internal evaluation system at UG & PG levels.

Curriculum- Transition from RAWE to READY….

Vocational Courses in

Agricultural EducationTo impart formal and

informal training and prepare the working population employable for a broad range of occupations including agriculture.

Objective

Bridge Professionals with core basic skills in different domains of agriculture supply chain is required to the tune of 1.7 million by 2020.

Requirement

• Class-room instructions

• Laboratory instructions• Supervised

occupational experiences

• Distance education

Methodology

ICAR

Promoting

norms and

standards of

education

Union government

• Promotion of Research & co-ordination and determination of standards in State institutions

• DARE co-ordinates at National level.

Governance in agriculture education

Administration at National Level

•Union Minister of Agriculture – Ex-officio President of Society

•Director General of ICAR –Ex-officio Secretary DARE

State governments

• Establishment of SAUs• Integration of Agricultural research Education &

extension• Ag. Edn. is State responsibility

Tran-sectoral issues

1. Challenges to Higher Education- no longer Nation Centric

2. Agriculture Education needs to be evaluated in the context and relevance of Economic, environmental and production needs of the society

3. A holistic approach needed to expand pool of institutions, scholars and students to achieve global excellence

4. Critical areas ranging from issues of access, equity and excellence to teaching-learning process, research, governance, funding and monitoring in a coordinated manner need to be addressed

Challenges & Issues…. New Universities without matching

resources Faculty Shortage in the frontier areas Extensive inbreeding Inadequate employability Faculty Competence in emerging

areas Lack of modern infrastructure Inadequate hands on skills Weak research networking &

linkages Regional inequalities and natural

resource degradation

Recommendations…..

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3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Attracting students to agricultural Education

Academic Reforms

Curriculum improvement

Faculty improvement

Inclusive growth

Institutional development

Governance and structure

Globalization and partnership

Centre-state partnership

Non-formal education

Financial sustainability

Initiatives proposed….

• Initiation of a new fellowship “ASPIRE” for young talents,

• Initiation of ICAR Post Doctoral Fellowships,

• Broadening scope of NTS to PG students,

• Enhancing the stipend of RAWE/Internship,

• Strengthening student amenities,

• Sandwich/ exchange programme

New initiatives for Capacity Building and

Addressing Faculty shortage

Initiation of Centres of Faculty Excellence in AUs,

Competitive Research Grant to faculty,

ICAR-Overseas Associateship,

International Fellowships,

Faculty exposure to International Conferences/ Symposia.

Centres of Excellence

Capacity Building Addressing Faculty Shortage

Adjunct & Visiting Faculty,

Initiation of ICAR Resident Scholar Scheme,

Initiation of ICAR Emeritus Professor Scheme,

Strengthening of ICAR-Emeritus Scientist Scheme.

Teaching Associates/ Teaching Assistants

Attract international students Encourage global networking

Promote collaborative research Permit dual degree programmes Set up campuses abroad Strategic alliance

Globalizing Education….

AUs having MoUs with

Foreign Universitie

s ICAR Internatio

nal Fellowship

s (15 every year,

both ways)

ASEAN

India -Afghanistan Fellowships

115 Fellowships (75 M.Sc. + 40

Ph.D.) every year for 5 years to

Afghans in India

India - Africa Fellowships

75 Fellowships (50 M.Sc. + 25

Ph.D.) every year for 4 years to

Africans in India

Foreign Students

Admission (Over

250/year)

International Linkages….

Renovation &

Modernization of Labs,

Class Rooms, etc.

Library

Extended Faculty (Guest

Lecture, Adjunct &

Guest Faculty)

Faculty Developme

nt

e - Resources

Federal Support to AUs

e-Courses

Fast and low-cost method to increase outreach to students/colleges / universities• One of the largest e-learning initiatives• Provides uniform & quality learning material both

online & offline to complement formal education• Courses developed & delivered -262 out of 426

Degree Programs Covered (7)Agriculture, B.V.Sc. & AH, Horticulture, Fishery Science, Home Science, Dairy Tech and Agril. Engg.

Total 426 Courses

Avg. Citation of Research Publications (2000-2004) in 2004-07 (Pre-) and 2008-11 (Post-) CeRA

• Covers 2900 Journals to 145 Members in NARS

• > 8000 DDR (Document Delivery Request) System

• Assuming a cost of US $ 4 per article download the Consortium has notionally recovered more than Rs. 80 Crore

Consortium for e-Resources in Agriculture

CeRA facilitates online access of scientific journal on Scientist's desktop at 24x7 through IP Authentication

Access

Knowledge

Gender Equity

Entrepreneurship

ConfidenceAcceptability of StudentsEmployability of StudentsFaculty Competence

Incr

ease

dQuality Assurance

Better Governance

Promotion of Merit

Promotion of Excellence

Reduced Inbreeding

Globalization

Achievements in Agricultural Education

India has a very strong and dynamic agricultural education system in the country for ensuring sustainable agricultural development and livelihood security.

Agricultural education system in India has distinctly evolved on the British system of education during pre-independence era and in post-independence era, on the US Land grant pattern.

The continued support of ICAR has resulted tremendous improvement in infrastructure, skilled manpower and capacity of faculty and farms.

A dynamic approach is needed to bring transformation towards producing professionals who are competent, self- reliant and capable to swiftly adjust with the ever-changing societal requirements.

India is poised to become preferred destination of foreign students for agricultural education because of improved infrastructure and enhanced skills and competencies for meeting new challenges.

Conclusions…

Our efforts in HRD continue….

Vision 2030: Green Revolution to Rainbow

Revolution