ICAR celebrates Agricultural Education Day - 2021

Ranking of Agricultural Universities - 2021 released

3rd December, 2021, New Delhi

“The concerted efforts to refine the agricultural education will contribute to the prosperity of the nation”, said Shri Kailash Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare. Shri Choudhary was addressing the “Agricultural Education Day - 2021” celebrations held at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi today.

Shri Choudhary highlighted that the Agricultural Education and Start-Ups have been given more emphasis in the New Education Policy - 2020. He said that the students should be given opportunity to opt for subjects of their choices.

The Minister stated that the main objective of celebrating the day is to expose students to the various facets and relevance of agriculture in country's development and encourage them towards agricultural sector. He said that attracting the students towards agriculture will encourage them to become Agri-Entrepreneurs in the future.

  

The dignitaries released the Ranking of Agricultural Universities - 2021 and Broad Subject Matter Area Committees’ Recommendations during the occasion.

Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) briefed about the initiation of Rankings of Agricultural Universities by the Council since 2017. The Director General stressed on the inclusion of improved curriculum in the Universities that will enable the students to be self-employed. Dr. Mohapatra regarded the enriched agricultural education as the backbone for the successful agricultural sector of the country.

  

Shri Sanjay Garg, Additional Secretary (DARE) & Secretary (ICAR) regarded the Modern Agricultural Education as the backbone of the successful agricultural sector in the country. Shri Garg outlined the releasing of Ranking of 67 Universities by the Minister during the event. He also highlighted the upgradation of 79 Courses in Agricultural Universities. He also emphasized that the University’s Rankings will help the students to select the Universities for their careers.

Proposing the vote of thanks, Dr. R.C. Agrawal, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Education), ICAR regarded the National Education Policy - 2020 as the First Education Policy of the 21st Century that aims at addressing the growing developmental imperatives of the country. Dr. Agrawal stated that the Policy proposes the revision and revamping of all aspects of the education structure, including its regulation and governance, to create a new system that is aligned with the aspirational goals of 21st Century Education.

The introduction of the Virtual Counseling for Admission to the various Disciplines of Agriculture & Allied Sciences in UG, PG and Ph.D. Degree Programmes by the Council w.e.f. the Academic Session - 2017-18 was also highlighted by the DDG. He outlined a number of Schemes that are being operated by the Council’s Education Division to attract students to the Higher Agricultural Education and achieve educational excellence in teaching, research and capacity building of faculty in the cutting-edge areas of agriculture and allied science subjects.

The Vice-Chancellors of State Agricultural Universities; Deputy Directors General, Assistant Directors General, Directors & Senior Officials of ICAR Headquarters and ICAR Institutes also participated in the event.

The Council declared 3rd December as the “Agricultural Education Day” in 2016 to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the First President and Union Agriculture Minister of India.

(Source: ICAR-Directorate of Knowledge Management in Agriculture, New Delhi)