AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION IN INDIA – AN OVERVIEW
INTRODUCTION
At the time of independence of our country, we were not self sufficient in food sector. Later in sixties due to the Green Revolution brought by our Agricultural Scientists, the food grain production was very good despite increase in population. About 43% of Geographical area is under Agriculture and the Indian agriculture contribute about 18% of GDP. The main objective of Agricultural Science Education is to prepare Human resources in the Agricultural sector as the global demand of the food will be doubled by 2050. The British in India introduced formal education of Agricultural Science primarily to generate revenue. By 1947, India had 17 Agricultural colleges. Considering the importance of Agricultural Science Education, Government of India established in 1966 State Agricultural University in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand in the pattern of Land Grant colleges of U.S.A. This system integrates Research, Teaching, Training and Extension activities. At the same time in 1958 University Grant Commission granted and established Deemed University like Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, New Delhi for Post Graduate Education and Research in Agricultural Sciences. Today we are proud that we have more than 66 Agricultural Universities (including 16 Veterinary, Animal Husbandry, Forestry and Horticulture Universities).
Almost all the Indian Agricultural Universities offer Masters and Doctoral programmes in the Agricultural Science in various branches, more than 10 to 12 disciplines of Agricultural Science. More than 40000 students seek admission every year. But as per present information every year 15000 graduates, 11000 students in Master level and 3000 in Doctoral level get admitted to various branches. But what we need is the knowledge based inputs, Eco-friendly and High Tech Precision Agriculture for the future.
PROBLEMS AND SOME SUGGESTED REMEDIAL MEASURES
Our present Agricultural Science Education is not in a healthy condition and it is deteriorating every year. Some of the obvious reasons being 1) There are wide technological gaps. 2) At present this science education is not vocational and business oriented, lack of infra-structure facilities, poor funding by the government (both State as well as Central Government) as well as private partners. 3) More stress on Theoretical Studies and less field oriented education is being imparted. 4) No distance learning or correspondence courses in Agricultural Sciences available. 5) The syllabus of the course needs updating at all levels keeping in view of International standards. 6) Scholarships, Fellowships etc. are poor or not paid properly and needs streamlining to reach the needy. 7) Projects for each subject in each Semester or Trimester be recommended for the improvement in Agricultural Science Education research in India. 8) Laboratory facilities with best instrumentations as well as field based projects with good infrastructure of farm machineries, Gadgets are the need of the hour. 9) A state of art in Agricultural Science Education is a must. 10) Faculty should be committed and involved in Research Laboratory to Land Experiments, Teaching, Training and Extension activities involving the farmers and their problems. 11) Agricultural Science Education lacks good library facilities and needs good strengthening. 12) There is lack of job opportunities for our fresh Graduates, Post Graduates and Doctorates and this needs to be motivated by having Campus Interviews by many reputed companies and with good placements. 13) There is lack of counseling of Agricultural Science Education as career in schools (both Government and Public Schools) and this should be taken seriously by the education department of both the State and Central Government. At school levels more students should be inspired and motivated for the Agricultural Science courses after schooling.
Concerted effort is very much needed to transform Indian Agricultural Science Education System to make it more significant and more responsive to the need of stake holders, especially our farmers who feed us daily three times. Our Agricultural Science Education will surely have excellent results in the form of a Second Green Revolution and the day is not far off!!
Email id: nathane7c@gmail.com K. KAILASA NATHAN
