10th Brain-storming session on: "ICAR Model Act Revision", held at Ch.Sarwan Kumar H.P. Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, from 28th June to 29th June, 2019.

Recommendations:

  • ICAR Model Act (2009) has been adopted by 28% State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) and the State Veterinary Universities (SVUs), while its provisions have been adopted by 48%.It was Suggested that by and large all the SAUs/SVUs should follow the need based provisions after making necessary amendment sin the Act/Statues.
  • The SAUs have been established by State Legislative Assembly Act. The ICAR Model Act and Acts and Statues governing SAU/SVUs should be complementary. The required sections of ICAR Model Act can be implemented through amendment sin the University Act/Statues with proper justification.
  • The subject of Agricultural Education and Research should be put in the Concurrent list or ListIII (Seventh Schedule) of the Constitution to ease out the administrative issues and to bring quality changes for improving the standards of agricultural education and research in the country.
  • The University governance should be through a mechanism of autonomy, accountability, transparency and participatory approach involving all stake holders.
  • The UGC guidelines are to be followed with respect to qualifications for appointment of Vice- Chancellor. It should include a person with Ph.D. degree in any branch of Agricultural/Veterinary & Animal Sciences having outstanding academic record with a minimum of 10 years’ experience as professor/equivalent, out of which 3 years as Dean/Director in a University system or in an equivalent position in a reputed research/ academic organization related to agriculture/veterinary & animal sciences.
  • The search committee for the appointment of Vice Chancellor should include the Director General of ICAR or his nominee not below the rank of DDG or Vice Chancellor of SAUs/CAUs, one nominee of the Chancellor and State Government each of the rank of Vice-Chancellor. The search committee should recommend the names in alphabetical order.
  • There is no uniformity for the age limit and the tenure of Vice Chancellor. The tenure of the Vice Chancellor should uniformly be of 5 years with age limit of 70 years as per UGC norms.
  • Interim Charge of Vice - Chancellor should be given to an academician i.e. the senior most Dean/Director or Vice Chancellor of other SAUs in the State for a period not exceeding six months and the position should be filled within this period.
  • The Board of Management should comprise the concerned Secretaries of the line departments of the State Government. Besides, it should include (i) an outstanding rural woman social worker, (ii) a progressive farmer from the jurisdiction of university, (iii) one member from agricultural industry,(iv) two eminent educationists in the field of Agriculture/Veterinary & Animal Sciences /Allied Sciences,(v) member from ICAR to be nominated by the Director General, ICAR not below the rank of ADG and the Registrar ast he Member Secretary. All the members from I to iv will be recommended by the Vice-Chancellor and nominated by the Chancellor. There should be no member from State Legislative Assembly/Member of Zila Parishad,etc.
  • Academic, Research and Extension Councils are statutory bodies for regulating and overseeing academic, research and extension activities in that order. Its functioning and composition need to be revised from time to time to make it more dynamic in view of the changing market demand of expertise/human resource/ products/technologies from the SAUs/SVUs.
  • The positions of Registrar and Finance Officer/Comptroller are important for smooth functioning and implementation of respective statutory provisions. These officials should be appointed from within the University system or appointed on deputation by the State governments.
  • The Controller of Examination should not be below the rank of Professor and the post of Director Extension should bere-designated as the Director of Extension Education.
  • Deans and Directors should be appointed through an open advertisement following uniform procedure. Principals of the off-campus colleges should be re-designated as the Deans.
  • The SAUs/SVUs must maintain optimum faculty student ratio. The strength and the composition of the faculty of the Departments of the constituent Colleges should follow the Fifth Deans 'Committee recommendations. Faculty positions lying vacant since long should be filled up to meet this criterion.
  • The faculty should have flexibility for undertaking consultancy services, short term assignments, participation in the industrial R&D programmes and crafting both National and International projects / collaborations for the resource generation.
  • The highest ranking Universities should be given autonomy in designing and starting new courses / programmes, admission criteria including foreign students, fee structure and hiring globally competent faculty.
  • Indian Council of Agricultural Research should have a position of ADG dealing with 'Skill Development and Entrepreneurship' in the Education Division, who may co- ordinate and facilitate development of entrepreneurial skill and employ ability among the graduates.
  • Agricultural education under the domain of UGC in private colleges and general universities must be accredited by the ICAR. The recommendations of the Fifth Deans' Committee should be followed in letter and spirit in these Colleges/Universities.
  • The Universities should generate their resourceses such as self-financing degree programmes, short tem training programmes, consultancy services, payment seats, fee structure, sale of University produce/seed/planting materials, testing and licensing of technologies, other outreach programmes ,etc .Faculty should be given benefit sharing on the pattern of the guidelines of ICAR already in vogue.
  • Universities/Colleges should have internal quality assurance system to meet the diverse needs of the stakeholders for planning, guiding and monitoring quality assurance and quality enhancement activities.
  • The MOUs in State Agricultural Universities with National and International Institutes/Organizations should be in specific areas and within the guidelines already approved by ICAR/DARE.