Recommendations of I^st Regional Meeting on 'Policy paper on Control of admission, improvement in examination/ evaluation system and invigilation of examinations, course curricula and mechanism for affiliation of private colleges with SAUs ' held on 13-14 February 2007 at TNAU, Coimbatore

Recommended Policy Guidelines on Private Agricultural Education
(A) Affiliation:

• The management of the private college/institution should be transparent and the affiliation of such private college, imparting UG/PG teaching in agriculture and allied sciences, need to be invariably under the regulatory control of SAUs alone.


• All private Agricultural colleges should be affiliated with State Agricultural Universities of their respective region (SAUs/DUs/ICAR) and follow similar system of education and guidance. SAU Model Act does not allow affiliation, as a result many agricultural colleges are affiliated with traditional universities. Element of affiliation should be incorporated in the Model Act.


• All existing private colleges of agriculture and allied sciences affiliated to traditional universities should now be affiliated with the SAU of the region.


• Affiliation should be temporary, for a period of 10 years, subsequently renewable by adopting norms relevant at that time. Non-compliance of norms will make affiliation liable to cancellation by the Vice-Chancellor of SAU concerned.


• To curb mushrooming of private colleges there should be substantial amount of affiliation fee as being charged by TNAU, for each course.


• Affiliation procedure should be well laid out in consonance with the university academic processes and mandate.


• Every SAU shall develop a perspective plan in term of agricultural academic institutions needed for its area of jurisdiction for intensive production agriculture, processing and value addition and quality rural life.

(B) Accreditation:

• There is need for establishing accreditation norms for affiliated private colleges. SAUs may enforce the accreditation norms before affiliation through an Accreditation Committee constituted by the concerned SAUs. One of the Members may be ICAR nominee.


• Costs involved in accreditation should be borne by the institution seeking affiliation.


• Accreditation procedure should be well laid out.


• Establishment of a private college or a new programme in already affiliated college should be opened with prior approval of the SAU concerned. College seeking accreditation/affiliation should have minimum 20 ha cultivable land of which 10 ha should be available for agricultural experimentation.


• Accredited private colleges should be eligible for financial assistance from ICAR.

(C) Admission

• The admission procedure to various courses of both constituent as well as affiliated private colleges need to be in accordance with the practice in vogue in the SAUs to which the college is affiliated.


• Annual induction to a private college should include 50% of the seats to be admitted common entrance mechanism of the SAU and remaining 50% may be filled by college on merit basis.


• 15% of the total seats in the private colleges may be filled by the Management body of the college.


• There should be a merit quota of 15% seats having same fee structure as that of SAU.5. The intake capacity should commensurate with the facilities available with the college but subject to a maximum of 64 in a UG programme.

(D) Academic Standards:

• Affiliated college should recruit/employ qualified competent teachers for which the pay structure shall be similar as prevalent in SAU.


• The minimum qualification for appointment of teachers in the affiliated private colleges should be Masters’ degree with NET, giving preference to candidates with doctorate degree.


• The college management committee should include Dean and concerned Director Resident Instruction or nominee of the Vice-Chancellor as members.


• The teachers at affiliated colleges should have opportunities for training, participation in seminar and symposia.


• Before accreditation/affiliation it must be ensured that the institution has prescribed laboratories, library and other instructional infrastructure.


• Preference should be given to active young teachers in recruitment of teachers. However, retired teachers may be hired on short term basis.


• Affiliated colleges should have logical institutional framework with departments headed by professor/Associate Professor.

(E) Regulation on Resident Instruction:

• Resident Instruction Rules and procedures/Academic regulations of the SAU concerned


• Periodic monitoring of the academic programmes and its delivery should be undertaken by SAU concerned.


• Where number of Affiliated colleges justify there may be a Controller of Examination at SAU for systematized examination and evaluation.

(F) Course Curriculum:

• Course curriculum and academic regulations at affiliated colleges should be same as following by the SAUs for their constituent colleges.


• To have uniformity in agricultural education, semester system of teaching should be mandatory.


• Attendance of the students in affiliated colleges should be the same as prescribed in SAU.


• Affiliated colleges should have the extracurricular activities for overall development of the students such as Commercial Agriculture, NSS, NCC, study tours etc.


• The PG programme should invariably include thesis dissertation as being followed in SAUs.

(G) Examination/Evaluation and Invigilation:

• The academic calendar of the Affiliated College academic calendar including registration and examination schedules should be the same as that of the SAU.


• Examination, invigilation, evaluation and award of the transcript and degree/certificate etc. Should rest entirely with SAU.


• For promoting active participation of the student in learning processes, evaluation should have internal marks, at least 40%.4. The setup of the question papers should include objective, short note and descriptive type questions covering the entire syllabus with limited optional/choice


• In order to curb unfair means there should be a Chief Invigilator(s) to supervise the conduct of examination, appointed by the SAU.


• Answer books for evaluation should be coded, forwarded and confidentiality ascertained.


• Supplementary examinations should be done away with.

(H) Other

• Failure to comply provision of MOU/directives of the University within the stipulated time, the Vice-Chancellor may withdraw the affiliation.


• Affiliated colleges should have student gymkhana and playgrounds. They should also be part of the SAU sports and other cultural activities.


• Graduates of affiliated colleges should also be entitled for service placement of the SAU.

Recommendation of IAUA 2 ^nd Regional meeting in N E on "Agriculture and Livestock in Integrated Farming System" held on 5-6 October, 2006 at CAU, Imphal

Central Agricultural University, Imphal organized Indian Agricultural University Association

Regional Conference in North-East during 5 and 6 October 2006, on "Agriculture and Livestock in Integrated Farming System" where 21 Vice-Chancellors and Directors of National Institutes (Deemed-to-be Agricultural universities) deliberated and the following recommendations emerged.

Recommendations

• A Regional Consultative Group needs to be established under the Chairmanship of the most senior VC in the region to frame education and development agenda in a partnership mode, to facilitate addressing of farmers' issues and propagation of intensive integrated farming-system models developed for the region by ICAR Research Complex.


• A Regional Referral Laboratory needs to be established in NEH Region of ICAR to promote organic agriculture and animal husbandry.


• Cultivation of maize and soybean, the two important components of animal feed, along with rice bean, and other forage and feed crops should be popularized in a mission mode with forward and backward linkages.


• Rain-water conservation for its better utilization in non-rainy or drought period will help in increasing the cropping sequence and insensitive cropping during winter (rabi) season. Shallow tube-wells will prove highly beneficial in valley areas.


• The scientists of KVKs should be given the required training to create awareness and development of technical skills in various aspects of production and components of farming systems. Women should also be a focus for training in livestock and fish farming.


• To improve the productivity and profitability of various components of farming systems like crop, animal, fishery etc., the availability of quality seed, planting material, fish seeds, chicks etc. should be ensured and necessary infrastructure should be created.


• For improving the livelihood of the farmers and farm income on year-round basis, crop diversification and integration of crops with livestock and fishery as complementary activities is the most sustainable practice.


• There is great scope to diversify the area for medicinal plants, vegetables, pulses (lentil), groundnut, soybean etc. Seeding in the standing crops of paddy with field pea, berseem etc. may be attempted. Niger is another low water-input-requiring crop, which may be tried in the area for honeybee enterprise. The under-crops of turmeric and ginger with main fruit crops may be tested in this region.


• There is a need for formation of SHGs/farmers' clubs with women empowerment along with training for post-harvest processing, value addition and marketing.


• Extensive work is needed on collection, evaluation and conservation of various crops of NE region. Wild species of paddy, vegetables, fruits, horticultural crops, under-utilized fruits, spices, ornamentals and the medicinal and aromatic plants need more emphasis.


• Indigenous livestock of NEH Region including Manipuri pony, Banpala sheep, Dam and Mali pig and wild Asiatic buffalo needs to be surveyed and characterized, both at phenotyopic and molecular levels and conserved. Non-descript cows should be upgraded through crossing with Sahiwal or Gir. Backyard poultry should be encouraged and model backyard poultry farms should be established by KVKs in their areas of jurisdiction. States should develop regional livestock databank so that species-wise breeding policy can be framed with the help of NBAGR.


• Facility of credit availability at low interest rate should be provided for land development, establishing regulated markets and processing facilities.


• Role of women needs to be promoted further, especially for skill-based cottage industries and home stead farming components.


• To improve the efficiency and rate of tea-leave plucking, there is need to propagate light-weight cloth-bags for collecting the leaves and use of finger-blades for cutting the leaves instead of hand plucking.


• Value addition of fruits, vegetables, bamboo shoots, fish and bio-fuel by planting Jatropha can be taken up. Use of waterlogged areas of Assam and Tripura for cultivation, production and processing of lotus stem, makhana and singhara needs attention.


• Women should be organized at village, block and district levels. Funds by line departments like Tribal Welfare Department, Rural Development Department etc. should be released directly to women organizations. Women's grants can be issued through Micro-credit plan of village and implemented with or without bank-credit support.


• General Recommendations covering SAUs, DUs and CAUs:

(i) Adoption of Model Act.
(ii) Enhancement of RAWE and Internship for agricultural and veterinary graduates under consideration by the ICAR should be pursued for early orders,
(iii) Resource crunch in SAUs, ICAR and IAUA should be taken up with Planning Commission for adequate flow of funds.
(iv) Conditional advertisement of NET for recruitment for SAUs may be given,
(v) To make KVKs as the knowledge centre, only State Government or Line Department should take up extensive activities.

Recommendations of 3^rd Regional Meeting on 'Value addition in Agricultural Products' held on 13-14 February 2007at TNAU, Coimbatore

Recommendations

• A delegation of IAUA comprising Vice-Chancellors will meet the Prime Minister and other members of planning commission and appraise the achievements in the field of agriculture including animal husbandry and fisheries and also the future expectation during the XI plan period.


• A book on the successful technologies evolved and success stories of extension may be compiled and IAUA will publish and circulate this book.


• Most of the SAUs are functioning in old dilapidated buildings and the basic infrastructure housing the laboratories are outdated. Special financial allotment under non-recurring has to be sought from Central and State Government's to modernize the basic amenities.


• The Vice-Chancellors of Agriculture Universities have to be involved in the planning process of state financial allocations as agriculture forms the major activity of our country.


• Financial allocation for agricultural research and education should be made under separate budget in the states as well as centre.


• Certain percentage of teaching/research personnel in all Agriculture Universities may be recruited from other states in order develop healthy competition and avoid inbreeding.


• Tailoring the research and development programmes in order to cater to the standards of domestic and export markets.


• Sensitizing the policy makers on creation of community level infrastructure for grading, packing and packaging, and storage and promoting grower's association to empower them to negotiate on price.


• Efforts to be taken to encourage co-operative/contract farming with buy-back arrangements to initiate market-led production.


• Maintaining cool chain for the post-harvest handling of cut flowers around 5° C with appropriate packaging to get better prices in the international markets.


• The investment in agricultural research has to be enhanced to increase Total Factor Productivity to achieve 4% growth of the sector per se.


• For exploitation of the agro-ecological diversity of the country, programmes should be evolved for production/export of agricultural produce from different regions during the off seasons in importing countries.


• Adoption of suitable national strategies on augmenting animal productivity, production, consumption and marketing of animal products. Creation of realistic database on meat, milk and egg production, handling transportation, pre and post harvest loss, marketing etc.


• Cutting edge technologies on processing, preservation and value addition on animal products by integrating newer biotechnological tools with the ITK may be developed.


• Development of HACCP, GMP protocols and quality standards for animal products viz., milk, meat, poultry, fish etc. with establishment of reference and testing laboratories.


• Food safety and quality should bedealt while considering the use of GM foods. There should be regulatory system established to oversee the biosafety of GM foods.

5^th Regional Committee Meeting on: Family Farming for Sustainability held at KAU, Thrissur during 19-20 Dec. 2014.

Recommendations

• Developing different family farming models to suit various agro-climatic conditions, namely, Agri-Agri, Agri-Horti, Agri-Horti-Silvi, Agri-Horti-Livestock, Agri-Horti-Fisheries, Agri-Horti-Dairy systems.


• Demonstration and implementation of new models of integrated farming systems with high-tech Agriculture and high-tech Horticulture developed under the leadership of IAUA.


• Promotion of farm mechanization, pooling of machinery and custom hiring to reduce the drudgery of elderly family members in family farming and to address labor shortage.


• Developing and disseminating new packaging technologies and regional level branding systems of produce and planting materials involving SHGs and market-oriented groups for increasing the marketable surplus of small farms.
  Motivation and attraction of qualified youth towards high-tech Agriculture and sensitization about the whole range of Agri-business, high-tech production systems, and markets, through training, demonstrations and interfaces at different levels.


• Inter university and inter institutional collaborations in teaching and research have to be promoted.


• Establishment of a multi-university Research Centre of the South Indian Agricultural Universities is to be given importance.


• Family farming is to be upgraded from subsistence farming to high-tech farming by the involvement of agricultural universities and bringing the IT professionals in farming.


• Indigenous Technical Knowledge is to be documented and revalidated by research system and is to be integrated to the farming systems particularly family farming.


• Urban Horticulture should be promoted.

6^th Regional Committee Meeting on: "Agriculture Policies for Food Security" held at UAS, Dharwad on Feb. 20-21, 2016

Recommendations

• The Market reforms initiated by Government of Karnataka (GoK) need to be extended to other states of the country. GoK model is an ideal at national level because of e-trading with ICT, PPP market mode.
• Implementation of reforms through model APMC act: Setting up of special commodity markets, PPP in management & extension activities/ Promotion of e-trading, Provisions for Contract Farming and Establishment of Private markets / Farmer - consumer markets / Direct marketing etc.
• Market policies also need to be developed for fodder, milk, wool, livestock, fish and horticultural crops and preventing distress sale.
• Success stories of each University should be documented.
• Milk and eggs are to be introduced in PDS distribution for nutritional security and to create awareness about the nutritional importance of millets and coarse cereals when introduced in PDS. Per capita availability of pulse needs to be increased as it is half the quantity suggested by WHO.
• Establishment of processing industries at village level is to be encouraged.
• Greater emphasis on growing minor pulses which are equally nutritive and highly drought tolerant.
• Cropping system/Farming system approach which facilitates inclusion of different crop and animal components needs to be promoted.
• In PDS system millets, like sorghum, pearl millets, finger millet, fox tail millet and others as well as pulses are to be included in addition to rice and wheat to meet the nutritional security.
• PDS needs to be strengthened by allotting shops to each village particularly in the border areas under the leadership of retired military and BSF persons. In tribal areas, all the commodities including medicines should be made available in the PDS shops.

7^th IAUA Regional Meeting of Vice Chancellors on: “Harnessing Potential of Traditional and Modern Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture” held at CSAUAT, Kanpur during 29th – 30th August, 2018

Recommendations

• In order to strengthen the coordination of Agricultural Universities and various developmental agencies in each state, IAUA recommended that the committee constituted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research for preparing the strategy paper for doubling farmers’ income in each state be entrusted with the responsibility to strengthen the linkages between the state developmental agencies and SAUs for proper implementation of improved technologies, keeping in view the traditional and modern knowledge.
• Considering the key role being played by the Farm Science Centers (KVKs) in different districts of the country, it was resolved that the constraints being faced by these centers need to be adequately addressed and more budget be allocated for proper implementation of various programmes.
• Declining water availability, over-exploitation of natural resources and indiscriminate demolition of traditional water harvesting structures were observed to be the key constraints limiting the crop productivity. It was recommended that modernizing these water-harvesting structures is imperative, along with a need to increase the water use efficiency through Micro Irrigation system and lining of water bodies, so as to fulfill the motto ‘per drop more crop'.
• The concern was felt that indiscriminate use of agro chemicals is causing adverse impact on soil health as well as on the health of human beings and livestock. It was recommended that the Paramparagat Kheti be given due emphasis and SAUs should develop such integrated modules so as to reduce the use of chemicals and thereby improving the health and reducing the cost of cultivation for better profitability.
• For reducing the cost of cultivation and ensuring timeliness of agricultural operations, it was recommended to promote the Implement/ Machinery Banks at Tehsil level for custom hiring, which will benefit the small and marginal farmers particularly.
• The house strongly recommended that the old and obsolete varieties, more than 15 years old, should neither be recommended for cultivation in the respective states nor be brought in seed production chain so as to enhance the seed replacement rate and to increase production. This would be more relevant particularly to water deficient areas like Bundelkhand region, where the productivity is low due to adoption of old varieties and inadequate availability of quality seeds.
• The IAUA appreciated the efforts made by the Government of India to establish the Seed Hubs in the country, which has led to an appreciable increase in productivity, particularly in pulse crops. It was recommended that such Seed Hubs be further strengthened in different crops to enhance the availability of quality seeds of new and improved varieties.
• Considering the large area under Oilseeds and Pulses in Bundelkhand region, it was recommended that the zone may be developed as an Oilseeds and Pulses hub in the Country. Also, development of value addition and processing sectors need to be given special emphasis to increase the income of farmers e and to reduce the migration of people from this area.
• It was observed that the area under millets in Bundelkhand region has declined. Hence, it was recommended to promote the cultivation of nutri-milliets for nutritional security. Further it was also proposed to discourage the cultivation of more water requiring crops like wheat and sugarcane in the region.
• The diversification and adoption of location specific Integrated Farming System modules be introduced in view of the climate change and the need of doubling farmers’ income. The low input-responsive technologies be promoted to reduce the cost of cultivation and to enhance farmers' income.
• The problem of stray cattle and wild animals was identified to be of very serious nature in different regions and it was recommended to create Animal Hostels to provide the herd a place to stay. This will also benefit the owners. Steps should be taken to improve the breeds, their health and nutrition.
• Wild crossing is leading to the production of poor quality animals and therefore, it was recommended to make quality bulls available, to ensure the availability of certified semen and to maintain the genetic characteristics of different indigenous breeds.
• The productivity of milk was low particularly due to inadequate availability of quality feed and fodder to the animals and it was recommended to develop feed and fodder hubs in areas where there is scarcity of quality fodder.
• Organic carbon should be maintained by proper management of crop residue and by adopting organic farming. It was opined that Yogic Kheti is in its preliminary phase and before adopting it, multi-locational trials & scientific validation claims are essential.
• Minimum Standards for starting new colleges in agriculture and allied subjects (booklet published by the ICAR Education Division-Minimum Requirements for Establishment of New College in Agriculture and Allied Disciplines) should be followed by the states for giving NOC to start new agricultural institutions.
• SAUs and other agricultural institutions should follow the Fifth Deans Committee’s recommendations and the Broad Subject Matter area guidelines for P.G. education, as recommended by the ICAR. This should be monitored by the Education Division of ICAR.
• Agricultural Educational Institutions/programmes should get the accreditation from the ICAR Accreditation Board. In PG and Doctoral programmes, students/ graduates should be admitted only from those agricultural colleges adopting the norms and standards of Agricultural Education prescribed by ICAR, as adopted by SAUs/CAUs.
• In order to inculcate interest towards agriculture among the future generation, agricultural education should form a part of the curriculum from the primary level of education itself. Necessary steps for its implementation should be initiated by the State Governments.

Proceedings of IAUA 8^th Regional Committee Meeting On “Sharing Experiences and Strategies about Changing Paradigm of Agriculture University
Governance Systems” May 9-10, 2019

Recommendations of the Conference

The 8th IAUA Workshop was held during May 9-10, 2019 at G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand. At the end of two days deliberations the participants of the workshop came up with the following:

Recommendations:

• In order to improve the quality and relevance of agricultural education, there is a need for fundamental change of approach in governance and control, financial sustainability, accountability, autonomy, transparency and meritocracy.
• There is an ardent need to check the establishment of new agricultural university (ies) by bifurcating the existing one(s) in the state and also the mushrooming of private colleges as that will cause major damage to education and employment sectors. Instead, the idea of ‘broad farm universities’need to be strengthened.
• The SAUs and colleges affiliated to general universities, engaged in teaching agriculture and allied subjects, need institutional changes, which include changes in statutes and governance towards academic independence and excellence and to enlarge the scope of providing education and learning.
• The SAUs, despite being funded by state Govt. and ICAR, face shortage of funds. There is, thus, a need to explore new ways of income generation and funding and adopting them for strengthening the funds in the universities. Management of universities should thrive for provisions of fund raising through innovative ideas of technology and knowledge that can be sold to rich farmers as well as industrialists and at the same time attract good students and hardworking staff. Entire syntax of university administrative set up needs change of perceptive and purpose.
• The underperformance of the graduating students when they face the real-world farming situation as well as in selling themselves for jobs, is a major concern and must be addressed urgently. The delivery approaches and methods of classroom teaching and hands on training/ practice in equipping the graduates with necessary skills must match the requirements of farming systems/ situations.
• Conceptual and perceptual changes are needed in skill development of all components of the university, be it students, teachers, administrator or supporting staff. Quality research with academic background support and worthy extension provisions including functional help of KVKs and KGKs, and entire paradigm of scientific development of agricultural science should be raised.
• Future farm universities must have excess and ability to utilize new trans disciplinary knowledge such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, information and communication technologies (ICTs), space technologies and material sciences and become central to developing new technologies and innovations.
• State oriented restricted admission regulations are not in line with the future aspirations of making the university global. Provisions have to be made for open nationwide admissions and for international students.
• Integration of SAUs and ICAR institutes for teaching and research could be a futuristic step and may address the rural, peri-urban and urban needs in a better way. Moreover, SAUs should be permitted to admit foreign students directly.
• IAUA should hold series of dialogues on envisioning future pathways, including inviting experts to give valuable inputs. Also, 50 years long documented history of past experiences should be studied to learn lessons from it, especially to understand specificities of the agricultural education ecosystem.