The event held at Krishi Bhawan discuss ways to upgrade agri universities
Agricultural Education Day – 2021 was recently held at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. Kailash Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare highlighted that agricultural education and start-ups have been given more emphasis in the New Education Policy – 2020. He said that the students should be given an opportunity to opt for subjects of their choice.
The minister stated that the main objective of celebrating the day is to expose students to the various facets and relevance of agriculture in the country’s development and encourage them towards the agricultural sector. He said that attracting the students towards agriculture will encourage them to become agri-entrepreneurs in the future.
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 the inclusion of improved curriculum in the Universities that will enable the students to be self-employed. Dr Mohapatra regarded enriched agricultural education as the backbone for the successful agricultural sector of the country.
Sanjay Garg, Additional Secretary (DARE) & Secretary (ICAR) regarded Modern Agricultural Education as the backbone of the successful agricultural sector in the country. Garg outlined the release of the ranking of 67 universities by the minister during the event. He also highlighted the up-gradation of 79 courses in agricultural universities. He also emphasised that the university’s rankings will help the students to select the universities for their careers.
Proposing the vote of thanks, Dr RC 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 vice-chancellors of state agricultural universities; deputy directors-general, assistant directors-general, directors and senior officials of ICAR Headquarters and ICAR institutes also participated in the event. The Council declared December 3 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.
