Experts for more practicals, subject choice in undergraduate courses

Our Correspondent

Palampur, November 3

The first meeting of the 6th Deans’ Committee, constituted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), was held at CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University here today.

Dr Tej Partap, Vice- Chancellor, GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand, chaired the meeting, attended by vice-chancellors and deans of all five farm varsities of HP, J&K and Uttarakhand.

Dr Partap said fundamental changes had been proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP) but the ICAR had left it to farm universities to restructure the course and curriculum. Efforts should be made to increase practicals in under graduate programmes. Also, post graduate courses would be restructured in a step-wise manner. Farm universities should structure one-year certificate courses leading to two-year diploma course, he stated.

“Currently, admissions are not as per the need and these are not able to serve the purpose as many students are not going to the farm sector. There is need to frame guidelines for entrepreneurship for students,” Dr Pratap said.

The chairman disclosed that the other key changes recommended in NEP indicated that the country would move towards multi-disciplinary universities. There would not be further division of universities and by 2035, universities with multiple campuses would merge.

Prof HK Chaudhary, Vice-Chancellor of the host university, suggested widening the horizon of farm education by allowing freedom to choose subjects, multi-disciplinary approach and introducing farm education at school level. CSK university had moved fast to adopt and implement key recommendations of the NEP by increasing the intake of various UG and PG programmes, digitisation, smart classrooms and use of sophisticated new-age technology.

Dr JP Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, SK University of Agricultural Science & Technology, Jammu, suggested tailor-made certificate and diploma courses based on the competence of students after completion of three-year degree programme.

Dr JP Sharma, Director of Research, Dr Bikram Singh and Dr MS Bhadwal, deans from SKUAST, Jammu; Dr Anju Dhiman and Dr Kamal Sharma, both deans from Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan; took part in the event.