Agricultural Education Must Deliver Solutions to Farmers, Says Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
36th Annual Conference of Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities begins in New Delhi; focus on research, innovation, entrepreneurship and farmer-centric education.
New Delhi:
The 36th Annual Conference of Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities commenced in New Delhi on Tuesday with Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan calling for a fundamental transformation of agricultural higher education to make it practical, technology-driven and closely aligned with the needs of farmers.
Organised on the theme “Reimagining Agricultural Higher Education for ViksitBharat@2047,” the two-day conference, being held on August 25–26, brings together Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities, senior officials of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Deputy Directors General, Additional Directors General and senior scientists.
The inaugural session was attended by Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Bhagirath Choudhary and Ram Nath Thakur, Secretary, DARE and Director General, ICAR, Dr M. L. Jat, along with senior officials and other dignitaries.
Addressing the conference, Chouhan said the success of agricultural education should not be judged merely by the number of degrees awarded, but by the knowledge and skills created and the tangible improvement brought to the lives of farmers.
He stressed the need to reorient agricultural education towards practical learning, emerging technologies and farmers’ requirements. He said research should move beyond laboratories and reach fields through stronger collaboration among agricultural universities, ICAR, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), industry and farmers.
Chouhan also called upon universities to establish clear goals, prepare actionable roadmaps and measure outcomes. He said every conference should result in clear resolutions, action plans and measurable outcomes that contribute to building a modern, resilient and prosperous agricultural sector.
The Union Agriculture Minister further emphasised the need to prepare young people not merely for employment but also to become entrepreneurs, innovators and job creators. He said agricultural universities must create an ecosystem that encourages entrepreneurship, technology adoption, innovation and agribusiness.
Focus on technology-driven agriculture
Minister of State Bhagirath Choudhary said a developed India requires a strong and prosperous agriculture sector and empowered farmers. He noted that India’s journey from food scarcity to self-sufficiency reflects the collective contribution of farmers, scientists, teachers and agricultural institutions.
He stressed that the next phase of agricultural development should focus on technology, innovation and future-ready skills. He also called for greater opportunities for youth in modern agricultural technologies, research, entrepreneurship and agribusiness.
Minister of State Ram Nath Thakur said strengthening agriculture and empowering farmers are fundamental to achieving the vision of a Viksit Bharat. He highlighted the need to modernise agricultural education, promote innovation and equip students with the knowledge and skills required to address emerging challenges.
Thakur stressed that education and research must remain closely connected with farmers’ requirements and result in practical solutions at the field level. He called for agricultural universities to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and excellence, with particular emphasis on sustainable and technology-driven agriculture.
Research to be aligned with national priorities
Dr M. L. Jat, Secretary, DARE and Director General, ICAR, said achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat requires a transformation of agricultural higher education from traditional models to a future-ready, skill-driven and innovation-led ecosystem.
He emphasised the importance of stronger industry-academia partnerships, demand-driven research, robust accreditation and data-based decision-making. He said the integration of education, research and extension is essential for translating scientific knowledge into field-level solutions and tangible benefits for farmers.
Jat stressed that future agricultural education should go beyond awarding degrees and focus on creating skilled, innovative and globally competitive human capital aligned with national priorities and the changing requirements of Indian agriculture.
14 agenda items across five sessions
The conference is structured around five sessions covering 14 agenda items, with discussions focusing on student-centric reforms, higher education, faculty development, institutional strengthening, quality enhancement, academic reforms, research, innovation and institutional excellence.
The deliberations on student-centric reforms and agricultural higher education included a review of the Action Taken Report of the previous Vice Chancellors’ Conference, admission systems, research fellowships and the state/category-wise 40 per cent restriction in seat allotment.
Participants also discussed timely ICAR All India Quota counselling and verification, separate PhD counselling for Veterinary Sciences, and undergraduate eligibility for agriculture-qualified and Hindi-medium students with the objective of making agricultural education more accessible and inclusive.
The conference reviewed measures to align Junior Research Fellowship and Senior Research Fellowship research with national priorities, strengthen accreditation and quality assurance, and improve financial management, accountability and performance-based funding.
Strengthening industry and academia
Greater industry-academia linkages, apprenticeships and internships were among the key areas discussed. Participants also considered curriculum revision and the promotion of dual, twinning and joint degree programmes and academic exchanges.
Under faculty development and institutional strengthening, the conference discussed equivalency of degrees in agriculture and allied sciences, identification of training requirements, development of training modules and expert/domain mapping.
The proposed introduction of Professors of Practice in Agricultural Universities was also considered as a means of bringing professional expertise and practical knowledge into the academic system.
Data-driven governance and rural engagement
The conference also considered the development of a comprehensive agricultural education data ecosystem to support evidence-based planning, monitoring and decision-making.
Strengthening Rural Agricultural Work Experience (RAWE) was highlighted as an important mechanism for connecting students with rural realities and contributing to rural transformation.
Discussions also covered Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Impact Assessment (MELIA) and greater participation of Agricultural Universities in Agriunifest and Agrisports 2026 to promote the holistic development of students.
Focus on research translation and innovation
The sessions on academic reforms, research, innovation and institutional excellence included common agenda items of the Indian Agricultural Universities Association (IAUA), uniform implementation of the UGC PhD Regulations, 2016, and promotion of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) among State Agricultural Universities.
The objective is to accelerate the translation of research into practical technologies and innovations that can be deployed in the field. Participants also discussed NIRF rating parameters for Agriculture and Allied sectors and mechanisms for sharing expertise through Professors of Practice.
The deliberations underlined the need for Agricultural Universities to evolve into dynamic, technology-enabled and outcome-oriented institutions integrating education, research, innovation, industry and rural engagement.
Stronger academic partnerships, quality assurance, data-driven governance and research aligned with national priorities were identified as critical elements for creating globally competitive agricultural institutions and supporting a resilient, sustainable and prosperous agriculture sector.
Earlier, Dr Yashpal Malik, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Education), ICAR, delivered the welcome and context-setting address. The inaugural session also featured a presentation and discussion on the Action Taken Report of the previous conference and a review of progress on decisions taken earlier.
The conference is expected to conclude with concrete recommendations and action points aimed at reshaping agricultural higher education to meet the requirements of farmers, industry, students and the broader national vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
