Page 72 - EducationWorld October 2020

Special Report

India’s Top 20 agriculture universities
(2018)
Rank
1 ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal
2 ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
3 G.B.Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar
4 Chaudhary Charan Singh, Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar
5 ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly
6 Prof. Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad
7 Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
8 Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana
9 Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur
10 Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur
11 Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Palampur
12 Dr. Yaswant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Solan
13 Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science & Technology of Kashmir,
Srinagar Mohapatra: ill-concealed contempt
14 Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari
15 Sardar Vallabhabhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology Meerut an alumnus of Ravenshaw College,
16 University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad Cuttack and Orissa University of Ag-
17 ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai riculture and Technology, appointed
18 Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour director-general of ICAR in 2016, is
19 Rajmata Vijayraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior more than satisfied with the contribu-
20 Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh tion of ICAR to development of Indian
Source: www.icar.org.in agriculture, which according to him is
going great guns. In the 16-page ICAR
application of research and laboratory Numerous phone calls and emails annual report 2019-20, Mohapatra
know-how in wider fields beyond their only resulted in replies that these re- writes: “ICAR is the harbinger of Green
campuses is their Achilles heel. quests would be “put up” to the direc- Revolution in India and instrumental
T HIS IVORY TOWER MEN- media is in sharp contrast to the abject sector in India through its significant
tor. This contempt for the public and
in subsequent advances in agriculture
TALITY and lack of ac-
achievements in research, extension
sycophancy of Mohapatra who never
countability — except to
country to increase the production of
ourable” every time he refers to Union
their political masters — is fails to attach the description “hon- and education. It has empowered the
graphically manifested by the obstinate agriculture minister Narendra Singh foodgrains by 5.4 times, horticultural
refusal of Dr. Trilochan Mohapa- Tomar and prime minister Narendra crops by 10.1 times, fish by 15.2 times,
tra, chairman of ICAR, described — on Modi and gives substance to the com- milk 9.7 times and eggs 48.1 times,
its admittedly informative and detailed mon complaint that extension officials since 1951, thus making a visible im-
website (www.icar.org) — as an “au- of ICAR are inaccessible and entertain pact on the national food and nutri-
tonomous organisation under the De- barely concealed contempt for farmers tional security. The ICAR has played a
partment of Agricultural Research and they are obliged to counsel and advise. pivotal role in promoting excellence in
Education (DARE), Ministry of Agri- Unsurprisingly Dr. Mohapatra, higher education in agriculture, while
culture and Farmers Welfare, Govern- also engaging in innovative areas of sci-
ment of India” and “the apex body for ence and technology development by
co-ordinating, guiding and managing The more important metric its research, which is acknowledged
research and education in agriculture to measure the progress nationally and internationally. In the
including horticulture, fisheries and recent years, ICAR has been playing
animal sciences in the entire country,” of Indian agriculture is an important and proactive role in ag-
to accord the favour of an interview per-hectare yields. By this ricultural technology dissemination
over the telephone or Zoom, or even through its strong network of Krishi
reply in writing to six questions relating yardstick the productivity Vigyan Kendras and supporting farm-
to the country’s agriculture education of India’s 400 million ers in all possible ways. ICAR is sturdily
and research system and its role in the farmers is abysmal contributing towards the efforts and
promised agriculture revolution. initiatives of government to double the

72 EDUCATIONWORLD OCTOBER 2020