Agricultural education has come into its own
and has gained greater importance in the present day. Its development is
receiving the attention of the Central and State Governments, to a still greater
extent. The increase in number from a few at the beginning of this century to
over twenty agricultural colleges is proof of the demand for agricultural
education. The establishment of the Indian Council of Agricultural Education
under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, at the Centre, augurs well
for the development of agricultural education in this country. With better
co-ordination in the system of education and greater collaboration among the
different colleges, the standard of agricultural education is bound to improve.
A big step was taken by the Central Government when it appointed a Joint
Indo-American Team of experts to make recommendations on agricultural research
and education. The Indian members of the team visited a number of Land-grant
Colleges in the United States of America and their American counterparts visited
many of the Agricultural and Veterinary Colleges in India and have made
recommendations which deserve early implementation by the State administrations.
The recommendations cover a wide ground and only those which are very important
are given below as they pertain to the future line of development of
agricultural education and research in the country.
Status of Agricultural Graduates and Post
Graduates
The status of graduates
and post-graduates has been a vexed problem for decades. For some inscrutable
reasons, the workers and teachers of agriculture, barring a few of the
administrative officers at higher -levels, have been paid a salary which is not
in keeping with their status and the arduous duties they are called upon to
shoulder. In the Departments of Co-operation and Forestry which are most closely
allied to Agriculture, the staff commences on a salary in keeping with their
status and responsibility. It is hoped that the authorities concerned will
remedy this glaring defect. The consequence of such a policy of discrimination
in respect of agricultural workers has been that the best talents of the younger
generation are attracted to such fields as engineering, Medicine forestry, law,
commerce and science, leaving only the person of mediocre intelligence to take
to agricultural education.
With great development of agriculture envisaged
in the immediate future and the increase in return anticipated, it would be
unfair to leave the agricultural graduates in their present condition. It is
needless to say that the worth of post-graduates should be better appreciated
and a better status accorded as it is done in some countries, as for instance
Ceylon, where the scales of pay of persons holding degrees increase with their
obtaining higher and higher degrees. Such recognition should be given in the
case of agricultural degrees, too, to encourage greater effort on the part of
the personnel of the Colleges of Agriculture and of the Department of
Agriculture.
Despite the problems of poor remuneration and other pearls and
facilities, agricultural graduates have been doing well in the state and
national competitive examinations. A good percentage the students of this
college have become class – I and II officers both at the State and Central
administration. Agricultural graduates, further have demonstration their caliber
and value in banking, media and other corporate
sectors.
The completion of hundred years of life of this institution is a land-mark of
great significance. This well organized and well developed institution, equipped
for carrying out research, teaching and extension measures can look forward to
another span of hundred years to carry forward its achievements to reach its
second centenary.