Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh has asked agricultural universities to forge closer ties with industry and commercialise their technology to raise funds. At least 20 per cent of their requirement of resources could be generated internally, he said.
Singh also said agricultural education should be commercialised to keep pace with rapid privatisation. He suggested that agricultural universities should attract students from Africa, Asia and other underdeveloped and developing countries.
Addressing a two-day conference of vice-chancellors of agricultural universities here today, Singh said the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and other central agencies would co-operate with the universities in such a mission.
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The minister said the government was in favour of conferring statutory powers on the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to ensure uniformity and quality in agricultural education across the country.
In the absence of such powers with the council, various states were setting up farm universities without any consideration for man-power requirement and the academic and financial sustainability of such universities.
Speaking on the occasion, ICAR Director-General Mangla Rai pointed out that the country did not have a national policy on agricultural education.
He also referred to the need for farm universities to avoid duplication of effort by specialising in identified areas. The meet will deliberate on the Swaminathan committee