Increase in Scholarships given to Agriculture Students

Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Ministry has accepted the recommendations by the 5th Dean Committee with regards to rectification of the curriculum and the contents so as to improve the quality of agricultural education in India.

This move it is said will help students as it will help provide quality education in agriculture. All agricultural universities across the country are expected to enforce the recommendations at an earliest.

This information was shared by Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh at Mahatma Phule Agriculture Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Ahamednagar, Maharahstra.

While speaking on the occasion the minister said that for the first time the degrees imparted by Agriculture University in Maharashtra have been given professional status.

He further added that now, the strength of emeritus scientists and emeritus professors has been increased. The duration of these schemes has been increased from 2 to 3 years. In addition to this, the amount of remuneration has been increased from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 50,000.

Minister on Rural Entrepreneurship Development Scheme:

The Minister further added that Rural Entrepreneurship Development Scheme which was launched in 2015, will be effective from 2016-17.

Under this new programme opportunities for attaining experience as well as entrepreneurship skills on part of agriculture graduates will be made available. Under this scheme, the agriculture graduation students will be granted scholarship at the rate of Rs. 3000 per month.

The objective of pilot studies is to augment knowledge as well as skill as per the requirements of private sector. It also aims to create belief and competency amongst undergraduate students so as to initiate their own enterprise.

The scheme will act as trigger to help the students for practicable knowledge as well as skill orientation which will be very much conducive to provide quality entrepreneurship for augmenting strength of agriculture graduates.

The amount related to National Talent Scholarship has been earmarked for post graduate students for the year 2016-17 every month. Apart from this, the sum of scholarship meant for graduation students has been shot up from Rs. 1000 to Rs. 2000 per month which is an innovative approach to motivate the concerned students.

Extra mural research programme:

The Agriculture Ministry has also commenced during 2015-16 an extra mural research programme so as to sponsor and support, short spanned result oriented extra mural projects to concentrate the required needs so that a substantial improvement might be ensued in the quality of agricultural education.