The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated Conference of Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities, Directors of ICAR Institutes and Progressive Farmers today (January 19, 2014) at Baramati, Maharashtra.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that science-led growth of agriculture has paid rich dividends as the developmental experience of India’s agriculture has shown. Agricultural education has to be in the forefront of building a scientific base for research and extension. Agricultural universities have to play an important role in imparting quality education to students, making them professionally competent and socially sensitive. To harmonize agricultural education with excellence in science and technology, they have to undertake initiatives aimed at faculty and institution development, and reforms in governance and curriculum.

The President said that the Conference has accorded a unique opportunity to the Vice Chancellors of different universities and Directors of ICAR Institutes to discuss ways and means to ensure uniformity in agricultural education and governance across the country. He expressed confidence that the deliberations in the Conference would help to identify common areas of collaboration and to harness synergies to make Indian agriculture more robust.