Vadodara: To safeguard the quality of agricultural education, the Gujarat govt has decided to bar private agriculture colleges that do not have accreditation from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) from conducting fresh admissions from April 1 for the upcoming academic year. Gujarat is set to become one of the first states to strictly enforce ICAR norms for private agriculture institutions, observers said.The decision was taken at a high-level meeting on Monday attended by chief minister Bhupendra Patel, state agriculture minister Jitu Vaghani and representatives of farmer bodies, including the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS).Sources said the move targets private agriculture colleges that have mushroomed across the state since 2017 but failed to secure ICAR accreditation within the stipulated time frame. Under ICAR rules, such institutions must obtain accreditation within one year of receiving permission to operate.State agriculture minister Jitu Vaghani is learnt to have made the govt’s position clear during the meeting. “Institutions that do not follow the rules will have their admission process cancelled. There will be no relaxation,” he told farmer representatives.To ensure strict implementation, the state govt has constituted a monitoring committee headed by IAS officer Nitin Sangwan.The action follows representations from BKS and academicians who have repeatedly flagged concerns over the functioning of private agriculture colleges in Gujarat.R K Patel, state general secretary of BKS, said many institutions either did not apply for ICAR accreditation or failed to clear the inspection process.“Despite earlier reports submitted to the govt, no action was taken. We demanded strict enforcement, and the govt has now agreed that colleges must adhere to ICAR norms to continue operations,” he said.ICAR accreditation requires institutions to meet stringent academic and infrastructure standards. These include submission of a Self Study Report (SSR), accreditation of at least 50% of undergraduate programmes, a minimum 20-hectare farm area with adequate departmental land and over 60% qualified faculty strength. Accreditation is granted for five years following a peer review process.The issue surfaced last year as well, when students graduating from non-accredited private colleges struggled to secure admission to postgraduate programmes.Gujarat’s four state-run agriculture universities refused to admit such students, stating that only graduates from ICAR-accredited institutions were eligible.Farmer groups welcomed the govt’s move, warning that substandard education could harm the agricultural sector.“Agriculture colleges are like temples for farmers. If students graduate with incomplete knowledge, it will damage the farming ecosystem,” Patel said.Concerns have also been raised about irregularities in some private institutes, including inadequate infrastructure, faculty shortages and admissions exceeding sanctioned intake.
