AAU

AAU
College of Agriculture
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College of Agriculture
College of Agriculture
Departments
Agricultural Biotechnology
Agricultural Economics
Agricultural Engineering
Agricultural Meteorology
Agricultural Statistics
Agronomy
Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Biochemistry
Entomology
Extension Education
Food Science & Technology Programme
Horticulture
MBA (Agri Business)
Nematology
Plant Breeding & Genetics
Plant Pathology
Plant Physiology
Seed Science and Technology Programme
Sericulture
Soil Science
Tea Husbandry & Technology
College of Agriculture, AAU, Jorhat
The College of Agriculture (CA), Jorhat had its origin in the
erstwhile Assam Agricultural College. The foundation of the college was laid at
Borbheta, 5 km towards the south of Jorhat town on August 16, 1948 by the then
Governor of Assam, Late Akbar Hyderi to impart education in agriculture and
allied branches of learning. The College started its academic programme in an
abandoned military camp. Late Rev. B. M. Pugh was appointed as the first
Principal of the college. Thirty students were enrolled in the first batch for
a four-year degree programme leading to B.Sc. (Agri) degree. Dr. M. C. Das took
over as the Principal in 1949 and served the institution for long 17 years
until 1966. It was during this period that the institution gained momentum to
become a full-fledged Agricultural College. Infrastructures development in the
college started during the Second Five- Year Plan with the construction of
students’ hostels and residential buildings for staff members, completed in
1954. During the first five years of its existence, the College was affiliated
to Gauhati University (GU). With the establishment of Dibrugarh University
(DU), this affiliation shifted, until Assam Agricultural University (AAU) was
established in 1969.
Genesis
Efforts to institutionalize agricultural education in the state began
as early as in 1935 with the establishment of a vocational agriculture training
center at Jorhat which was named as Basic Agricultural School. Simultaneously
there was also a move for establishment of an Agricultural College in the state,
initiated by late L.K. Handique, then Director of Agriculture, Assam. He
approached several tea companies of the region for financial assistance, but the
onset of the Second World War halted or shattered all such endeavours. There
was a sincere and vigorous effort for all round development in the state after
attainment of independence by the country. Agricultural sector was a prominent
one attracting attention of the government as well as public. As a result, a
few prominent citizens of Jorhat town thought of establishing an agricultural
college in the state and even conceived the idea of establishment of such a
college on private venture in the light of Allahabad Agricultural Institute.
However, the Government of Assam decided to establish an agricultural college
as a government college affiliated to Gauhati University; and Jorhat was
unanimously selected as the suitable site considering the existing
infrastructure in the area. The Sugarcane Experimental Station that had been established
by the Assam State Department of Agriculture (ASDA) in 1906 at Borbheta, Jorhat
served as the nucleus of these infrastructures. Establishing the Assam
Agricultural College (AAC) in 1948 could be considered as the initiation of the
process of hatching of Assam Agricultural University, because the AAC had built
the foundation for establishment of the University, in addition to the pivotal
role played by the students of the college during 1966-67 to mobilize a strong
public opinion in favour of AAU.
Growth
of Institution:
During the first five years of its existence, the college was
affiliated to Gauhati University. With the establishment of Dibrugarh
University, the affiliation was shifted to it, till the establishment of the
Assam Agricultural University (AAU) in 1969. The College initially followed
traditional system of teaching and evaluation under Gauhati and Dibrugarh
Universities. However, after establising AAU, trimester system of teaching and
evaluation modelled after Land Grant Colleges of the U.S.A. was adopted. In
1977, the semester system of teaching and evaluation was introduced which still
continues. The Post-Graduate (PG) degree programme was started first in the
Department of Agronomy in 1960 and later extended to the disciplines of Botany
& Plant Pathology, Entomology and Agricultural Chemistry including Soil
Science in 1966. Subsequently, Master’s degree programme was introduced in all
the major disciplines, and at present, fifteen departments offer PG programme.
A unique Department of Tea Husbandry & Technology was instituted in 1968
under the joint sponsorship of the Government of Assam and the Tea Board of
India. The Ph.D. Degree programme in the faculty was introduced in eight
disciplines from 1986 onward under course credit system. Agricultural Biotechnology,
Sericulture and Agricultural Business Management are some of the new additions
in the College. The course syllabi of both post graduate and under graduate
programmeare regularly revised and updated as per report of various Deans’
Committee formed time to time in accordance to ICAR norms. The course contents
are prepared on the basis of national requirements in mind integrating regional
needs.
Presently, the college has
-  18
departments, 5 instructional cum research farms and a central library
-  15
hostels- 6 for boys and 9 for girls and 1 transit hostels
-  130
faculty members in teaching
- A multipurpose sports complex, gymnasium,
auditorium and a medical unit
- An AKMIT (Agricultural Knowledge Management and Information Technology)
Cell to provide the teachers and the students an easy access to information
through 24-hr high-speed internet connectivity.
Intake
Capacity:
§
Under Graduate Programme of the college:
-
B.Sc. (Agri): 182 per batch
§
Masters and Ph.D programmes of the college:
Sl.No
Departments
M.Sc
Ph.D
Total
1
Agricultural Biotechnology
17
10
27
M.Sc. in Molecular Biology
& Biotechnology
11
0
11
M.Sc. (Agri.) in Molecular
Biology & Biotechnology
6
10
16
2
Agricultural Economics and Farm
Management
11
6
17
MBA
(Agribusiness) under Dept. of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management
8
0
8
3
Agricultural Engineering
(M.Tech)
3
0
3
4
Agricultural Statistics
3
0
3
5
Agricultural Meteorology
4
0
4
6
Agronomy
10
7
17
7
Bio Chemistry and Agricultural
Chemistry
10
4
14
8
Crop Physiology
10
5
15
9
Entomology
10
4
14
10
Sericulture under Dept. of
Entomology
10
0
10
11
Extension Education
7
3
10
12
Horticulture
14
7
21
Fruit Science
3
2
5
Vegetable Science
4
2
6
Post Harvest Management
3
1
4
Floriculture and Landscaping
4
2
6
FST under Dept. of Horticulture
6
0
6
13
Nematology
10
5
15
14
Plant Breeding and Genetics
8
3
11
SST under Dept. of Plant
Breeding and Genetics
3
0
3
15
Plant Pathology
10
1
11
16
Tea Husbandry and Technology
6
4
10
17
Soil Science
12
5
17
TOTAL
203
81
284
Facilities and
collaboration:
All the departments have
required infrastructure facilities like well-equipped laboratories, spacious
class rooms with adequate sitting arrangements, audiovisual aids, computer and
internet
access, magnetic black board, necessary
chemicals and glass wares for conducting the laboratory practical and adequate
sitting arrangements for employees and teachers.  Undergraduate field
practical and postgraduate field research works are conducted in Instructional
cum Research (ICR) farm, experimental garden for plantation crops and tea
processing unit and horticultural orchard.  Undergraduate theory classes
are centrally conducted in well ventilated, spacious class rooms under one roof
of a separate building with state-of-the-art modern teaching aids. Postgraduate
classes are held in respective departments. The college ensures sufficient
qualified teachers for both the undergraduate and postgraduate classes in
majority of the department. Most of the faculties hold degrees from
multiple Universities or institute.
All
the UG and PG hostels are equipped with basic amenities, including spacious
living rooms, bath room, toilet, dining hall, water and electricity supply,
common room, television and games facilities and internet access. The
Directorate of Students Welfare oversees the extra-curricular activities of the
students promoting all round development. Sports facilities include a football
and cricket ground, Volley Ball and Basketball Courts, an indoor stadium with
two badminton courts, tennis boards and other indoor games facilities. Additionally,
the Gymnasium Hall houses almost all the modern gymnastic equipment for the
students, guided by a gymnasium coach. The swimming pool is another beautiful
facility added in recent years with two coaches catering to the needs of the
users. The college canteen is spacious, airy and provides wholesome food. To
cater to the needs of the students there is an “Internet Café” in the library
where seven terminals are used by the students.
There
has been some active collaboration of the PG students and teachers of  the
college with other institutions of the state such as Tea Research
Association, Jorhat, North East Institute of Science & Technology,
Jorhat, Central Muga Research Institute, Jorhat and Tea Board of
India in formulating research strategies in respect of PG research and
various outside-funded research projects of some departments like Tea Husbandry
and Technology, Agricultural Biochemistry, Agricultural Biotechnology,
Entomology and Plant Pathology. There is a strong linkage between
the Agricultural department of the Government of Assam and the
college to disseminate the research findings through extension machinery for
the benefit of the farmers. Teachers regularly participate in Farmers Fairs,
Farmers’ days etc. and interact with the Agricultural Officers and farmers on
different issues. Recently, the university established a link with Cornell
University, USA for promoting academic and research activities of the
university.
Departments
Agricultural Biotechnology
Agricultural Economics
Agricultural Engineering
Agricultural Meteorology
Agricultural Statistics
Agronomy
Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Biochemistry
Entomology
Extension Education
Food Science & Technology Programme
Horticulture
MBA (Agri Business)
Nematology
Plant Breeding & Genetics
Plant Pathology
Plant Physiology
Seed Science and Technology Programme
Sericulture
Soil Science
Tea Husbandry & Technology
Colleges
College of Agriculture
Biswanath College of Agriculture
Sarat Chandra Sinha College of Agriculture
College of Community Science
College of Horticulture and Farming System Research
College of Sericulture
Extension Education Institute, NE Region