KAU wins the All India First in the Junior Research Fellowship examination (2008) conducted by ICAR
Director of Academic, Dr. P.K. Ashokan receiving the award from the Hon'ble Minister Sri. Sharad Pawar

KAU won the Performance Award of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi during this year also. The award was received from the Hon. Union Minister of Agriculture & Consumer affairs, Sri. Sharad Pawar on 16-2-09 during the inaugural ceremony of the Vice Chancellors' Conference of the Agricultural Universities organized by ICAR at New Delhi. KAU won this award by leaving behind 50 other institutions offering courses in agriculture in India.
 
The award was given considering the performance of our students at the national level competitive examination conducted by ICAR for the award of the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). KAU won 47 JRF where as the second prize winner could get only 27 JRF. Students who won the fellowships get Rs 8640 per month for doing Masters Degree in Agriculture and related subjects and Rs 12000 per month for Veterinary Masters degree.  The students are also eligible for a contingent grant of Rs 6000/ per year.
 
Last year also we were the winner of the award.
 
The DG of ICAR congratulated the students, for their performance and also the faculty members for their committed hard work to train and guide the students to first position in the country. The DG specially appreciated the VC for improving the working atmosphere in the University and motivating the faculty and the students to achieve this National recognition.
 
Earlier the University has won the “Sardar Patel Outstanding Institution Award of the ICAR during 2004 for the best performance in Agrl. research, extension and education and Performance Award during 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
 
Centre for Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology (CPBMB) of KAU won the award of DBT, Govt. of India for the contribution in research during 2003.
 
KAU maintains very high reputation at the national level considering the awards won and performance of our students and faculty.  
 
Recently two of our Ph.D. students won the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Award for the best Ph.D. thesis, instituted by the ICAR. Ms. Reshmi Paul of the college of Horticulture won this award for inducting genetic variation in ginger and developing superior types through biotechnological tools. Dr. Richard Churchil working as Asst. Professor in the AICRP project on poultry was selected for the award for his thesis on ‘Development of transgenic spermatozoa in chicken’.

Academic developments:
 
Top priority is being given for improving the academic standards of the University. The revised regulations and syllabus for undergraduate programmes, as recommended by the IV Deans Committee of ICAR, has been implemented from 2007. The revision of syllabus of B. Tech. (Agrl. Engineering) and B.Tech. (Dairy Science & Technology) was implemented from 2008 admissions.
 
The new curriculum gives more emphasis on practical learning/experiential learning. Infrastructure required for experiential learning are established by the grant provided by ICAR. Experiential learning units on crop production, livestock production, aquaculture, farm mechanization, quality seed production, nursery management, bio-control of crop pests, bio-fertilizers, food processing technology, vermicompost production, organic farming, veterinary polyclinics etc., were established in the University and the students are given practical training in these areas. With the revised curriculum, it is proposed to reorient our education programmes to meet the challenges emerging out of the technological advances, social changes, globalization and the market demand. IPR issues, food – security, bio-terrorism and global climatic changes are topics newly introduced in the syllabus. Faculty and student exchange between reputed institutions and incorporating more practical/ professional training during the course programme are also envisaged in the curriculum.
 
Considerable improvement in the laboratory and other infrastructure facilities of the colleges have been made by using the development grant from agencies like ICAR, ICFRE etc. In all the colleges, student computer – labs with Internet facilities were established and made available 24 hours. Similarly faculty members are also provided with required computer and internet facilities. The class rooms and seminar hall have been provided with state of the art facilities with audio and video facilities in most of the colleges. Video-Conferencing facilities were installed linking the three agricultural colleges. There are proposals to link other colleges also through video conferencing so that classes and seminars of importance organized in one campus can be shared by students of other campuses.
 
The University Central Library has e-journals, e-books and foreign journals. 148 foreign journals can be accessed utilizing this facility. Apart from this CDROM search, Internet search are also provided in the libraries of the University.
 
It is proposed to start a new programme on  M.Sc. Biotechnology (Integrated) course of five years duration, after plus two in a consortium mode with the participation of seven other reputed institutions in the State like Rajiv Gandhi Centre of Biotechnology, RCC, TBGRI, CTCRI, VBI etc.

Our MBA programme in Agri-business management is attracting a number of students, and some refinements in the regulations are being made based on the feed back received from the students and other institutions conducting MBA.
 

Previous achievements

First Position in 2007

Third Position in 2006

First national position in JRF/SRF in 2005

Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institution Award in 2003

KAU Tops Again
KAU students excel in Civil Service Examinations
KAU students excel in All India Competitive Examinations
KAU stands First in All India Competitive Exams

National Award for Biotech Research at KAU