The controversy over the formation of a new agricultural university in Mandya by dividing the University of Agricultural Sciences-Bangalore (UAS-B) has refused to die down despite the experts’ committee that examined the feasibility giving its nod for the formation of the new university.
Two former Vice-Chancellors have come out in the open against the recommendations of the committee and observed that it’s recommendations will not help farmers.
Staff shortage
Former Vice-Chancellor of the UAS-B K. Narayana Gowda, who is also vice-president of the Forum of the Former Vice-Chancellors of Karnataka, questioned the rationale of setting up one more agricultural university at a time when the existing six agriculture and allied universities are facing a shortage of over 55% teaching staff and 70% non-teaching staff.
He told The Hindu that the committee’s recommendation of turning the existing agricultural and horticultural universities into integrated ones by including both agriculture and horticulture was inadequate. “How can the experts’ committee leave out animal husbandry from this? In fact, animal husbandry occupations such as dairying are the mainstay for small and marginal farmers,” argued Dr. Gowda.
What panel said
The State government had constituted a six-member experts’ committee to study the feasibility of carving out a new agricultural university following concerns that both the existing and new university would become too small for cost-effective operation. However, the committee has favoured the formation of a new university on the grounds that the Mysuru Revenue Division, which comprises Mandya, is the only division in the State that lacks an agricultural university and that the number of students seeking agricultural courses is increasing every year.
The committee had also recommended that the proposed university in Mandya, UAS-B, UAS-Dharwad, UAS-Raichur, and the University of Horticultural Sciences-Bagalkot should be turned into integrated agricultural and horticultural universities.
Meanwhile, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Horticultural Sciences-Bagalkot, S.B. Dandin has opposed the recommendation of the committee on technical grounds by pointing out that the committee had exceeded its brief by going to the extent of recommending that other universities should become integrated ones.
‘No consultation’
He has also taken exception to the committee suggesting reallocation of research institutes belonging to different universities without either having their representatives on the panel or consulting them. He has particularly taken exception to the committee making recommendations related to horticultural university without having any member from the horticultural sector.
In a statement, Dr. Dandin has expressed fear that the recommendations of the experts’ committee would be detrimental to the horticultural sector and demanded that the committee come up with a fresh report by discussing with representatives of the UAS-B, University of Horticultural Sciences-Bagalkot, and University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences-Shivamogga.
