I agree with Dip who has made very good points. We should take this opportunity given the VC. Dip has also pointed us to the right question, i.e., what the mission should be for AAU in the 21st Century and given the fact that structural changes have taken place in the Indian (and world) economy. Do those objectives for BSc (agri) and MSc (agri) need to be broadened to match the need of the current and future economic realities? I'd think so. But how to do it is where we need input from any and all who are concerned with and love AAU (i.e., most of us), including the VC and AAU faculty (btw, is it possible to have them join as "guests" in this forum? Some fac members may be AAU graduates, so they can easily join - please invite them if you know who they are). So, let's start talking.
Some observations from the U.S.A. Although there is NO agricultural univeristy in the US (there are land-grant institutions established in 1800s specifically to train agric specialists, and I work for one - Rutgers University), I'd be happy to do some research and compile a pkt that will contain the missions of these institutions, what they are doing now, their link to the state stakeholders and govt, and future plans, etc. Someone may want to do for other countries, such as Australia. At the same time, it'll be good to have a similar document compiled for Indian agric universities for comparison and discussions and use in eventual decision making. May be a roundtable (virtual or real) would be needed and the AAU VC may facilitate that when the time comes. btw, he should be kept in touch about these developments. Finally, in terms of those working for the farm sector (I'd put more broadly as the agricultural, natural resources, and environmental sector) in the US, most agric agents who are partly state employees and partly University employees - start the job after BS but must get MS (i.e., specialized) within certin number of years to make his/her job permanent. Unlike being an administrator of various schemes, as it typically happens in India, these county agents do work on the field with farmers and the residents to solve their problems related to agric, natural resources and the environment. I'll learn more about this and other info when I compile the document mentioned above. -Sanjib Bhuyan On Fri, 11 May 2007, Dipendra Gogoi wrote: > I guess, the very objectives of the B Sc (Agri) and M Sc (Agri) courses may > need a change: > > Objective of B Sc (Agri) course: To produce agricultural generalists to > serve the farm sector of Assam > > Objective of M Sc (Agri) course: To produce agricultural specialists to > serve the farm sector of Assam > > I doubt, after 1990, majority the pass outs are NOT serving the farm sector > in Assam in any way. > > I would like to request the members of this group to put forward their > suggestions for improvement of the courses and academic environment in AAU. > We can compile the suggestions and after coming to an agreement on the > suggestions, we can forward it to the AAU Administration. > > In my last visit to Assam during February 2007, I met the VC of AAU Dr. > Baghel. Honourable VC told me that he will welcome any move by alumni in > this kind of endeavour. He even told me to directly write to him if we need > any help. > > Regards, > -Dipendra > > > On 5/10/07, Sanjib Bhuyan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > I've given couple of ideas in my earlier emails. I'm sure there'll be > > more and we can come to a consensus on the best ideas and follow-up. > > > > -Sanjib Bhuyan > > > > > > > > ********************************************************** > > > > > > > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] *On > > Behalf Of *Purna Barua > > *Sent:* Thursday, May 10, 2007 11:15 AM > > *To:* [email protected] > > *Subject:* Re: Re: [AAU Jorhat] M.Sc (Agri) > > > > > > > > It is heartening to have read the minds of the one of > > the most > > forward looking alumni groups of AAU about the state > > of AAU's > > academic programs. You are better judge of AAU > > vis-a-vis the outside > > world. > > > > What I would like to appeal to you now is you to come > > out with > > concrete ideas/ suggestions and be more publicly > > audible/ visible. > > May be a newspaper reporting in Assam, holding alumni > > roundtable here > > (which is probably the most difficult, I guess) etc. > > > > But you must impact us (AAU)with your valued ideas and > > dreams. > > > > Purna Barua > > > > --- Dipendra Gogoi <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <dipgogoi%40gmail.com>> wrote: > > > > > But, was there any analysis why students are not > > > taking admission in M. Sc. > > > (Agri) classes, and even to B. Sc. (Agri) course? > > > > > > I agree with Ansari and Sanjib da about the need to > > > restructure the courses > > > and facilities. > > > > > > In plain business term "if we have NO marketability > > > of our produce, we > > > are OUT of business". > > > > > > Regards, > > > -Dipendra > > > 93-A-130, 98-A(M)-37 > > > > > > > > > On 5/10/07, amen saad <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <amen.saad%40yahoo.com>> > > wrote: > > > > > > > > OKAY diversity is always good to achieve > > > something great. A team of > > > > person with diverse field can yeild better, the > > > curriculum offered to a > > > > B.Sc(Agri) programme and B.Sc are different, so > > > every one there in trying > > > > to make a good team of M.Sc(Agri) students, this > > > may yeild good research > > > > works .... it seems > > > > > > > > *SB <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <bhuyan%40aesop.rutgers.edu>>* wrote: > > > > > > > > well said. The role of an institution is not just > > > preparing its > > > > graduates for the "market" or the business world, > > > but to make them > > > > worthwhile citizens of the society. Restructuring > > > of not only courses but > > > > also disciplines to make it current and > > > future-looking is absolutely imp > > > > and necessary given the dynamic nature of > > > education and the real world. > > > > While allowing non-BSc(ag) students to take MSc > > > (ag) curricula may fulfil > > > > the fulfill the student enrollment requirement, or > > > even bring in new ideas > > > > from a few, if it done just to fulfill the > > > enrollment requirement, then > > > > the future is bleak. Hope there's way to address > > > this course of action. > > > > AAU Unite! > > > > -Sanjib Bhuyan > > > > > > > > > > > > On Wed, 9 May 2007, Khairul Islam Ansari wrote: > > > > > > > > > It is true that we need to change the study > > > programs, course curriculum > > > > etc to make the degree professionally more > > > important. Depending on the > > > > demand of the time, we should keep changing to > > > improve the quality of > > > > education. But here in AAU everything is going > > > backward. Most of the student > > > > after BSc(agri) and MSc(agri) are going for seed > > > and fertilizer companies, > > > > where the companies provide the necessary > > > trainings. Why AAU does not take > > > > the initiative in introducing agri business > > > management type of courses. Most > > > > of the courses were designed in 1960s or so, that > > > world never exist now. It > > > > will be a foolish idea to dilute the authenticity > > > of the degree by diluting > > > > its specialization. This will result more > > > unemployed lots. In true sense the > > > > entire University needs restructure interims of > > > courses and facilities to > > > > produce practically important professional in > > > today's market agriculture > > > > (which is totally missing) not only for farming > > > agriculture. > > > > > > > > > > Ansari > > > > > > > > > > On Wed, 09 May 2007 Purna Barua wrote : > > > > > >I also didn't know as insider of AAU. Just seen > > > the > > > > > >admission bulletin in AAU website. Attached, > > > please > > > > > >see clause No. 10.2 E. It does say so, as > > > apprehended > > > > > >by the AAU-loving alumni. > > > > > > > > > > > >Purna Barua > > > > > > > > > > > >--- "amen.saad" wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > How much authentic is this. If it starts > > > happening. > > > > > > > It will be a > > > > > > > junkyard in half a decade. Fame will be > > > gone.... > > > > > > > No one will suggest that place to any new > > > person > > > > > > > looking for a career > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________________ > > > > > >Yahoo! Answers - Got a question? Someone out > > > there knows the answer. > > > > Try it > > > > > >now. > > > > > >http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Khairul Ansari, Ph.D., MERM, MSc. > > > > > Postdoctoral Research Scientist > > > > > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <kansari%40uta.edu> > > > > > Phone: 01 817 874 2875 > > > > > Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry > > > > > University of Texas at Arlington > > > > > > > > > > > > > "You may be disappointed if you fail, > > > > but you are doomed if you don't try." -- Beverly > > > Sills > > > > > > > > Department of Agricultural, Food & Resource > > > Economics > > > > Rutgers University > > > > 55 Dudley Road > > > > New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520 > > > > Tel: 732.932.9155 x 213 > > > > Fax: 732.932.8887 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Please promote this Yahoogroup [aau_jorhat] among > > > fellow AGRIANS. > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > > Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" > > > smell? > > > > Check out new cars at Yahoo! > > > > > Autos.< > > http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48245/*http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html;_ylc=X3oDMTE1YW1jcXJ2BF9TAzk3MTA3MDc2BHNlYwNtYWlsdGFncwRzbGsDbmV3LWNhcnM-<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48245/*http:/autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html;_ylc=X3oDMTE1YW1jcXJ2BF9TAzk3MTA3MDc2BHNlYwNtYWlsdGFncwRzbGsDbmV3LWNhcnM-> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > DIPENDRA GOGOI > > > # 52, 2nd Floor > > > Narayanappa Block, 6th Cross > > > Benson Town PO > > > Bangalore - 560 046, India > > > Phone: 9448866007 > > > > > > > Purna K. Barua Ph. D. > > Associate Professor > > Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics > > Assam Agricultural University > > Jorhat 785013 (India) > > Phone: +91-376-2340098 (W), 03771-248738 (H) > > Fax: +91-376-2340101 > > > > > > __________________________________________________________ > > The all-new Yahoo! Mail goes wherever you go - free your email address > > from your Internet provider. http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/nowyoucan.html > > > > > > > > > > > -- > DIPENDRA GOGOI > # 52, 2nd Floor > Narayanappa Block, 6th Cross > Benson Town PO > Bangalore - 560 046, India > Phone: 9448866007 > > "You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try." -- Beverly Sills Department of Agricultural, Food & Resource Economics Rutgers University 55 Dudley Road New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520 Tel: 732.932.9155 x 213 Fax: 732.932.8887
