Punjab Agricultural University
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Type | Public |
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Established | 1962 |
Vice-Chancellor | Baldev Singh Dhillon |
Academic staff | 1250 |
Location | Ludhiana, Punjab, India |
Campus | Urban 1,510 acres (6.1 km2) |
Affiliations | ACU, ICAR, UGC |
Website | www.pau.edu |
The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana, Punjab is a state agricultural university in India.[1] It was established in 1962 and is the nation's second-oldest agricultural university, after Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar. It has an international reputation for excellence in agriculture. PAU pioneered the Green Revolution in India[2] in the 1960s and is considered as one of the best agricultural universities in India. It was bifurcated in 2005 with the formation of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University.
History
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The Punjab Agricultural University was established in 1962 to serve the state of erstwhile Punjab. On trifurcation of Punjab in November 1966, Haryana Agricultural University was carved out of PAU by an Act of Parliament in February 1970. In July 1970, Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya was established.
In 2006 the College of Veterinary Science was upgraded to become Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University (GADVASU) at Ludhiana.
The PAU has played a key role in increasing food grain production in the Punjab State several folds share its reputation and ushering in an era of Green Revolution in India. It has made notable contributions in increasing livestock and poultry production. In recognition of its outstanding achievements in agricultural research, education and extension, it was adjudged the Best Agricultural University in India in 1995.
The Punjab Agricultural University now has four constituent colleges, viz. College of Agriculture, College of Agricultural Engineering, College of Home science and College of Basic Sciences & Humanities.
At present the university, through 28 departments in the four constituent colleges, offers 31 Master's and 30 Ph.D. programmes. The course curricula are constantly revised and restructured to keep pace with the latest developments in agriculture and allied fields.
Infrastructure and athletics
The university has a very strong reputation in sports, and it and its alumni have won many awards for excellence in sport. The university has facilities for basketball, badminton, cycling, cricket, field hockey, football, gymnastics, handball, volleyball, lawn tennis, swimming, table tennis, weight training and Kabbadi. There is also a cycling velodrome, an astroturf field for hockey, and a stadium for various sports.
There is an open-air theatre for cultural activities and a student community center for miscellaneous extracurricular activities. Numerous international and Punjabi culture festivities have been staged at the university.
There is a faculty of 1250 members at the main campus and at regional research stations.
Campus
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) is in Ludhiana city (Punjab State) in northwest India, 316 km from New Delhi. It is well connected by road and rail with the national capital. Situated on the Ludhiana - Ferozepur Road, the university covers an area of 1,510 acres (6.1 km2) on its main campus and 4,615 acres (18.68 km2) at the regional research stations. Modeled on the pattern of land grant colleges in the U.S.A., the PAU performs the integrated functions of teaching, research and extension in agriculture, agricultural engineering, home science and allied disciplines. The university has well-equipped laboratories, library and lecture rooms and elaborate farm facilities. Accommodation is available in the university hostels for single students. Married students, if accompanied by their family members, have to find accommodation outside the campus.
Sports
Punjab Agricultural University Stadium is a multipurpose stadium located in the campus. The stadium has got facilities for sports like cricket, football, hockey, etc. There is an astroturf field for hockey which is used for hockey event.[3] In addition to this there is a swimming pool and a cycling Velodrome.[4]
There are facilities for indoor sports such as basketball, badminton, gymnastics, handball, volleyball, lawn tennis, table tennis, weight lifting and Kabbadi etc. The Ground has also hosted 10 Ranji including a final in 1993 and one Irani Trophy matches from 1987 to 1999[5] and 10 List A matches.[6]
International and state awards and achievements
The faculty members and the postgraduate students of the university have won national and international awards and honours (some of them are listed below). PAU has produced brilliant sportsmen and women.
- Padma Bhushan
- Padma Shri
- Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Award
- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award
- Hari Om Ashram Trust Award
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (CAR)
- Best Teacher Award
- Jawaharlal Nehru Award.
It has achieved the fellowship of the professional scientific academies and societies in recognition of their outstanding contributions (listed below):
- Third World Academy of Sciences
- Indian National Science Academy
- National Academy of Agricultural Sciences
- National Academy of Veterinary Sciences
- Best Institution Award, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, 1995
It has been acclaimed as best agricultural university in Asia. PAU has achieved distinguished status at the national and international level. It played a unique role in ushering in the Green Revolution in India.
Programs and facilities
The university offers five bachelor's degrees, 51 master's degree and 42 doctorate programmes in 50 departments of five constituent colleges. In addition, it offers a Bachelor of Education programme and five Diploma programmes in its five constituent colleges:
- College of Agriculture: Bachelor of Science (BSc), Master of Science (MSc), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Philosophy (phd), B.tech honours food technology (btech ft)
- College of Agricultural Engineering & Technology - Bachelor of Technology (BTech), Master of Computer Applications (MCA) Master of Engineering (MTech), PhD
- College of Home Science
- College of Basic Sciences and Humanities:
- Department of Chemistry offers Ph.D. in Chemistry, M.Sc. in Chemistry and Five Years Integrated M.Sc. (Hons.) in Chemistry.
- Department of Economics and Sociology offers Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics and M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Sociology.
- Department of Biochemistry offers Ph.D. in Biochemistry, M.Sc. in Biochemistry and Five Years Integrated M.Sc. (Hons.) in Biochemistry.
- Department of Botany offers Five Years Integrated M.Sc. (Hons.), M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Botany.
- Department of Microbiology offers Five Years Integrated M.Sc. (Hons.), M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Microbiology.
- Department of Zoology offers Five Years Integrated M.Sc. (Hons.), M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Zoology.
- Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics offers M.Sc. in Physics.
- Department of Business Management offers MBA and Masters in Agricultural Business Management and Ph.D. in Business Management.
- Department of Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture offers MJMC (Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication): and PGDAJMC (Post Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Journalism and Mass Communication).
- School of Agricultural Biotechnology (BSc., MSC, and Ph.D. in Biotechnology); this school includes the Bioinformatics Centre, established in 1998.
- Department of food science and technology offers B.tech (Hons.) in food technology and Msc in food science.
Directorate of Research:
- Technology Marketing and IPR Cell (TMIPR Cell) facilitates the filling of the patents of the new technologies, products and process developed by the scientists of Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
- TMIPR Cell facilitates the process of commercialisation of varieties and hybrids of crops.
An Institute of Agriculture was established at Gurdaspur. In 1988 the university switched from the trimester to semester system and in 1993 it switched from the letter grade system to a 10.00 credit point average system.
Notable alumni
- Gurpreet Sandhu MBA 1990