Difference Between State vs Central Agricultural Universities in India

If you want to choose between state and central agricultural universities in India, then you must consider many parameters. Agricultural universities help in gaining knowledge and information about agriculture and allied fields such as horticulture, forestry, veterinary science, fisheries, and agri-engineering.  Most of the state and central level agricultural universities focus on teaching, research, and development of new agricultural tools and methods. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is the parent organisation that acts as a guardian to most of these institutes and ICAR also sets standards, accredits programs, and supports research.​

India is known to have a large network of agricultural institutions. There are more than 60 State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) and a small number of Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs) and ICAR-deemed universities.​

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State Agricultural Universities: Important Features and Focus

State Agricultural Universities provide education to the students who want to study agricultural courses. State universities are established by state legislatures to serve the specific purpose and as per the agricultural needs of that state or region. State governments usually follow the ‘land-grant’ model for agricultural universities with a three-fold mandate which is education, research, and extension services to farmers.​ One of the important features of State Agricultural Universities is that they enable research facilities along with training and education. Students get an opportunity to explore a wide range of agricultural products and tools.

SAUs often focus on production and development of local crops as per the climatic conditions, and farming systems. As a result, state sponsored agricultural colleges offer courses and agricultural research that are highly relevant if you wish to work in your home state’s agriculture sector. It is also believed that the core funding for agricultural universities comes from state governments, supplemented by ICAR and externally funded projects. That is one of the primary reasons why there are variations in infrastructure and facilities across states.​

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Central Agricultural Universities: Major Features and Focus

Central Agricultural Universities like other central universities are created by Acts of Parliament and funded mainly by the central government. The purpose of Central Agricultural Universities is to serve wider audience and not just confined toa region or a state. Central Agricultural University in Imphal is a gateway to multiple North-Eastern states. Similarly, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University in Pusa is a boon for Bihar and students from nearby states also target Pusa as it is always ranked among top agricultural colleges in India. ​

Central agricultural universities often have better modern infrastructure, impactful research facilities, world class facilities, trained and experienced faculties with better laboratories, hostels, and exposure for students. Most of the central universities collaborate with ICAR institutes and international partners that help the students to pursue research or higher studies abroad.​

Governance, Curriculum, and Accreditation

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As far as the governance and curriculum are concerned, both state and central agricultural universities are mainly part of the ICAR system, and they follow similar academic patterns like a four-year undergraduate program that follows credit-based marking, semester systems and continuous assessment for internals and separate end term examinations. The best part of the agricultural university affiliated to ICAR’s model is that the accreditation and curriculum guidelines are maintained across all the colleges and learning outcomes are great for the students. ​

Central universities have their accountability towards the central government and ICAR, while most of the state agricultural universities function under state legislation and give priorities to the local issues and work for the state agriculture departments. They also customize their programs and curriculum as per the needs of the local government and state legislation. Agricultural Universities syllabus remains mostly the same both at state or central level but the examples, fieldwork, and research problems may be more regional in SAUs and more multi-state or national in CAUs.​

Fees, Seats, and Access for Students

Fee structure is very nominal and affordable at SAUs. They are mainly state-funded and primarily serve local populations. The fees structure for the state or state-domicile students is often relatively affordable. The reservation to the students is also granted based on reservation permissible by the state government to different categories. Studying at SAUs can be beneficial for students who want cost-effective education and hope to work in state government, extension services, or local agribusiness.​

On the other hand, Central agricultural universities have slightly higher fees in certain programs but usually provide to the students a slightly better-funded hostels, fellowships, and national-level reservations, which can be attractive if you come from another state or aim for a pan-India career. Admission to both state and central agricultural universities are based on entrance tests linked to ICAR AIEEA (or its revised format) and/or state-level agriculture entrance exams, so you can target both categories if you perform well.​

Which Type of University Is Better for You?

Both State and Central agricultural universities are great in its own way.  It is very difficult to distinguish one as compared to another. The right choice between state vs central agricultural universities depends on your goals. If you want strong regional connections, easier access to state jobs, and lower fees, a good SAU in your state can be a smart option. If you are aiming for high-end research exposure, national visibility, and multi-state networks, a Central Agricultural University or ICAR-deemed university may suit you more.​

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