Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth

About Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth

Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth or Panjabrao Deshmukh Agricultural Univesrsity, was established on 20th October, 1969 with its head-quarter at Akola. The University also has its main campus at Akola. The University is named after the illustrious son of Vidarbha, Dr. Panjabrao (alias Bhausaheb) Deshmukh, who was the Minister for Agriculture, Govt. of India. The jurisdiction of this university is spread over the eleven districts of Vidarbha. The University is involved in agricultural education, research and extension education along with breeder and foundation seed programme. The instructional programmes at main campus are spread over in 5 Colleges and 4 degree programmes namely B.Sc.(Agri.) B.Sc. (Hort.), B.Sc. (Forestry) and B.Tech. (Ag. Engg.), two Master’s Degree Programmes viz. M.Sc.(Agri.) and M.Tech. (Agri.Engg.) and Doctoral Degree Programmes in the faculties of Agriculture and Agril. Engineering are offered. The University has its sub-campus at Nagpur with constituent College, College of Agriculture which offers B.Sc.(Agri.) and M.Sc.(Agri.) degree programmes. The Nagpur Campus is accomplished with a garden, surrounded by its natural beauty and a well established Zoo which attract the general public and visitors to the city. A separate botanic Garden is being maintained on 22 hectares with a green house for the benefit of research workers. In addition there are 2 affiliated grant-in-aid colleges and 14 private non-grant-in-aid colleges under the umbrella of this University. A Central Research Station is situated at the main Campus which caters to the need of research projects undertaken by Crop Scientists of the principle crops of the region are Cotton, Sorghum, Oilseeds and Pulses. Its jurisdiction includes all eleven districts of Vidarbha namely Akola, Amravati, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Nagpur, Washim and Yavatmal.

Constituent Colleges

• College of Agriculture, Nagpur.
• College of Agriculture, Akola.
• College of Horticulture, Akola.
• College of Forestry, Akola.
• College of Agri. Engineering & Technology, Akola.
• Post Graduate Institute, Akola.

Faculty and Departments

Faculty of Agriculture

• Department of Agronomy.
• Department of Agricultural Biotechnology.
• Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding.
• Department of Agricultural Economics and Statistics.
• Department of Agricultural Entomology.
• Department of Agricultural Extension.
• Department of Plant Pathology.
• Department of Plant Physiology.
• Department of Seed Technology.
• Department of Soil Science and Agril. Chemistry.
• Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Science.
• Department of Horticulture.
• Department of Forestry.

Faculty of Engineering and Technology

• Department of Farm Structures.
• Department of Soil and Water Conservation Engineering.
• Department of Farm Power and Machinery.
• Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering.
• Department of Agricultural Process Engineering.
• Department of Unconventional Energy Resources and Electrical Engineering.

Facilities

University Library - University Library  caters to the needs of Agriculture scientists working at various agriculture research station of the university. The library has total number of 146769 books which includes 111790 books, 28675 back volumes of periodical number and 6304 theses. University library subscribes 87journal and 136 journals are received on gratis. The Library is having reprography unit and CD-ROM facility. The internet and e-mail services are being provide to the reader/users. In addition, there is an independent library at Collage of Agriculture, Nagpur. In additional to this University department are also maintaining section libraries in their respective Discipline on small scale.

Student Counselling - Fresh students, on admission to the UG and PG Degree programme are assigned to academic staff for counselling and guidance for Teacher/Counsellors are provided for effective counselling. An orientation programme is organized at each college every year in the beginning of academic session. Record of each student is maintained by the respective student’s counsellors.

Study Forum - The University has established a Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh Competitive Forum to extend the facilities to the students for guidance and preparation of different competitive examination. It run the Directorate of Students Welfare of the University which is headed by the Director of Students Welfare. This forum provides environment to prepare for competitive examinations. It makes the general study material available to the students who are willing to be a part of the forum. The directorate organises various quest lectures to keep the students update of the happenings around the world.

Student Insurance Scheme - Student‘s admitted from the academic year 2000-2001 onwards have subscribed for the Group Insurance Scheme on a compulsory basis.

Financial Assistance Scheme - ICAR Merit-cum-Means Scholarship to the eligible applicant student of all constituent Collage of the university are being awarded as per norms .merit-cum free studentship and to students Aid Fund to the illegible students are being awarded as per norms. Financial assistance to student belonging to SC/ST and Other backward categories is being extended as per Government Order from time to time. Other agencies like ASPEE, Jain Irrigation, BARC etc.

Directorate of Research - The University has around one thousand trained scientific, technical and supporting staff engaged in research activities undertaken over 4,000 hectares at the main campus and other research stations. Concrete Crop Improvement programmes through breeding in crops like Cotton, Sorghum, Paddy, Pulses, Groundnut and Wheat are regular features of the Research Programme besides developmental work in the fields like Dry Land Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Forestry and Fishery. The University has 3509.16 ha. of land under cultivation spread over 19 research stations located in 11 districts of Vidarbha Region in Maharashtra state.

Research Activities:

• AICRPDA - All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture was started by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) started All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture. For obtaining higher monetary returns and meeting the need of food, fodder and fuel from one piece of land, it is recommended to adopt three tier cotton based inter-cropping system in which cotton, sorghum, pigeonpea and sorghum be grown in 6:1:2:1 row proportion under rain fed situation.

• Research Stations - In order to facilitate the better services to different schemes/departments as well as for convenient and smooth functioning of various farm activities, Research Stations at various locations have been formed. The suitable and best land with irrigation facilities are spared for research schemes/departments for their research work and remaining soil is being used by the Central Research Station for various activities and seed production. A well-equipped workshop for the maintenance and repairs of the farm machineries and implements was also established.

Research Centres

1.  Central Research Stations

• Central Research Station, Akola.

• Central Demonstration Farm, Wani Rambhapur, Akola.

2.  Zonal Research Stations

• Zonal Research Station, Sindewahi, Chandrapur.

• Zonal Research Station, Yavatmal.

3.  Regional Research Stations

• Regional Research Station, Amravati.

4.  Agricultural Research Stations

• Agriculture Research Station, Washim.

• Agriculture Research Station, Achalpur, Amravati.

• Betelvine Research Station, Akot, Akola.

• Agriculture Research Station, Sindewahi, Chandrapur.

• Agriculture Research Station, Amgaon, Gondia.

• Agriculture Research Station, Ramtek, Nagpur.

• Agriculture Research Station, Yavatmal.

• Agriculture Research Station, Amravati.

• Agriculture Research Station, Ekarjuna, Warora, Chandrapur.

• Agriculture Research Station, Buldana.

• Agriculture Research Station, Navegaon Bandh, Gondia.

• Agriculture Research Station, Kutki, Hinganghat, Wardha.

• Agriculture Research Station, Akola.

• Agriculture Research Station, Sonapur, Gadchiroli.

• Agriculture Research Station, Tharsa, Nagpur.

• Agriculture Research Station, Sakoli, Bhandara.

• Agriculture Research Station, Nagpur.

• Agriculture Research Station, Katol, Nagpur.

Crop Research Units

• Wheat Research Unit, Akola.

• Forage Research Unit, Akola.

• Jowar Research Unit, Akola.

• Oilseeds Research Unit, Akola.

• Cotton Research Unit, Akola.

• Pulses Research Unit, Akola.

• Soybean Research Unit, Amravati.

• Fruit Improvement Project, Akola.

• Agro-Ecology and Environment Centre, Akola.

• Agro-Product Development and Research Centre, Akola.

• Parks and Gardens Unit, Akola.

• Commercial Fruit Nursery, Akola.

• Seed Research Unit, Akola.

• Rice Research Centre, Sakoli.

Placement Services - Notifications are issued as and when various organizations approach the University for their requirement of graduate for several posts. All possible help is extended to the graduates to find a suitable job. Campus interviews are also being arranged whenever required by the different organizations.

Smruti Kendra - The Smruti Kendra was established by the contribution and collection of funds/donations made by the University employees. It is the centre of attraction for the visitors. Visitors pay visits to the Smruti Kendra and express their satisfaction over the display of articles, charts, posters at Smruti Kendra.

ARIS - Agricultural Research Information System Cell is equipped with modern ICT equipments like High End Severs, Networking devices and 24 hrs uninterrupted power backup systems. Leased line connectivity of 2Mbps speed from BSNL has been installed. The Campus wide network project for connecting all the offices, colleges and student hostels with underground optical fibre cable is undertaken to extend the IT services on the campus. All the student hostels are set up with a small computer laboratory for providing 24 hours internet connectivity.

Directorate of Extension Education - University undertakes various extension activities with active co-operation of all constituents and affiliated institutions of the University.

Some of the Activities:

• All India Radio and Doordarshan Programme - The University is associated with All India Radio, Nagpur, Akola, Jalgaon, Yavatmal and Chandrapur stations and Doordarshan including ETV for its Agriculture and Rural development programmes. “Krishi Wani” is relay of five minutes duration, in morning hours for giving guidance to farmers. The University Scientists were also invited by Doordarshan Kendra, Mumbai and Nagpur.

• KVK - Krishi Vigyan Kendras were established in order to accelerate Agricultural and allied production by way of transfer of Technology and skill imparting trainings through “Learning by Doing”.University has six Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s (KVK), which undertake training and demonstrations for the benefits of farmers. They are located at Selsura, Dist. Wardha, Sindewahi, Dist. Chandrapur, Sonapur, Dist. Gadchiroli, Vavatmal, Dist. Yavatmal, Hiwara, Dist. Gondia, Sakoli, Dist. Bhandara.

• Short Term Courses for Officers and Farmers - Training Unit under the Directorate of Extension imparts training to rural youths and extension personnels for systematic and comprehensive improvement in knowledge and skill.

• Visit to the farmer’s field - Scientists of University regularly visited the farmer’s fields under various schemes as well as in response to specific invitations from individual farmer or organisations. The T and V staff and Extension Agronomist along with University Scientists visit adoptive trials conducted on the fields of farmers in Vidarbha under T and V programme. During these visits interaction between scientists and farmers took place.

• Shetkari Dilasa Abhiyan (Hope Generation Programme) - The University has implemented a Hope Generation Programme in the eleven district of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra for creation of Self Confidence among the farmers and for popularising the no cost and low cost technologies generated by the University.

• Krishi Vigyan Manch - It is organised by this University through 102 centres and colleges on every third Saturday of each month.

• The Village Adoption Scheme - Formation of Cotton, Soybean, Horticulture growers group was also started by the University.

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Information compiled from: Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth Website