LUDHIANA: Uproar was created at the convocation of the college of agriculture of the Punjab Agricultural University here when agro pro-forestry graduates refused to accept their degrees and walked out of the function in protest.

These 17 graduates remarked on the stage that they had passed out in 1990 but were unable to get employment. Hence they did not find any use for the degrees.

Earlier Dr.Sukhdey Singh agriculture commissioner ministry of agriculture government of India while delivering his convocations address said that agriculture had to be treated as a business rather than a means of livelihood for the farmers. He asked the agricultural graduates to set up private seed industries.

Lauding the tremendous contribution of PAU to agriculture Dr.Sukhdev Singh cautioned that there was no need for complacency as many new problems have emerged which need more concerted attention. The rice and wheat crops have added to the problem of proper disposal of crop wastes as its burning had a serious effect on human and animal health. He said that intense agriculture had led to serious depletion of principal soil nutrients.

Forest acres in Punjab have also “declined considerably due to extensive agriculture.

Himself a graduate of the same college Dr.Sukhdev Singh said that with the frequent use of mass media the technical requirements of the farmers have changed. They now want solutions to crop deficiencies and disorders on the spot and expect extension officers to play their role like a medical doctor.

He said that he has taken up the issue at national level to introduce the crop doctor concept

 Khem Singh Gill vice-chancellor while presiding over the convocation said that for effectively tackling new problems in agriculture there was a need to develop new technology. Dr.Gill disclosed that a plant health clinic would be established at the regional level. He informed the group that an internship program for agricultural graduates had been approved by the academic council of the university.

Referring to the problems of forestry graduates Dr.Gill assured that there was no dearth of opportunities. He said that all the new programs take time to make a room for themselves.

Dr.K.S.Aulakh Dean College of agriculture while presenting the report of the college said that many new courses had been introduced in B.Sc Agri. (honors) keeping in view the future needs and latest developments in different facets of agriculture. These include new practical vocational type courses in fish culture mushroom production and silicuture. He said a special practical course on plant clinic had also been introduced.

A total of 285 students received their degrees.

Apart from a galaxy on scientists and students Dr.S.S.Bains director of agriculture also graced the occasion. Dr.D.S.Sidhu lean post graduate studies PAU proposed the vote of thanks.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 26, 1992