MP High Court issues notice to state govt over B.Sc agri admission process, asks response in 4 weeks
The Madhya Pradesh High Court is reviewing a petition challenging B.Sc (Agriculture) admissions in state-run colleges. The petitioners, alumni of Indore Agricultural College, argue that courses lack Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) recognition and criticize omitting the Pre-Agriculture Test (PAT). They seek to annul a June 20 order mandating agriculture programs, citing concerns over education quality and research facilities.
On Saturday, the Madhya Pradesh High Court examined a petition challenging the admission procedures for B.Sc (Agriculture) courses in the state's government colleges and universities (non agriculture). The petitioners, Neeraj Kumar Rathore and Ranjit Kisanvanshi, both alumni of Indore Agricultural College, have raised concerns about the courses not recognised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the exclusion of the Pre-Agriculture Test (PAT) from the admission criteria.
The petitioners argue that the recent directive from the Higher Education Department could adversely affect agricultural research and education. They have requested the court to annul a notification issued on 20th June 20 2024, which mandates the commencement of B.Sc (Agriculture) courses in autonomous government colleges for the 2024-25 academic year. This notification has also sparked protests among agriculture students.
During the hearing, advocate Abhinav P. Dhanodkar, representing the petitioners, contended that the revised admission process could diminish the quality of agricultural education and potentially harm students' future employment prospects. In response, the Indore bench of the High Court issued notices to the State of Madhya Pradesh, the Higher Education Department, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and ICAR, instructing them to provide detailed responses within four weeks.
The Higher Education Department's June 20 order requires all state universities and autonomous colleges to introduce agricultural graduate programs starting this academic session. The petitioners criticise this move, arguing that agricultural education is inherently technical and requires substantial research, which in turn demands access to land. They claim that without proper research facilities, graduates will only hold formal degrees, failing to benefit farmers or contribute to agricultural research effectively.
According to the June 20 order, universities or colleges lacking agricultural land can do MoU with local farmers to utilise nearby farmland.
