Srinagar: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Kashmir has been ranked sixth best state agriculture university at the all-India level.
As per an official handout, the SKUAST-K has improved its ranking by three spots in 2021 from the ninth best in 2020. The ranking was released today by the Education Division of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi during the Agricultural Education Day, which is commemorated on December 03 every year.
With the 6th rank, SKUAST-K has joined the elite group of agriculture universities of the country like Pantnagar Agriculture University. SKUAST-K has secured 10th position in the all India ranking of agricultural universities and four national-level agricultural research institutes under ICAR in the composite score of research, teaching, extension and academics, the statement said.
The ranking was released by Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Kailash Choudhary at the ICAR headquarters in New Delhi.
A statement by the SKUAST-K said the “feat is the result of the steadfast commitment of teachers, researchers, administration, students and auxiliary staff of the University who equally toiled hard to improve the ranking of the University from 24th in 2018, 9th in 2019 and now 6th in 2021”.
Vice-Chancellor Prof JP Sharma expressed his gratefulness and praised all Officers/Deans of Subject Matter Faculties/Heads of Research Stations/Units/Centres/Institutes, students, teaching and non-teaching staff “who equally have made it possible by their earnest, clear and professional attitude, the University arose as one of the leading and forerunner Agricultural Universities in the country”.
Prof Sharma avowed that the university has still to continue its strenuous efforts in touching the new heights and improving its ranking further to be among the top five agriculture universities of the country. SKUAST-K has secured Rs 30-crore funding in 2019 for its institutional development under the World Bank-ICAR funded National Agriculture Higher Education Project (NAHEP).
Besides building the best infrastructure, the three-year project is aimed to develop SKUAST-K as a model agricultural higher education institution and build next-generation human capital to drive the knowledge-based and technology-driven agri-economy of Jammu and Kashmir and the country.
