89 RPCAU teachers attend induction programme
Patna: Altogether 89 teachers, including 39 women, from 22 states attended the monthlong programme 'Guru Dakhsta' (teacher induction) organised by Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU) at Pusa (Samastipur) on Tuesday to enhance the skills and knowledge of its newly appointed teachers.Inaugurating the programme, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (
ICAR
)'s deputy director general R C Aggarwal emphasized the need for capacity building of teachers in higher education institutions as trained manpower is the backbone of any university.
He appealed to the teachers to teach compassionately and encourage students to think big.Speaking as the guest of honour, RPCAU's former vice-chancellor R K Mittal congratulated the newly recruited teachers and asked them to work hard to turn this institution into a world-renowned university.In his presidential address, RPCAU's vice-chancellor P S Pandey highlighted the rigorous selection process involved in the appointment of new teachers of the university.
"The '
Guru Dakshta
' programme has been so designed as to further empower all these bright minds brought from across the country," he said.RPCAU's registrar Mrityunjay Kumar and programme director Ram Dutt also addressed the participants.The programme will cover 87 lectures by esteemed experts from academia, research and industry. Additionally, the teachers will also visit Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and research stations to gain hands-on experience of their functioning.
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Time of India
26-05-2025
- Time of India
RPCAU VC selected for Centre's agriculture campaign
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Business Standard
13-05-2025
- Business Standard
As Punjab and Haryana fret over water, two new orders are causing heartburn
Paddy sowing in two of India's largest producers of the crop - Punjab, and to some extent, Haryana - has been a cause for concern for quite some time now due to the over-exploitation of groundwater resources, impact on ecology, and effect that paddy stubble-burning has on air quality in neighbouring cities of Delhi-NCR. According to research from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (Icar), each tonne of stubble burnt leads to a loss of no less than 12-13 kg of phosphorus, 35 kg of potassium and 20 kg of nitrogen in the soil. Paddy acreage in Punjab presently is around 3.25 million hectares (mn/ha) and about 1.65 mn/ha in neighbouring Haryana. The area under paddy in both the states has grown exponentially since the last few decades, particularly after the Green Revolution in the 1960s. Groundwater depletion on the rise According to a study by Icar's National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research groundwater levels in both states have fallen significantly over the past two decades. In Punjab it fell to 18.06m in 2018-19 from 12.10 meters in 2009-10 and 9.25m in 2000-01. Similarly, in Haryana, it fell to 17.31m in 2018-19 from 12.9m in 2009-10 and 9.06m in 2000-01. The data points to the reason. Between 1970-71 to 2020-21, groundwater irrigation in Punjab has risen from 55 per cent of its gross cropped area to 72 per cent, while the area under canal irrigation has dropped from 45 per cent to 28 per cent. Similarly, groundwater irrigation in Haryana has risen from 37 per cent of gross cropped area to 65 per cent while canal irrigation has fallen from 62 per cent to 35 per cent. Current level of groundwater development is estimated at 164 per cent for Punjab and at 134 per cent for Haryana. 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In 2009, the governments of Punjab and Haryana in 2009 brought out almost identical Acts, mandating delay in paddy sowing towards onset of the monsoon in a bid to arrest falling groundwater levels. Called the 'Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act 2009' (PPSWA)' and the 'Haryana Preservation of Subsoil Water Act 2009' (HPSWA), the non-compliance of the twin acts attracted penalties such as destruction of nursery or transplanted crop at the farmer's expense or disconnection of electricity supply, or cash payment, or all of these. The PPSWA prohibits raising a paddy nursery before May 10 and its transplantation not before June 10, with corresponding dates in the HPSWA set for May 15 and June 15. Some experts say that limited window between paddy harvest and wheat sowing leaves farmers with very little option other than to burn their stubble. 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Time of India
13-05-2025
- Time of India
89 RPCAU teachers attend induction programme
Patna: Altogether 89 teachers, including 39 women, from 22 states attended the monthlong programme 'Guru Dakhsta' (teacher induction) organised by Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU) at Pusa (Samastipur) on Tuesday to enhance the skills and knowledge of its newly appointed the programme, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research ( ICAR )'s deputy director general R C Aggarwal emphasized the need for capacity building of teachers in higher education institutions as trained manpower is the backbone of any university. He appealed to the teachers to teach compassionately and encourage students to think as the guest of honour, RPCAU's former vice-chancellor R K Mittal congratulated the newly recruited teachers and asked them to work hard to turn this institution into a world-renowned his presidential address, RPCAU's vice-chancellor P S Pandey highlighted the rigorous selection process involved in the appointment of new teachers of the university. "The ' Guru Dakshta ' programme has been so designed as to further empower all these bright minds brought from across the country," he registrar Mrityunjay Kumar and programme director Ram Dutt also addressed the programme will cover 87 lectures by esteemed experts from academia, research and industry. Additionally, the teachers will also visit Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and research stations to gain hands-on experience of their functioning.
