Agri research institutes to offer bridge course for freshers

LUCKNOW: In a step towards assisting research students from rural background, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is considering to provide bridge courses for fresh scholars at all its research institutes across the country.

The ICAR, which comes under ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare, has over 30 research institutes across the country, working on various aspects of agriculture. The ICAR institutes offer various courses from graduation to research position level and a considerable portion of the students come from rural background.

Director general (DG) of ICAR Trilochan Mohapatra said, “Many new students, who join our institutes, suffer in the beginning because they lack in aspects like language and other issues, related to advanced studies due to their limited exposure. The bridge courses are aimed at bringing all these students on par. The course will benefit both the students and our scientists who guide these students.”

All research institutes have been directed to form committees for developing bridge courses, based on the suggestions, made by students and their guides. The bridge course will include English language classes and short courses, specific to the institutes. “The institute researching on cattle will have bridge course linked to cattle and the one conducting research on sugar cane will have other course accordingly,” Mohapatra said. The duration of the course will be three months and can be extended on suggestion of the committee.

Earlier these courses were organised at the research institute level but under the new system, such courses have been made mandatory.

“We want to equip our new students so that they can take forward their studies or research in a better way by undergoing the course.”

ICAR institutes form the backbone of research in field of agriculture and subjects associated to it. In Lucknow, ICAR has Central Institute of Subtropics Horticulture (CISH) and Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR).

The courses, according to the DG, will be available for students from the upcoming academic session.