Directorate of Post Graduate Studies

The Post Graduate Education at Assam Agricultural University is co-ordinated by the Directorate of PG Studies headquartered at Jorhat. According to the First Statutes framed under the AAU Act of 1968, this establishment aims at:

  • To co-ordinate post-graduate studies in all Colleges, Departments and Sections of the University
  • To effect general co-ordination of post-graduate thesis research programmes with the ongoing programme of the University’s agricultural research services through the Director of Research
  • To supervise maintenance of records pertaining to Post-Graduate courses, instructions and students

Initially, the Directorate started functioning from Khanapara Campus with Dr. P. K. Sharma, as the first Director of Post Graduate Studies w.e.f. February 11, 1980 and later on it was shifted to Jorhat during October, 1985. Presently, the following five Colleges are offering PG programmes under four different Faculties of the University:

  • College of Agriculture, Jorhat
  • College of Veterinary Science, Khanapara, Guwahati
  • College of Community Science, Jorhat
  • College of Fisheries, Raha
  • Biswa Nath College of Agriculture, Biswanath Chariali

During the interim period, a host of personalities led this establishment as the Director of Post Graduate Studies. Dedicated Academic Cells are also in place in all those Colleges to run the academic affairs relating to all PG students.

List of Directors of Post Graduate Studies under AAU
# Name Period
1 Dr. P. K. Sharma 11-02-1980 to 30-09-1985
2 Dr. B. C. Borthakur (i/c) 01-10-1985 to 23-02-1987
3 Dr. H. N. Sharma 24-02-1978 to 31-03-1989
4 Dr. A. K. Roy 01-04-1989 to 31-07-1991
5 Dr. D. N. Chakravarty (i/c) 01-08-1991 to 06-10-1991
6 Dr. G. K. Roychoudhury 07-10-1991 to 30-09-1993
7 Dr. M. N. Chetia (i/c) 01-10-1993 to 02-03-1994
8 Dr. D. N. Chakravarty (i/c) 03-03-1994 to 02-04-1995
9 Dr. D. N. Dutta (i/c) 03-04-1995 to 14-10-1998
10 Dr. S. R. Baroova 15-10-1998 to 08-07-1999
11 Dr. N. K. Mohan (i/c) 09-07-1999 to 02-04-2000
12 Dr. Y. Rathaiah 03-04-2000 to 15-01-2002
13 Dr. P. C. Deka (i/c) 16-01-2002 to 05-01-2003
14 Dr. U. N. Saikia 06-01-2003 to 02-10-2006
15 Dr. C. R. Sarkar (i/c) 03-10-2006 to 22-04-2007
16 Dr. (Mrs.) A. Saikia (i/c) 23-04-2007 to 06-01-2008
17 Dr. A. K. Pathak (i/c) 07-01-2008 to 16-06-2008
18 Dr. Durgeswar Das 17-06-2008 to 31-01-2012
19 Dr. L. K. Hazarika 01-02-2012 to 30-08-2012
20 Dr. S. K. Dutta (i/c) 01-09-2012 to 28-08-2013
21 Dr. C. Hazarika 29-08-2013 to 31-08-2018
22 Dr. Ajit Baishya 01-09-2018 to 31-05-2022
23 Dr. Jayanta Deka (i/c) 01-06-2022 to 27-06-2022
24 Dr. A. K. Das Continuing since 28-06-2022

With introduction of Master's programme in Agronomy during 1960, the University has now grown to a huge educational hub for agriculture and allied sector in the entire NE region with more than 500 intake capacity (PG) every year.

Seat Intake (PG) for the year 2023 in different Colleges under AAU
# Colleges Master's PhD
1 College of Agriculture 189 68
2 College of Veterinary Science 116 54
3 College of Community Science 33 06
4 College of Fisheries 16 08
5 Biswa Nath College of Agriculture 37 NIL
Total 391 136

Over the years, the University has produced 6,368 Master’s and PhDs who are now well placed in diversified field of work right from the Line Departments to Civil Services to art & culture to media services to business & entrepreneurship in the entire country and abroad.

Programme-wise total numbers of post graduate students under AAU
# Programme Student Passed out since inception
1 M.Sc.(Agri) 3,440
2 M.V.Sc. 1,304
3 M.Sc.(Home/Community Science) 448
4 M.F.Sc. 45
5 MBA 90
Total Master's 5,327
1 Ph.D.(Agri) 645
2 Ph.D.(Vety) 331
3 Ph.D.(Home/Community Sc.) 65
4 Ph.D.(Fishery) NIL
Total PhD 1,041
Grand Total 6,368

The College of Agriculture has the unique distinction of offering first ever degree(s) in Tea Husbandry and Technology (THT). It awards Bachelor's, Master's and PhD degree in THT since long and quite a good numbers of students from the Middle East, Africa and South America got benefitted out of it. As of now, the Department has produced 140 Master’s and 14 PhDs. Besides, the College is also running MBA (Agri-business) programme since 2002-03 and the alumni of the Department have now become proficient academician as well as technocrat on their own right in the corporate world or have started their own venture. As many as 90 MBAs are now serving various sectors of the economy across the country. One can glance through the Departments offering PG degree programme with their year of starts under different Faculties of the University in the following Tables.

Programme-wise total numbers of post graduate students under AAU

Sl. No

Department/Programme

Year of Start of Department

Year of Start of Master’s degree

Year of Start of Ph.D. degree

1.

Agricultural Biotechnology

1998

1998

2010

2.

Agricultural Economics & Farm Management

1948

1972

1986

3.

Agric. Engineering

1948

2023

Not offered

4.

Agricultural Statistics

1988

1996

Not offered

5.

Agro-meteorology

1988

2012

Not offered

6.

Agronomy

1948

1960

1986

7.

Biochemistry & Agricultural Chemistry

1980

1987

2010

8.

Crop Physiology

1986

1987

2011

9.

Entomology

1948

1965

1986

10.

Extension Education

1961

1972

1986

11.

Horticulture

1948

1973

1986

12.

Floriculture & Landscaping

-

2022

2022

13.

Fruit Science

2022

2022

14.

Post Harvest Management

2022

2022

15.

Vegetable Science

2022

2022

16.

Food Science & Technology

Under Hort

2013

Not offered

17.

Nematology

1988

1988

1992

18.

Agricultural Statistics

1988

1996

Not offered

19.

Agro-meteorology

1988

2012

Not offered

20.

Food Science & Technology

Under Hort

2013

Not offered

21.

MBA (Agri-Business)

Under Ag Econ & FM

2002

Not offered

22.

Nematology

1988

1988

1992

23.

Plant Breeding & Genetics

1970

1972

1986

24.

Plant Pathology

1948

1965

1986

25.

Seed Science & Technology

Under PBG

2013

Not offered

26.

Sericulture

1986

1986

Not offered

27.

Soil Science

1982

1982

1986

28.

Tea Husbandry & Technology

1969

1972

2012

Departments offering M.V.Sc./Ph.D. Programme under the College of Vety. Science

Sl No

Department

Year of Start of M.V.Sc.

Year of Start of Ph.D. Programme

1

Animal Biotechnology

2010

2013

2

Animal Genetics & Breeding

1975

1975

3

Animal Nutrition

1968

1981

4

Animal Reproduction, Gynecology and Obstetrics

1968

1983

5

Livestock Production and Management

1968

1980

6

Livestock Products Technology

2005

2005

7

Poultry Science

1993

2000

8

Veterinary Anatomy & Histology

1982

1988

9

Veterinary Biochemistry

2008

2008

10

Veterinary Extension Education

1985

1995

11

Veterinary Clinical Medicine, Ethics & Jurisprudence

2008

2010

12

Veterinary Microbiology

1981

1988

13

Veterinary Parasitology

1975

1987

14

Veterinary Pathology

1974

1986

15

Veterinary Pharmacology & Toxicology

1985

2008

16

Veterinary Physiology

1969

1985

17

Veterinary Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine

2008

2010

18

Veterinary Public Health

2008

2010

19

Veterinary Surgery & Radiology

1973

1991

Note: There have been some changes in nomenclature of the Departments in respect of Serial Nos. 11, 17 and 18

Departments offering M.Sc. (Community Sc.)/Ph.D. under the College of Community Science

Departments

Year of start of M.Sc.

Year of start of Ph.D.

Extension and Communication Management

1998

2010

Family Resource Management

1991

2010

Food Science and Nutrition

1988

1999

Human Development and Family Studies

1988

2010

Textile and Apparel Designing

1988

2010

Departments offering M.F.Sc./Ph.D. under the College of Fisheries

Departments

Year of start of M.F.Sc.

Year of start of Ph.D.

Aquaculture

2011

2015

Aquatic Environmental Management

2016

2018

Fish Processing Technology

2018

2022

Fisheries Resource Management

2016

2020

Departments offering M. Sc. (Agri) under BNCA

Departments

Year of start of M.Sc.(Agri)

Agricultural Economics & Farm Management

2011

Agronomy

2013

Entomology

2020

Extension Education

2011

Horticulture:

2011

Fruit Science

2022

Post-Harvest Management

2022

Vegetable Science

2022

Plant Breeding & Genetics

2013

Plant Pathology

2020

Course Curricula
As an active partner of the National Agricultural Research and Education System (NARES), the AAU follows BSMA as accepted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Constant efforts are on to revamp the course curricula which can ensure acquiring of knowledge, skills, self confidence and entrepreneurship training to enable the students to contribute to social and national productivity, as envisioned in the New Education Policy, 2020. All academic activities including students’ disciplines are governed by the Regulations on Academic Matters for PG Programmes in AAU (Amended upto 2022).
International Students Advisory Cell (ISA Cell)
The International Students’ Advisory Cell (ISA Cell) was established in the year 2016 with a clear objective of promoting foreign students in pursuing different degree programmes in the University. Prior to establishment of the ISA Cell, a sizeable number of students from the Middle East and South Africa graduated from this University, particularly in the Department of Tea Husbandry & Technology under the Faculty of Agriculture. As many as 28 students from the countries like Afghanistan, Lesotho, Uganda, Vietnam, Fiji, Egypt, Syria, Ghana, Nigeria, Guyana, Bangladesh and Nepal have passed out from the University after the establishment of ISA Cell. At present, two international students are pursuing courses in different Departments under the Faculty of Agriculture (One in Agricultural Extension Education and the other in MBA programme).

The present intake of international students has been kept at 20 across the Faculties, which is extra-numeral in nature. The foreign students are entertained under two different channels, viz. a) admission under different multilateral/bilateral programmes through ICAR/ICCR and b) direct admission. And the admission procedure for both the channels are clearly indicated in the Information Bulletin published for admission purpose. The admission portal remains open round the year for international students. The University is also contemplating to launch a host of promotional measures in terms of award of Fellowship, Free air passage, fee waiver and the like to attract the foreign students in the year ahead.
Students Support
The University provides excellent support to the deserving students for their academic, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities together with overall personality development. A strong pool of 664 faculties, well-equipped library services with digital access, world class lab facilities, exclusive welfare/fitness services (Swimming/Gym/Yoga/NCC/NSS/Advisement & Counselling) and ICT-support have made it possible to create an ambience to deliver the deliverables. Collaboration with more than 209 national and international institutes/Universities, has added an extra edge to the students and faculties for resource/expertise sharing across the country and beyond. On financial front as well, the University offers Merit Scholarship and contingency support to a large chunk of students (Both in terms of number and amount), which can hardly be seen in any of the public Universities in the country. Besides, the recipients of many other prestigious Fellowships like INSPIRE, Ishan Uday, NTS, JRF, JRF etc are in plenty which conform to the recommendations of the NEP 2020. Going by the digital way, hundred percent of the students are now getting their degree certificates and transcripts through Digilocker and majority of them are now connected to ABC portal.
Way Forward
In the advent of NEP 2020, there will be new challenges, right from professional standard setting to internationalization of education to multiple entry/exit to equivalence of degrees to resource availability. And for that matter every University has to be prompt enough to play its onerous role to plan and orient itself accordingly to create an enabling ecosystem on the basis of the guiding principles of access, equity, quality, affordability and accountability. The AAU, in order to address the impending challenges has already charted out its activities and initiated timely measures for amendment of Act and Statutes for good governance, signing of agreements/MoUs with reputed agencies and Universities for increased collaboration, launching of elaborate programme for faculty development and students exposure visits & training in India and abroad.