**Executive Summary:**
This document is the answer to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2583, addressed on August 5, 2025, regarding agricultural courses in India. It provides details on the state-wise distribution of agricultural colleges and universities, ICAR approval status, reasons for the number of public-funded agricultural universities, and budget allocation for agricultural education, research, and investigation. The information is provided by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Agricultural Education:**
* Agricultural education is a state subject; State Governments establish Agricultural Universities and Colleges based on sectoral requirements.
* The establishment of Agricultural Universities is an ongoing process.
* Private institutions also offer agricultural education.
* **ICAR Accreditation and Support:**
* The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) grants accreditation based on performance to ensure quality assurance in higher education.
* ICAR develops and updates curricula for UnderGraduate, PostGraduate, and Ph.D. programs.
* ICAR provides financial support for academic infrastructure, faculty training, and student scholarships/fellowships.
* **State-wise Distribution of Agricultural Universities and Colleges:**
* There are a total of 77 agricultural universities and 540 associated colleges across the states.
* Rajasthan has the highest number of constituent colleges (72), followed by Maharashtra (57).
* **Budget Allocation and Expenditure (Department of Agricultural Research and Education - DARE):**
* 2022-23: Budget Allocation - Rs. 8658.89 crore; Actual Expenditure - Rs. 8578.17 crore
* 2023-24: Budget Allocation - Rs. 9876.60 crore; Actual Expenditure - Rs. 9804.39 crore
* 2024-25: Budget Allocation - Rs. 10156.35 crore; Actual Expenditure - Rs. 10091.23 crore
* 2025-26: Budget Allocation - Rs. 10466.39 crore; Actual Expenditure - Rs. 2087.38 crore
**Impact Analysis:**
* **State Governments:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for the establishment and management of agricultural universities and colleges based on regional needs.
* *Action Required:* Continue to assess and address the agricultural education requirements in their respective states.
* **Agricultural Universities and Colleges:**
* *Impact:* Subject to ICAR accreditation based on performance and beneficiaries of ICAR's financial support.
* *Action Required:* Maintain standards to achieve and retain ICAR accreditation and utilize available financial support to improve infrastructure and education quality.
* **Students:**
* *Impact:* Access to quality agricultural education and potential beneficiaries of scholarships and fellowships.
* *Action Required:* Meet eligibility criteria for scholarships and fellowships and actively participate in programs to enhance their skills and knowledge.
* **Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for maintaining and improving the quality of agricultural education in the country.
* *Action Required:* Continue to develop and update curricula, provide accreditation, and offer financial support.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The Indian government ministry responsible for agricultural research and education.
Department of Agricultural Research and Education: A department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the unstarred question was raised.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): An autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), responsible for coordinating agricultural education and research in India and granting accreditation to agricultural universities and colleges.
Shri Hanuman Beniwal: A Member of Parliament who raised the unstarred question in Lok Sabha.
Shri Bhagirath Choudhary: The Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare who answered the question in Lok Sabha.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India with 4 agricultural universities and 31 constituent colleges.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India with 9 agricultural universities and 35 constituent colleges.
O.I.H.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2583
TO BE ANSWERED ON 5TH AUGUST, 2025
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES OFFERING AGRICULTURAL COURSES
2583. SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृषि और ककसान
कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:
(a) whether the number and State-wise distribution of colleges/universities offering
agriculture courses in the country are uneven, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether out of about 950+ agriculture colleges, only 70 to 74 agriculture
universities are ICAR-approved, resulting in limiting access to quality agriculture
education in rural areas;
(c) the reasons for not taking proper steps to increase the number of public-funded
agricultural universities and expand their research infrastructure, despite the growing
demand for new agricultural technology, mechanization and research on high-yield seeds
due to which extensive education/research is not being maintained; and
(d) the details of the budget sanctioned and spent by the Government for agricultural
education, research and investigation during the last three years and the current financial
year?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृषि और ककसान कल्याण राज्य मंत्री (SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY)
(a) to (c): Agricultural education being the State subject, State Governments establish
Agricultural Universities and Colleges based on the sectoral requirement in agriculture
and allied disciplines. Further, establishment of Agricultural Universities is a continuous
process to meet out the ever-increasing agricultural education requirement of the country.
Even several private institutions also impart agricultural education in different states. The
list of public funded State wise Agricultural Universities, and associated colleges is
annexed.
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) based on the performance of
the University/colleges/programmes grants accreditation in agriculture and allied
disciplines for ensuring quality assurance in higher education.
1ICAR also develops and updates curricula for Under-Graduate, Post-Graduate and
Ph.D. programmes. It provides financial support for improving academic infrastructure,
faculty training, and scholarships/fellowships for eligible students as per criteria.
(d): Budget allocation and expenditure with respect to Department of Agricultural
Research and Education (DARE) is given below:
(Rs. In crore)
Year Budget Allocation Actual Expenditure
2022-23 8658.89 8578.17
2023-24 9876.60 9804.39
2024-25 10156.35 10091.23
2025-26 10466.39 2087.38
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2Annexure
[Part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha USQ No. 2583 dated 5TH AUGUST, 2025]
State wise Agricultural Universiti es and their associated Colleges
S.N o. Sta te Number of U niversities Constituen t Colleges
1 Andhra Pradesh 4 31
2 Assam 1 9
3 Bihar 3 22
4 Chattishgharh 3 51
5 Delhi 1 1
6 Gujarat 6 37
7 Haryana 4 11
8 Himachal Pradesh 2 8
9 Jammu & Kashmir 2 14
10 Jharkhand 1 12
11 Karnataka 6 36
12 Kerala 3 17
13 Madhya Pradesh 3 20
14 Maharashtra 6 57
15 Manipur 1 13
16 Nagaland 1 1
17 Odisha 1 9
18 Punjab 2 9
19 Rajasthan 6 72
20 Tamil Nadu 3 31
21 Telangana 3 19
22 Uttar Pradesh 9 35
23 Uttarakhand 2 12
24 West Bengal 4 13
Total 77 540
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