**Executive Summary**
The document is a response to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 54 regarding the establishment of an agricultural college in Alirajpur district, Madhya Pradesh. The Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare confirms that currently there is no agricultural college in Alirajpur, and that there is no proposal with ICAR to set one up. The response was given on February 3rd, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Current Status in Alirajpur:**
* Alirajpur, a tribal-dominated district in Madhya Pradesh, lacks an agricultural college.
* **Existing Agricultural Universities in Madhya Pradesh:**
* Three agricultural universities (Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, and Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University) provide agricultural education and research.
* **National Agricultural Education Landscape:**
* India has 77 agricultural universities, including State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs), ICAR-Institutes (Deemed-to-be-University), and Central Universities with agricultural faculty.
* 20% of undergraduate and 30% of postgraduate/Ph.D. seats in these universities are under ICAR quota.
* Reservation for Scheduled Tribe candidates is as per Government of India guidelines.
* **ICAR's Role and Surveys:**
* Agriculture is a state subject.
* ICAR has not conducted any survey in Alirajpur regarding education, research, and skill development in agriculture.
* **Future College Establishment:**
* There is no current proposal with ICAR to set up an agricultural college in Alirajpur.
* The State Government can open a new agriculture college, keeping the need of the region in view.
**Impact Analysis**
**Alirajpur Residents (Especially Tribal Youth)**
* **Impact:** Those seeking agricultural education may continue to need to migrate to other districts.
* **Action Required:** No direct action required. The state government would need to set up the agricultural college.
**State Government of Madhya Pradesh**
* **Impact:** Bears the responsibility and potential opportunity to establish an agricultural college in Alirajpur.
* **Action Required:** The State Government can consider opening a new agricultural college in Alirajpur, keeping in view the need of the region.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: Union government ministry responsible for agricultural policies and programs.
Alirajpur district, Madhya Pradesh: A predominantly tribal-populated district in Madhya Pradesh where the establishment of an agricultural college is being considered.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): An autonomous organisation responsible for co-ordinating agricultural education and research in India.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the starred question regarding the agricultural college was raised.
Agricultural Universities: Universities which provide education in agriculture, veterinary, horticulture, forestry, fisheries, organic etc. 77 such universities exist in India including State and Central ones.
OIH
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 54
TO BE ANSWERED ON 3RD FEBRUARY, 2026
SETTING-UP OF AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
*54. SMT. ANITA NAGARSINGH CHOUHAN:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृषि और ककसान
कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:
(a) whether Alirajpur district in Madhya Pradesh — a predominantly tribal-populated
area under the Ratlam-Jhabua-Alirajpur Lok Sabha Constituency which relies heavily
upon rain-fed agriculture–currently lacks any functional Agricultural College thereby
compelling the local students, particularly tribal youth, to migrate to other districts for
pursuing agriculture education;
(b) whether any survey has been conducted/proposal drafted by the Government to
ascertain the necessity of education, research and skill development in the field of
agriculture in Alirajpur district and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to set up an Agricultural College in the said
district to promote agriculture education and to connect local farmers with modern
agricultural techniques in this region; and
(d) if so, the proposed timeline thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृषि और ककसान कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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1STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) to (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED
QUESTION NO. 54 TO BE ANSWERED ON 3RD FEBRUARY, 2026 REGARDING
“SETTING-UP OF AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE”
(a) to (d): The Alirajpur is a tribal population dominated district of Madhya Pradesh.
Presently there is no agricultural college. However, there are three agriculture
universities namely: (i) Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur (11
constituent colleges), (ii) Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior (5
constituent colleges), (iii) Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur, (6
constituent colleges) are providing agricultural education, fulfilling research and
extension needs of the Madhya Pradesh state including Alirajpur Lok Sabha
Constituency. In addition, Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University (RLBCAU),
located at Jhansi has the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Datia, Madhya
Pradesh.
In addition to above, there are 77 agricultural universities (agriculture, veterinary,
horticulture, forestry, fisheries, organic etc.), which includes 66 State Agricultural
Universities (SAUs), 03 Central Agricultural Universities (CAUs), 04 ICAR- Institutes
having Deemed-to-be-University (DUs) status and 04 Central Universities with
agriculture faculty which are imparting agricultural education in the country, including
students from Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Of the total seats in these agricultural
universities, 20% seats in under-graduate, and 30% seats in post-graduate and Ph.D.,
are under ICAR quota. For Scheduled tribe candidates, the reservation is as per the
Government of India’s guidelines.
Agriculture including agricultural education is a state subject. Therefore, no survey
has been conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in Alirajpur
district of Madhya Pradesh on aspects related to the necessity of education, research
and skill development in the field of agriculture.
Presently, there is no proposal with ICAR to set up an agriculture college in the
Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh. State Government can open new agriculture college
keeping in view the need of the region.
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