The state government on Saturday announced the introduction of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in agriculture and horticulture in Tamil medium at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore.
The government has set aside ₹25 lakh for the programme’s first phase. This is the first time the university will be offering an undergraduate course in Tamil.
An expert committee will be set up to frame the syllabus for these programmes, which may be offered from the next academic year, said N Kumar, vice-chancellor of TNAU Coimbatore.
While UG programmes are offered only in English, the university offers diploma programmes in agriculture and horticulture in Tamil. Institute of Agriculture, Vamban near Pudukottai also offers diploma programmes in Tamil, Kumar said.
Students coming from the Tamil medium schools will benefit the most out of these programmes, he said. There is special preference in state government jobs for candidates who pursued their degrees in Tamil and similar preference for candidates pursuing these programmes will encourage more students to take up these courses, Kumar added.
The government also announced the setting up of a research centre, named after organic farming crusader and scientist Nammazhvar, on Saturday. This centre will undertake research on organic farming and will be created by expanding the existing department of sustainable organic agriculture at TNAU “The state government announced an allocation of ₹3 crore which will be used for upgrading the department of sustainable organic agriculture and ongoing activities of the department will be widened,” the VC said.
Terming the exclusive budget for agriculture an encouraging start, Kumar said additional allocation of funds in the subsequent years will help in a framing a long-term sustainable agriculture policy.
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