According to an announcement made by Delhi University, the university will be setting up two new colleges for the Department of Agriculture Horticulture and Forestry. The new colleges will be co-ed based in Roshan Pura and Shahbad Dairy Najafgarh. The establishment of the new institutions will help the students in the rural sectors of Delhi and Haryana and will save time. As per reports, the new centre of Shahbad Dairy will also be hosting PhD postdoctoral fellows and students at the undergraduate level.
Centre to be started in 2 to 3 years
The Acting Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University - PC Joshi while speaking to the media stated that in Roshan Pura functional college will be set up in 2-3 years with Arts and Commerce subjects being taught followed by Science and will require setting up of labs. The Shahbad Dairy centre will have a plant-based research centre and will have Agriculture horticulture and Forestry.
Research conducted in Plant Genetics
Delhi University Chancellor added that value research in plant genetics is being conducted at Delhi University and Department of Genetics, Plant Molecular Biology Department and
Department of Botany. The university does not offer Agriculture Horticulture and Forestry and the research study centre will develop new courses at the user level in the mentioned fields as the potential for growth in this area both academic and industry is on the rise.
Limited student intake
Suman Kandu, Director of South Campus, Delhi University stated that so far the Department of Genetics, the Department of Botany and Plant Molecular Biology Department in Delhi University have a Research and Masters programme with limited student intake. The new research centre will impart user-level training to the students to meet the demand for higher crop yield due to the rising population. The need for developing drought flood and insect resistant plants for research is of prime importance which will also be addressed by the centre.
University to be built by 2023
A 10-acre plot was allotted to Delhi University in Roshan Pura in 1989 and in 2019 the union education ministry announced that the university will build a college on the same land by 2023. Delhi University has decided to start a facility centre for the Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry Department because of the higher demand. Acting chancellor PC Joshi stated that the centre will prevent the students from coming to the main campus and filling up applications, saving commuting time. The centre also aims at helping girls from rural areas to pursue higher education by reaching out to them.