Choosing the correct college or university for agriculture study is critical for a student's career in today's atmosphere, where colleges and universities have grown up in every nook and corner of the country, many making big claims about their infrastructure, professionalism, and educational standards. An ICAR-accredited BSc (Hons) agriculture college or university signifies that you have met the organization's minimum educational qualifications. Furthermore, the degrees conferred by such colleges/universities would be recognised both in India and internationally.

Through its accreditation secretariat of the National Agricultural Education Accreditation Board (NAEAB), ICAR grants accreditation to agricultural colleges/universities. To get ICAR accreditation, the agricultural college or university must be inspected by a NAEAB-approved expert panel known as the Peer Review Team (PRT). PRT's inspection method is fairly stringent. Members of the PRT examine every facet of the institution's operation at various levels. Only if the PRT members are pleased with the infrastructural facilities, professors and staff, course material, policies and procedures, and so on, is the agricultural college/university recommended for NAEAB certification. If not, the application is either rejected immediately or the university is given further time to achieve the ICAR compliance criterion.

ICAR does not accredit all agricultural universities established by the federal or state governments. Only a small number of the several universities surveyed earn ICAR accreditation. As a result, before refining your search based on qualifying criteria, check for an ICAR-approved agriculture college. The status of ICAR accreditation and the detailed report of the inspection panel of any agricultural college/university in India can be seen on the ICAR's official website.

National Agriculture Education Accreditation Board (NAEAB)

The ICAR's Accreditation Board was established in 1996. In 2017, it was renamed the National Agricultural Education Accreditation Board (NAEAB). The accrediting board, presently known as the NAEAB, is a division of ICAR. The NAEAB's primary responsibilities include sustaining the country's education standards in agriculture and allied disciplines through accreditation and other services. NAEAB also serves the following secondary functions:

  • To advise the council on the development of standards and rules for the certification of agricultural institutes and agricultural education programmes, including veterinary sciences and agricultural engineering.
  • To provide assistance to the council in issues affecting the approval, financing, oversight, and recognition of agricultural institutions' education.
  • Examine the academic curriculum as well as the institutional structure in which these programmes are implemented.
  • To review the course offerings for various degree programmes offered by state agricultural universities and other accredited institutions on a regular basis.
  • To define norms and regulations for courses, curriculums, teaching facilities, qualifications of teaching people, entrance standards, and so on, and to de-recognize the institution/degree if necessary.
  • To provide guidance to the institution on administration, personnel among other things.

Some advantages of Studying in ICAR-Accredited Agricultural College/University

ICAR is the national governing organisation in charge of organising, conducting, and supervising agricultural research and education. ICAR operates one of the world's largest agricultural systems, with approximately 111 institutions and 71 agriculture universities under its umbrella.

There are numerous advantages to attending ICAR-accredited BSc agricultural colleges, some of which are stated below:

  • Academic rules are same across all ICAR-approved colleges/universities. Degree nomenclature, course content, evaluation methodologies, admissions procedures, and so on all adhere to a universal standard.
  • Graduates of ICAR-accredited BSc agriculture colleges/universities are globally accepted. They are qualified not just for public/private sector jobs and higher education in India, but also for higher education abroad.
  • Library, canteen, Wi-Fi, experimental farms, transportation choices, hospitals and other student amenities are available at ICAR-approved agricultural colleges and universities.
  • NAEAB provides substantial financial aid to all ICAR-accredited universities, totaling 40% of the university’s overall budget. This fund can be utilized to maintain high educational standards and other amenities.
  • A degree from an ICAR-approved agricultural college /university qualifies you for financial assistance for self-employment under certain government-sponsored schemes.

VGU Gets ICAR Approves B.Sc (Hons) Agirculture 

Vivekananda Global University, populary known as VGU , a NAAC A+ accredited university, has received permission from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to run B.Sc (Hons) agriculture course. The ICAR has allowed VGU to admit 120 students in the course from the session 2023-24.

The ICAR accreditation would go a long way in establishing the VGU as a major institute of higher learning which excels in providing quality education in the field of agriculture.