Assam Agricultural University - AAU

Established on April 1, 1969 with its Headquarters at Jorhat, Assam Agricultural University (AAU) is the first institution of its kind in the whole North-Eastern Region of India. The base of this institution comprised the erstwhile Assam Agricultural College at Jorhat and the Assam Veterinary College at Khanapara, Guwahati. Subsequently, seven more colleges, namely the College of Community Science at Jorhat, the College of Fisheries at Raha, the Biswanath College of Agriculture at Biswanath Chariali, the Sarat Chandra Singha College of Agriculture at Rangamati, Chapar, the Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science at Joyhing, North Lakhimpur, the College of Horticulture at Nalbari and the College of Sericulture at Titabar were established at different point of time under the AAU.

Jurisdictions: The jurisdiction of the University extends to the entire state of Assam with regard to teaching, research and extension education in the field of agriculture and allied sciences. Besides 9 colleges as indicated above, the university serves its clients through a network of 11 research stations and 23 Krishi Vigyan Kendras.

The university campus The University has a number of campuses with its Headquarters located at Borbheta at a distance of about 6 km from Inter State Bus Terminus, Jorhat; 5 km from Jorhat railway station and 2 km from Rowriah airport. Jorhat can be reached easily from Guwahati, the capital of Assam, by bus/train/air. The latitude, longitude and altitude of Jorhat are 26°44’N, 94°10’E and 91 m above mean sea level, respectively.

Climate The climate of the state is pleasant for most part of the year. The winter lasts for about five months viz., from October to February. Though summer starts from March - April, the weather is quite pleasant. There is heavy rainfall during the months of July and August.

Mandates

Imparting resource conserving, quality and market driven education in agriculture and allied fields to facilitate agricultural growth for food security.
Undertake basic, strategic and applied research in the sector for agriculture centric business and employment avenues in the production to consumption chain.
Technology showcasing and transfer to the user groups for science led agricultural growth.

Vision

Provisioning of quality human resource to facilitate technology led agricultural renaissance revitalizing and rejuvenating post-green revolution in agriculture ensuring both production and environment sustainability targeting a minimum of 4% agricultural growth while addressing the issues of household nutritional security, farmers' distress, commerce in agriculture as well as regional, national and global food crisis taking the advantage of innovative technology, market reforms and liberalization.

Mission

To fill up the talent gap in agriculture and allied sectors to preposition the state to combat the emerging challenges in agriculture and ensure productivity increase in agri-horti-animal-fish crops in the face of shrinking/fragmented land holdings, ailing soil health, diminishing water resources and increased human population. Technology showcasing and transfer to the user groups for science led agricultural growth.

AAU Administration

The University has "Board of Management" as the ultimate administrative authority. On behalf of the board of management, the Vice-Chancellor looks after every activity of the University as the supreme authority. Personnel management is handled by the Office of Registrar. The Office of Comptroller oversees financial management.

Directorate of Research (Agri & Veterinary)
Directorate of Extension Education
Directorate of Post Graduate Studies
Directorate of Students’ Welfare
Directorate of Physical Plant

The Directorates supervise various activities falling under their jurisdictions.

Services Provided by AAU

Advisory service
Each undergraduate student shall be assigned to an adviser by the DSW/ADSW/DDSW at the time of student's admission. The adviser shall maintain personal records in respect of each student's academic progress, deficiencies in studies as well as co- curricular and extracurricular activities. The students shall apprise of problems and difficulties, if any, to the advisers for necessary advisement and guidance. In case of Post-graduate student, a Major Adviser shall be assigned to each student by the Head of the Department as per provisions of the Regulation on Academic Matters.
Sports, Recreation, Social Service
The Directorate of Students’ Welfare provides facilities for games and sports, study circle, music, drama etc to enrich the cultural, literary, physical as well as social life of the students. The University has its own play ground, well equipped indoor stadium, swimming pool and gymnasium. The University teams are provided adequate support for participation in local, regional and national cultural as well as sports and games events.

The Student’s Society/Union of each College arranges the co-curricular activities such as games, sports, athletics, drama, social services etc. NSS/NCC Programmes are also organized in each College as a part of social/national service.
Training and Placement Cell, AAU
The Training and Placement Cell of Assam Agricultural University was set up in 1998. The Training & Placement Cell is an essential component of Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat catering to the needs of its students for their career development. The Cell organizes training programmes on Personality Development, Communication Skills, Leadership and such other areas. The Cell facilitates Campus interviews and placement in various government and non-government organizations. Large number of the graduate and post graduate students of this university have been placed in different organizations involved in Research and Development, Corporate Sectors and Banking . The Cell has adequate infrastructure facilities like fully air-conditioned group discussion room, interview room, office, waiting hall etc. for conducting campus interviews; computers with net connectivity for job search and resume posting by the students in addition to its own website for job information, resume posting and other related helps.
Medical facilities
There is provision for medical care and health service in each of the Colleges. The Students Medical Assistance Scheme for all the students of all constituent Colleges of the University has been introduced from 2016-17 Academic Session.
Student's Aid Fund
With a view to render financial aid to students in distress, a student‘s aid fund has been instituted in each College. All students are required to contribute in the fund at the beginning of each academic year to aid and assist economically backward students.
Student's Society/Union
All students admitted to the College automatically become members of the Student’s Society/Union and are entitled to participate in the Society /Union election. All students are required to pay the Student’s Society fee at the beginning of each academic year.
Student's Magazine
The Student’s Society /Union of each College publishes a magazine to encourage creativity of the students. The students are to pay the magazine fee at the beginning of each academic year.
Educational tour
There is provision of educational tour for both UG and PG students.
NCC/NSS
Every Under-graduate student of 1st and 2nd year classes of the Faculty of Veterinary Science has to undergo the N.C.C. training as prescribed in the syllabus. The students in the 3rd year class have the liberty to opt for taking NCC to get themselves qualified for ‘C’ certificate. However, in case of foreign students, attendance in N.C.C. is exempted. Students of the Faculties of Agriculture, Community Science, Fisheries Science , Horticulture and Sericulture shall have to participate in N.S.S. programmes in lieu of N.C.C.
Library
The Rev. B.M. Pugh Library(RBMPL), located in the Head Quarters of the University at Jorhat is serving as the knowledge resource centre on Agriculture and allied areas since its inception in the year 1969 to the myriad user community consisting of students, teachers/scientists, research scholars and the staff of the Colleges, viz., College of Agriculture , College of Community Science , College of Horticulture and College of Sericulture and the entire community of the university in general. It has its branch libraries at the College of Veterinary Science, Khanapara; College of Fisheries , Raha; Biswanath College of Agriculture, Biswanath Chariali; Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science, Joyhing, Lakhimpur and Sarat Chandra Singha College of Agriculture, Dhubri.

The Rev. B. M. Pugh Library has a total of 1,46,507 text/ reference books, 30,330 donated and gifted books, 50 current periodicals, 16,711 back volumes, 3072 post graduate theses, 7952 reports, 19 popular magazines & newspapers.
Residence
Regular students are required to stay in hostels of the University unless permitted otherwise by the concerned authority. Students are admitted to the hostels upon payment of hostel dues at the time of admission into each semester. The hostels are provided with the basic amenities and a student may require a minimum of Rs 1,500.00 p.m. towards mess dues. Students are to maintain perfect discipline and proper atmosphere of studies in the hostel. Violation of hostel rules will be strictly dealt with as per regulations in force.

Hostel accommodation for girls students at College of Veterinary Science, Khanapara and Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science, Joyhing, Lakhimpur are limited. On filling up of the available seats in the girls hostel, the additional students selected for admission will have to make their own arrangement for accommodation in nearby areas outside the College campus as day scholar subject to permission by Head of the Institution.

AAU Academics

Teaching

The System
The course credit system with Internal as well as External evaluation is followed in the University for both the Undergraduate and the Post-Graduate degree programmes. The medium of instruction in both the programmes is English.

Academic Year
The academic year of the University is from August to July. The academic year consists of two terms, each term of minimum 110 instructional days . Each term is called Semester. There is a break of few days between two consecutive semesters.

Courses
During a semester, the students register themselves for a number of courses. A Course is a unit of instruction of a subject matter under any discipline carrying a specific number of Credit hour(s).

Credit Hours
Credit hours signify the quantum of work done corresponding to 1 hour of theory class or 2-3 hours of laboratory/field practical every week during a semester in respect of a particular course.

Attendance
A student is to maintain a minimum of 75% attendance separately for theory and practical in each course failing which he/she is debarred from appearing in the End term examination.

Examination

There are two examinations in a semester, viz., Mid term examination and End term examination. Mid term examination is conducted centrally in each College in the middle of the semester, whereas the End term and practical examinations are held at the end of the semester as per Academic Calendar. Besides, a student has to appear in quizzes/tests and carry out field/ laboratory/library/ clinical assignments throughout the semester. In case of B.V. Sc. & A.H. degree programme there is a system of annual composite examination at the end of each academic year culminating in the end of professional programme, beginning with first professional. The answer scripts of the annual examination are examined by the external examiner.

Students READY Programme

As per recommendations of the Fifth Dean's Committee on Agricultural Education, an under-graduate student has to undergo READY programme (Rural & Entrepreneurship Awareness Development Yojna) in two semesters (7th & 8th Semesters) of total 40 credits in the Faculty of Agriculture, Horticulture, Sericulture , Community Science & Fisheries Science. The different components under READY programme include-

a. Experiential Learning/Hands on Training

b. Rural Agricultural Work Experience Programme(RAWEP)/Tea Industrial Work Experience Programme(TIWEP)

c. In plant training /Industrial attachment

Experiential Learning Programme consists of 20 credits of 1 semester and RAWEP/TIWEP also consists of 20 credits of 1 semester in the Faculty of Agriculture, Horticulture, Sericulture and Community Science & Fisheries Science. This programme generates self confidence and helps the students to acquire hands on expertise in a particular area of Agriculture/Community Science in entrepreneurship development.

Evaluation

The level of performance of each student in a particular course is evaluated in a 10.00 point scale/grade. The performance of a student in the examination is finally calculated on the basis of Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), as detailed in the Regulations on Academic Matters.

Convocation

The degree is finally awarded to the student by the Chancellor of the University, his Excellency the Governor of Assam in the Convocation Ceremony.

AAU Dress and Clothing

During summer, cotton clothing is adequate but in winter, warm clothes, quilts or blankets are necessary. In addition to bed rolls, students bring the mosquito nets with them.

AAU Code of Conduct

All students are to maintain perfect discipline and proper scholastic atmosphere during their stay at the University/College. On admission into any College and hostel, students must acquaint themselves with the University, College and hostel rules and regulations. Copies of Regulations on Academic Matters of Assam Agricultural University will be provided to each student during orientation in the respective Colleges. Ignorance of any rules will not be treated as excuse. The Dean/DSW/ Assoc. Dean/ADSW/DDSW shall be responsible for the maintenance of discipline and good behaviour of students in his/her College and anywhere on the campus or outside it. In case of any violation of disciplinary rules as mentioned in the Regulations on Students Discipline, the matter shall be referred to the Disciplinary Committee for action. Ragging is completely banned in the University. On the date of orientation each of the selected students and their parents shall require to submit affidavit in accordance with the UGC regulations on “Curbing the menace of ragging in higher educational institutions, 2009”. Copy of the said Regulation shall be provided to the selected candidates at the time of admission.