MISSION AND GOALS OF SMGR AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, Udayagiri
PROGRESS
Consequent to the report of the Commission headed by Dr. G. Rangaswamy, Dean, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, a decision was taken to start the programme of Post-Graduate instruction of the off-campus Colleges at Udayagiri and Bapatla with effect from the academic year 1968-69. Post graduate programme with Horticulture as the major field was introduced in 1968-69 followed by Agronomy in 1969-70.
In the beginning, the intake of the students at under graduate level was 80 and later in phased manner it was raised to 195. The first batch of 64 graduates came out in 1965-66. The first three batches of graduates (164) were trained in the traditional system of whom 38 students had obtained first class. The next three batches of graduates (241 in number) were trained under the Internal Assessment System of whom 83 of students had obtained their first Class and another 27 had obtained their first class with distinction. Since inception of this college, a total of 3790 under graduate students have passed out from this campus.
M.Sc. (Ag.) course of two year duration was introduced in a phased manner in ten disciplines i.e. Horticulture (1968-69), Agronomy (1969-70), Plant Pathology (1972-73), Extension Education (1976-77), Genetics and Plant Breeding (1982-83), Entomology (1982-83), Agriculture Economics (1984-85), Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry (1984-85), Plant Physiology (1985-86) and Statistics and Computer Applications (2009-10). A post graduate programme in Plant Protection was introduced in the college during 1983 with Entomology and Pant Pathology disciplines offering a combined course catering to the requirement of the personnel engaged in the state department of agriculture.
Subsequently Ph.D. Programmes were introduced in the disciplines of Agronomy and Genetics and Plant Breeding during 1992-93, Extension Education (2007-08), Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry (2009-10), Entomology (2009-10), Agricultural Economics (2009-10), Crop Physiology (2011-12) and Plant Pathology (2012-13). The college was shaped in due course of time by providing a spacious building for laboratories and class rooms for each department. So far, a total of 1217 and 96 students in M.Sc.(Ag.) and Ph.D programmes, respectively have passed out and are occupying higher and prestigious position in different National and International organizations.
Later in 2008, a course on Agribusiness Management was introduced with the establishment of Department of Agribusiness Management at SMGR AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, Udayagiri to build core management expertise among the technically competent agricultural and allied graduates by imparting managerial and entrepreneurial skills so as to work in a dynamic business environment. Keeping in view of its importance, the Department of Agribusiness Management at SMGR AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, Udayagiri was upgraded as “Institute of Agribusiness Management” during 2015.
A well-equipped Regional Library building was established in the year 2007 to cater to the needs of the staff and students of the campus. The residential accommodation was also strengthened by constructing four hostels i.e. three (Dwaraka, Sabarmati and Mithyla) for boys and one (Priyadarshini) for girls in the campus. Later, one more block for UG and new PG Hostel for PG girl students has come up. With additional grants of ICAR and state government, new structures such as additional floor to the college and hostel buildings were added to create more avenues to the students and faculty as well. To strengthen the UG programme, further through AHRDP sponsored by World Bank few of the faculty teachers were trained in advanced fields both at national and International level. The college completed its fifty years of academic excellence by 27th October, 2011. In commemoration of this event, Golden Jubilee Celebrations were organized for one year by conducting different events such as alumni meets, tree plantation, blood donation, special lectures etc.