Land grant pattern and establishment of agriculture universities in India

The first agriculture university of India was established in 1960 at Pantnagar based on Land grant pattern of US. The first agricultural university was named Uttar Pradesh Agriculture University formerly and Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology at present (renamed in 1974). The agriculture universities in India primarily performs the 'trio' function of Agricultural Education, Research and Extension.

To understand the functioning of agriculture university system in India we should firstly go through the Land Grant system of US, based on which Indian agriculture universities were established.

The History of Land Grant pattern in US:

It was the concept of publicly funded agricultural and technical education institution which was first aroused by Turner, a Professor in Illinois college. But legally the land grant system in US was first proposed through the Morrill Act 1857, and was passed by US congress in 1859 but then President James Buchanan vetoed it. Next year, in 16th Presidential election Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln won and became the 16th president of US. It was also the time of American civil war (1861-65). 

The bill was resubmitted in 1861 with inclusion of Military tactics teaching as well as Engineering and Agriculture. It was passed as a law signed by Lincoln on 2 July, 1862.

Key points of Morrill Act 1862:

1. This act proposes to donate public lands to several states for establishment of college and other than this, the land provided can be sold or may used for generating profits which should used in funding the institution hence called Land Grant. 
2. If the funds were insufficient to meet the expenditure, the state issues a scrip (a substitute for legal tender) to meet the funds requirement. 
3. Under this act each eligible state received 30,000 acres federal land per congressman (120 Km sq.) and the state under rebellion didn't provided the grant.
4. Section 6- "No mineral land shall be selected or purchased under provisions of the act."
5. The objective is ‘. . . the endowment, support, and maintenance of at least one college where the object shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as related to agriculture and mechanic arts".
6. Also known as Land Grant College act was basically proposed as a major boost to higher education and to provide higher education to all citizens irrespective of their social classes.

The Morrill act was a challenge to traditional notion of "education is only for the wealthy, privileged and the fortunate." Now the higher education became open to all (vendors, artisans, farmers etc). 

Amendments:

Hatch act 1887 was a public commitment to direct the research based on the needs of the farmers.The modified Morrill Act of 1890 proposed the inclusion of Blacks in educational institutions and race is no more the criterion for admission in educational institution. And amendment were done as per the need of the time and objectives are defined in meetings of Association of land grant colleges and universities. Presently, some of these institutions are leading institutions in world in all fields of science, technology, arts and cultural studies. 

Three part missions of Land Grant universities:

• Originally it was " Teaching, Research and Extension" which was proposed by Morrill.
• It was renamed to "Learning, Discovery and Engagement" by Kellogg commission.
• Presently it is "Talent, innovation and place" renamed by Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU).

The three part missions describes the focus of the University System as per the evolution of time.

Rural universities in India:

The Radhakrishnan University Education Commission in 1949 has proposed the setting up of rural universities in India with a vision of -

Picture the kind of village life which should be aimed. It must be economically prosperous. Its life must not be wasted in primitive habits of production. Full advantage should be taken of modern technical development. Small scale farming by efficient methods will require only a small part of human labour needed at present and production may be greatly increased. A large part of the industry of the country should be located in villages and small towns. Every village should have a good year round transportation and should be supplied with electric power. Each one should have a piped water supply under pressure, a sewer system and a telephone system.

The recommendations were also followed in 1954, when a joint Indo-American team under leadership of Dr. K. R. Damle was formed and recommended setting up of Rural (Agriculture) universities. Due to sincere efforts of Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant (CM, Uttar Pradesh) the process of establishment of rural university started. The system of land grant system of the USA was adopted in October 1959 in technical collaboration with the University of Illinois and the first university was established at Pantnagar in 1960. 

Land grant system of education in India(a comparison): 

The agriculture universities have a great contribution in food security of nation as well as world. The orientation of Indian agriculture is totally changed at present. But the agricultural institution are remained in solace since their establishment which are  totally separated from Science. 

The societal expectations of agriculture and responsibility of university continuously evolves with the passage of time. But the three part mission, "the trio" is still the same "teaching, research and extension" since last 60 years.

Simply the Indian agricultural universities cannot be compared with the Land grant system of universities in US. They follows continuously evolving and dynamic education approach while we are in solace.

The statement of Radhakrishnan commission, "the life of villagers should not be wasted in primitive practises of agriculture" is still very much relevant in India. 

References:

Randhawa, M. S., A History of Agriculture in India, 1979.

Subramaniam, C., in Wheat Revolution (ed. Swaminathan, M. S.), 1993, p. 106.

Sinha, Suresh K., Education for agriculture in India: a time for change, 2000 

https://www.nap.edu/read/5133/chapter/4 A land grand system for tomorrow

Singh, S. P., Development of agriculture education in India, 2016

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morrill_Land-Grant_Acts Wikipedia

Neil, Harl E., Relevance of land grant mission in the 21st century