Page 115 - Contributed Paper Session (CPS) - Volume 1

CPS1178 D. S. Hooda et al.
Teaching of Statistics in traditional universities have maximum emphasis
on course work whereas the students in SAU’s have to devote more than half
of their study time on minor, supporting and thesis work. Because of the
diversion of a sizable portion of the total load towards minor and thesis work,
M.Sc. students in SAU’s and deemed universities of ICAR are not getting
enough time for their major subject. Due to the existence of such disparities,
some traditional universities in our country consider the SAU’s product as that
of a substandard and ignore them for appointments. Majority of the
universities in India whether under ICAR or UGC systems have introduced
Statistics directly from the Master’s level. Consequently, students are not
getting good exposure of the subject within a short span of two years. The
training in Agricultural Statistics in India is to some extent incomplete and
obsolete. Scrapping the minor and thesis system at master’s level or by
restricting entry in M.Sc. to only those students who have studied Statistics as
a subject at B.Sc. level can overcome this dilemma.

4. Eligibility for Admission in PG Programs
In general the eligibility criterion for M.Sc. Statistics in SAU’s is graduation
with mathematics or/ Statistics at under graduation level as one of the subject.
Recently High Level committees of ICAR recommended that only those
courses be run in SAU/ICAR institutes in which agricultural graduates are
eligible.
Consequent upon the recommendation of this committee the general
eligibility qualifications for M.Sc. Statistics programs have been modified to a
Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture/Horticulture/ Agro forestry/ Science.
Agricultural graduate though give first preference to agricultural subjects, yet
seek admission in Statistics if they do not get in any other discipline. But their
constant effort is to shift to other disciplines as and when they get an
opportunity. Consequently, some seats in Statistics program always remain
vacant.
The qualification for admission to Ph.D. programme requires Master’s
degree in Agricultural Statistics/ Statistics/ Mathematical Statistics with at least
60% marks or overall grade point average (OGPA) of 7.00/10.00 or 3.00/4.00.
Like other subjects the introduction of Statistics as a full subject at graduation
level along with suitable combinations with subjects like Mathematics,
Computer Sciences/applications, economics etc. can be helpful in getting
talented students for M.Sc. Statistics programs.

5. System of Examination and Evaluation
Examination system plays an important role in imparting education. In
majority of SAU’s each academic year was initially divided into four parts
namely trimester I, II and III with summer trimester. The evaluation of student’s

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