Page 117 - Contributed Paper Session (CPS) - Volume 1

CPS1178 D. S. Hooda et al.
setting up the Centre of Advanced Studies in various disciplines of Agricultural
Sciences including Statistics. A qualitative positive effect of these efforts can
now be visualized on the teaching and research in SAUs and ICAR institutes.
Efforts are needed to update these programs and bring uniformity in their
course curriculum. Also due to availability of high speed computers and
advanced analysis software packages, there is an imminent need to
contemplate over the training provided to statisticians and redefine their role
in agricultural universities.
Following are a few suggestions for regarding improvements in
Agricultural Statistics Education in India:
➢ Teacher’s assigned teaching must have undergone some training in
agricultural and related sciences so that they can do applications
oriented teaching.
➢ The system needs to be monitored properly and regularly to improve
the quality of teaching.
➢ The course curriculum of all SAU’s and ICAR institutions should be as
uniform as possible. It must be at par with the academic programmes
running at the international level. The Agricultural Statistics course
curriculum at all the levels of B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. should be revised
and updated from time to time.
➢ Relevant teaching material be prepared and handed over to students
in the beginning of the semester. Textbooks may be written and
followed keeping in view the objective of the courses and background
of the students. Teaching be made experiments oriented and
enjoyable supported by live examples through Audio -Visual aids,
LCD’s etc.
➢ The admission criteria for M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes require a fresh
look. It has been observed that the students who have not studied
mathematics at +2 level face problems in grasping the subject. It is
desirable that the students who are admitted to M.Sc./Ph.D.
programme in Agricultural Statistics should have studied
Mathematics/ Statistics at the graduation level.
➢ Statistics should be introduced as an elective subject like other subjects
at undergraduate level, and preference in admissions be given to only
those who have Statistics as a full subject at B.Sc. level.
➢ There should be uniformity in the grading system and the minimum
course curriculum of statistics at B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. levels.
➢ The system of education, to the extent possible, should be the same in
all the Universities/Institutes and the academic sessions should also
start during the same month as far as possible.
➢ At least six months’ professional training be provided to all the newly
appointed statisticians in SAU’s. During the training periods they may

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