Chandigarh (The Stellar News): Issuing a word of caution to the students seeking admission in the institutes offering education in the discipline of agricultural sciences, Mr. KS Pannu, Member Secretary, Punjab State Council for Agricultural Education (PSCAE) informed that PSCAE would render degrees, diplomas and certificates of 107 educational institutions in the said discipline, invalid with effect from January 1, 2020.
Giving details, Mr. Pannu informed that Government of Punjab has set up the Council under the provisions of the Punjab State Council for Agricultural Education Act, 2017. The Council has been empowered to specify the minimum standards and guidelines for imparting agriculture education and training to be followed by Colleges and Universities in the State of Punjab and to regulate the Agriculture Education through grant of recognition to colleges/institutions/departments that meet the norms and standards to run the agriculture education programmes.
He said that as per the provisions of the Act, all the institutions running programmes related to agriculture education were to submit a status report with regard to affiliation, admission, curricula, staff etc to the council within 30 days and a compliance report within six months, so as to seek approval of council within two years from the date of commencement of this Act. The Act was notified on 2nd January, 2018.
Pannu said that 25 institutes offering education in the discipline of agricultural sciences submitted the status report with regard to fulfilling the conditions as prescribed under the Act. However, it has been observed that these institutions do not fulfil the prescribed conditions. Therefore, if these institutes do not fulfil the conditions as prescribed under the Act till 31st December, 2019, then they will become liable for refusal to affiliate with the council with effect from 1 January, 2020.
Besides, there are 82 such institutions in the State that are offering education in the discipline of agricultural sciences but have not submitted the status report with regard to fulfilling the conditions as prescribed under this Act, despite notices in this regard, and therefore, these institutions have made themselves liable for refusal to affiliate with the council with effect from 1 January, 2020, he informed.
Mr. Pannu said that the students seeking admission for degree, diploma and certificate courses in agricultural education in these institutions are therefore cautioned that they may take admission in these institutions at their own risk and cost because non-affiliation/non-approval of these institutions, on account of failure to comply with provisions of this Act, shall render the degrees/diplomas/certificates issued by these institutions as invalid.
