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Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar

After independence, development of the rural sector was considered the primary concern of the Government of India. In 1949, with the appointment of the Radhakrishnan University Education Commission, imparting of agricultural education through the setting up of rural universities became the focal point. Later, in 1954 an Indo-American team led by Dr. K.R. Damle, the Vice-President of ICAR, was constituted that arrived at the idea of establishing a Rural University on the land-grant pattern of USA. As a consequence a contract between the Government of India, the Technical Cooperation Mission and some land-grant universities of USA, was signed to promote agricultural education in the country. The US universities included the universities of Tennessee, the Ohio State University, the Kansas State University, The University of Illinois, the Pennsylvania State University and the University of Missouri. The task of assisting Uttar Pradesh in establishing an agricultural university was assigned to the University of Illinois which signed a contract in 1959 to establish an agricultural University in the State. Dean, H.W. Hannah, of the University of Illinois prepared a blueprint for a Rural University to be set up at the Tarai State Farm in the district Nainital, UP. In the initial stage the University of Illinois also offered the services of its scientists and teachers. Thus, in 1960, the first agricultural university of India, UP Agricultural University, came into being by an Act of legislation, UP Act XI-V of 1958. The Act was later amended under UP Universities Re-enactment and Amendment Act 1972 and the University was rechristened as Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology keeping in view the contributions of Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant, the then Chief Minister of UP. The University was dedicated to the Nation by the first Prime Minister of India Pt Jawaharlal Nehru on 17 November 1960. The G.B. Pant University is a symbol of successful partnership between India and the United States. The establishment of this university brought about a revolution in agricultural education, research and extension. It paved the way for setting up of 31 other agricultural universities in the country.

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Subject: Agricultural Extension and Communication × Author: Mishra, Prasanta × Start date: 2004 × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Designing a training module for extension trainers: a study in Uttarakhand
    (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand), 2008-03) Mishra, Prasanta; Kumar, B.
    Training is crucial and continuous input for agricultural development. ‘Training of Trainers’ is of paramount importance in improving the quality of agriculture and rural development in the wake of globalisation and WTO regime. Keeping this in view, the present investigation was undertaken in the state of Uttarakhand. The study revealed that majority of extension trainers were relatively young, male, highly educated and had training experience of ten to twenty five years. However, very few trainers had received training in ‘Training Management’. The findings of training need assessment revealed that trainers require formal training in ‘Facilitating adult learning’, ‘Learner Centred approach’, ‘Motivation’, Task analysis as a method of training need assessment’, ‘Preparation of report on training need assessment’, ‘Designing training programme’, ‘Participatory lecture, Group discussion, case study and brain storming as training methods’, ‘Giving and receiving feedback’, ‘Methods of follow-up, ‘Monitoring and evaluation’, and ‘Preparation and use of low cost visual aids’. The opinion of trainers as well as experts also indicated that training of trainers programme of two weeks duration should be designed following ‘flexible and learner centered approach’. Thus, it was decided to design a training module incorporating areas of critical importance found through the study. The module was divided into three sub-modules viz., 'adult learning', 'training process' and 'instructional media'. Each of the sub-modules consisted of several learning blocks or units and contained details of 'learning objectives', 'course content', 'training methods to be followed', 'duration' and 'reading note to the trainers'. The training module was perceived to be 'adequate' in terms of its contents and instructional strategies and 'useful' in dealing with adult learners and improving job performance of trainers by the experts. The variables which had shown negative and significant relationship with the training need of extension trainers were ‘age’ and ‘work experience’. However, ‘Job values’ and ‘communication channel used’ had positive and significant relationship with the training need of extension trainers.