Established 1957 Website www.iaas.edu.np Founded 1957 | Affiliations Tribhuvan University Phone +977 56-591021 Academic staff 150 | |
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Type Agricultural Educational Institute Dean Prof. Keshav Adhikari, Ph.D. Location Kathmandu/Lamjung/Chitwan/Bhairahawa Address Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal, Bharatpur 44209, Nepal Subsidiaries Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Rampur Similar Tribhuvan University, Agriculture and Forestry, Himalayan College of Agricultur, Purbanchal University, Institute of Medicine - Nepal | ||
The Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS) is oldest (since 60 years) and most important institute of Nepal providing higher education in agriculture and animal sciences.
Contents
- Links with other institutions
- Lamjung campus
- Land holdings
- Administration and manpower
- Buildings
- Academic activities
- Departments and laboratories
- Publications
- References
Background
IAAS was originated as a school of agriculture established in 1957 in Kathmandu to train Junior Technical Assistants. In 1968 the school was upgraded to a college of agriculture. In 1972, the college was recognized as the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science under Tribhuvan University and moved to the location at Rampur, Chitwan in 1974. The mission of the institute is to provide higher education in agriculture and produce the human resource for agriculture development focusing on teaching, research and extension. As government of Nepal made a policy in 2010 to establish Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) at Rampur, Chitwan, AFU had forcefully taken the physical properties and other assets of IAAS before minute preparation and agreement on handover process between TU and AFU. Consequently, IAAS dean office was shifted to Kathmandu in 2011 and is continuing its programs and activities in the dean's contact office Sanepa, Lalitpur and Kirtipur, Kathmandu.
Present scenario
The post graduate program of IAAS was shifted to Kathmandu in 2013 as a Post Graduate Campus. Now classes are conducted in RECAST building of TU in Kirtipur. In addition to RECAST, classes are also going on in some other classrooms of TU. At present, the institute is running Master of Science in Agriculture (M. Sc. Ag.) in seven departments, Master of Science in Animal Science (M.Sc. An. Sc.) in two departments, Master of Veterinary Science (M. V. Sc.) in two departments and also the Ph. D. program in some departments. It has its Ph.D. programs under two plans viz; Plan A and Plan B. Under Plan A, student has to attend theory and practical classes of relevant subjects offered by the department. However, under Plan B student has to conduct research and submit progress report each semester but, regular classes and practical works are not mandatory. The institute is planning to run its PG program in some other departments also from the academic year 2014/015 (2071/072). To widen and enhance quality education, the institute has collaborated with TU Central Library, Kirtipur, and students' access to the library has been ensured through inter-institution collaboration. The institute has already donated sufficient number of valuable reference books related to PG program, and the central library has also committed to purchase and maintain significant number of necessary books and other publications required for IAAS students. In addition to maintaining its own laboratory equipped with minimum required facilities, the institute has also signed in an agreement with Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), especially for practical works and research activities of the students. For the successful running of the PG program, the institute has involved sufficient number of well-experienced and highly professional professors and researchers from the same institute and other government and non-government organizations. IAAS is progressing towards academic excellencies and struggling to strengthen its academic as well as administrative activities. IAAS got 60 Ropani land from TU in its premises and planning to construct academic and other buildings in near future.
Constituent campuses
With the establishment of AFU at IAAS, Rampur; both the constituent campuses of IAAS, (i.e. Lamjung and Paklihawa campuses) which were running only the initial two-years program out of four-years B.Sc.Ag., have been upgraded to full-fledged B.Sc.Ag. program in 2012. Then after, Lamjung campus started to enroll at least 100 students in B.Sc.Ag. and the Paklihawa campus 60 and 40 students, respectively in B.Sc.Ag. and B.V.Sc.and A.H. programs each year. The B.V.Sc. and A.H. program was shifted to Paklihawa campus from Rampur in 2013. Students are mostly selected on merit based on their qualifying exam scores and are offered full scholarships (which includes hostel accommodations) but around 20% of the students accepted have to pay Rs. 100,000 ($1200) to enroll. These constituent campuses are trying their best for academic excellence within the framework of limited resources.
Affiliated colleges
TU/IAAS has provided affiliation to three agricultural campuses: one situating in Gakuleshor, Baitadi (affiliated in 2010), one in Lamahi (affiliated in 2014) and the next in Tulsipur (affiliated in 2014), Dang to intake 50 students in B.Sc.Ag. in each campus each year. All the constituent and affiliated campuses receive students on merit basis who pass the entrance examination conducted by IAAS every year.
PG Campus
Later on, the post graduate program of IAAS was also shifted to Kathmandu in 2013 as a Post Graduate Campus and running its classes in RECAST building of TU in Kirtipur. In addition to RECAST, classes are also going on in some other classrooms of TU. At present, the institute is running Master of Science in Agriculture (M.Sc.Ag.) in seven departments, Master of Science in Animal Science (M.Sc.An.Sc.) in two departments, Master of Veterinary Science (M.V.Sc.) in two departments and also the Ph. D. program in some departments. It has its Ph.D. programs under two plans viz; Plan A and Plan B. Under Plan A, student has to attend theory and practical classes of relevant subjects offered by the department. However, under Plan B student has to conduct research and submit progress report each semester but, regular classes and practical works are not mandatory. The institute is planning to run its PG program in some other departments also from the academic year 2017/018 (2074/075).
Links with other institutions
Memorandums of understanding have been signed between IAAS and several national and international institutions. Partners include: CIMMYT, Agro Enterprise Centre (AEC), Department of Agriculture (DOA), Department of Livestock (DLS), Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC), International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, IMMI, Cornell University (USA), University of Graz (Austria), Hiroshima University (Japan), Writtle College (England), Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand), and Tufts University (USA).
Lamjung campus
The Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Lamjung campus, is located at Sundarbazar municipality of Lamjung district, Nepal. The institute was established as a branch of IAAS Rampur, Chitwan (Central campus) under Tribhuvan University in 1976 (2032 B.S.) with the following objectives:
Land holdings
The campus has 338 ropani (282 ropani of uplands and 56 ropani of lowlands) of land in six plots. It has one horticulture, one agronomy and one livestock farm extended in 252 ropani in and around the campus area. These farms are for production of fruits, vegetables, cereals, animals and birds and for doing practical work. The upland area includes a mango orchard and extra land around the office and residential area; about 4200 coffee plants were planted on this land during August, 2005.
Administration and manpower
The campus chief is the head of the institute and for general administration, academic administration, accounts, store, library, farms, hostels and dispensary work under the chief office. In each of the above sections, there is one branch head. Internal management is the responsibility of the section head. Major decisions related to rules and regulations in each section are made by the meeting of section heads and related personnel headed by the campus chief.
There are altogether 150 teaching staff members, and 56 in administrative support on campus. Two teachers have PhD degrees while others hold master's degrees. The number of teachers employed on campus has not been sufficient to run the program. Therefore, at least four teachers have been brought from Rampur on a contract basis, each year. The campus also lacks workers, watchmen and lab assistants.
Buildings
The institute has
There are other facilities like 24 dormitories and residences (one chief, nine senior staff, ten junior staff and four lower staff), one guest house, one boys' hostel, one girls' hostel and two mess halls. There is a poultry house, a goat shed, two cattle/buffalo sheds, a swine shed, a farm store, an auditorium hall, a garage and a dispensary.
Academic activities
During its early years, the institute taught a one-year course of I. Sc. (Basic science) Agriculture diploma and produced 947 middle level agricultural technicians from 1975 to 1983. The institute started a non-academic Junior Technical Assistant training program in 1984. 644 JTAs were trained from 1984 to 1990. The institute started a two-year I. Sc. (Basic science) Agriculture diploma program in 1991 and produced 313 JTs up to 2001. In 2002, the institute introduced an eight-semester Bachelor of Science in Agriculture program. An entrance exam is taken through the dean's office in Kirtipur and teaching starts in the month of Magh (January ).
Besides teaching, the institute has trained farmers in agricultural practices. The campus has boosted the economy of the farmers residing near the campus.
Departments and laboratories
There are 18 departments in IAAS:
These departments cover subjects such as Agronomy, Plant Breeding, Genetics, Soil Science, Horticulture, Plant Pathology, Animal Science, Aquaculture, Veterinary Medicine, Animal Breeding, Environmental Science, Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Economics, Plant Pathology and Sociology.
Publications
IAAS publishes the Journal of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, an annual publication, showcasing scientific information on plant, animal and social sciences. The DOR publishes IAAS Research Reports based on research carried out under the internal as well as external funding schemes, and recently, M.Sc. Thesis Abstract covering theses of postgraduate students at IAAS.
IAAS of TU is one of the recognized institutions for agricultural teaching within and outside the country. The institute is contributing significantly in agricultural development of the country through manpower development, efficient technology generation, spreading validated technology and their adoption. However, program, quality and facilities, in response to the national and international context, need to be further improved.