Maharashtra: Govt offers ‘professional status’ to 11 undergraduate, post-graduate courses in 4 agricultural varsities

The Maharashtra state government has offered ‘Professional status’ to eleven undergraduate and post-graduate courses by all four agriculture universities in the state. In July 2017, the state government had given the status to nine undergraduate courses after a similar step by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Last month, almost a hundred students from several agriculture colleges in the state had staged a sit-in protest at Maharashtra Council of Agricultural Education and Research (MCAER). As a mark of helplessness, a group of at least a dozen students had also tonsured their heads. After this, the MCAER establishments had a conversation with the state agriculture ministry urging that the demand be deliberated.

State govt, Cornell University to sign pact to establish development centres

Cornell University and the Maharashtra government are deliberating a collaboration for setting up business incubation centres across the state. These centres are slated to mentor a minimum of 60 entrepreneurs and youngsters to establish start-ups every year. The two organisations are supposed to sign an official agreement pertaining to this soon. The business accelerator will mainly target youth and entrepreneurs, who will be given skills training during the three years that the agreement will be valid for.

The yearly budget needed for training and rest skilling is projected to be Rs 7 crore. Of the total budget amount, Rs 5 crore annually will be provided by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation. The rest of the amount i.e Rs 2 crore will be distributed by the Social Justice and Special Assistance and Tribal Development Department each year.

The trainees will have to go through a defined test that will be held every year. In the latest budget, the state government had decided to stand 75 per cent of the stipend cost of youth who are going through the training process.

Read More: