Goa College of Agriculture secures ICAR accreditation after 5-year evaluation

NT Reporter | Panaji

As the government pushes to position Goa as an emerging education hub, the Goa College of Agriculture, Old Goa, has secured accreditation from the ICAR National Agricultural Education Accreditation Board, New Delhi.

The accreditation, received on October 29 and valid for five years, was confirmed by Principal, Dr Suresh Kunkalikar,

on Wednesday.

“The certification is based on standards such as the institute’s manpower, viz. the excellence of the faculty and the physical infrastructure by way of the labs, etc. The other criteria for receiving official recognition are research work carried out by the college and industry-academia linkage in the course curriculum,” said Kunkalikar.

He said the accreditation followed a five-year evaluation conducted by an ICAR team.

With the accreditation, the college will now have a 15 per cent quota for students selected by the ICAR. It will also be able to establish MSc programmes in subjects in demand and receive enhanced government funding. “The other advantages of ICAR accreditation are that it gives the stamp of quality and attracts the best of students who apply to different agricultural colleges,” explained Kunkalikar.

At present, the college offers admission to the four-year BSc Agriculture (Hons) course. Its infrastructure includes 10 labs that meet specifications in dimensions and instrumentation. The college is also constructing a new building planned for opening in the 2025–26 academic year.

The accreditation will help the institute maintain quality.

“Accreditation is a voluntary process by colleges, however it serves as a key quality assurance measure, and influences funding, admission to higher education, and job opportunities,” explained the principal.

The college is affiliated to Goa University and was established in September 2022.