Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, has appointed 72 Professors of Practice (PoP) in its constituent colleges, fulfilling a key recommendation of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The NEP 2020 warrants revising of graduate programmes with holistic and multidisciplinary approach, through engaging experts working in leadership positions in various fields to address the gap areas in different fields. Professors of Practice constitute distinguished experts who have made remarkable contributions in their professions for at least 15 years, preferably at a senior level, are appointed initially for a year, and their services are extended based on assessments. Completion of Ph.D. is not a necessity for these expert faculty.
The School of Postgraduate Studies, TNAU, Coimbatore, has, for the 2023-24 session, appointed progressive farmers, executives of agri product companies, food product companies, research centres, and plant nurseries, those in agri-business, and retirees in senior positions in government departments as PoPs in the areas of Agronomy, Plant Pathology, Seed Science and Technology, Fruit Science, Food Science and Nutrition, Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, Agricultural Entomology, Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Agricultural Microbiology, Sericulture, Environmental Science, Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Soils and Environment, Forest Biology and Tree Improvement, Forest Products and Wildlife, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Crop Physiology, Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology, Silviculture and Natural Resource Management, Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, Food Process Engineering, Renewable Energy and Engineering, Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Post-Harvest Technology, and Physical Science and Information Technology.
Professors of Practice have been engaged to enhance the employable skills of the students, Vice-Chancellor V. Geethalakshmi said.
As the first among State Agricultural Universities in establishing state-of-the-art research facilities such as Rhizotron, Speed Breeding, Proteomics and Metabolomics Platform to carry out research in frontier areas, TNAU has also inducted 53 foreign faculty as Adjunct Faculty to internationalise teaching and research, she said.
To improve the industry-ready employable skills of the students, the TNAU plans to collaborate with 150 agri-related industries. In 2023, 302 UG students and 100% of the Diploma students were placed in jobs, the Vice-Chancellor said.