New and Restructured Post-Graduate Curricula and Syllabi: Plant Sciences

Abstract

Based on the suggestions and feed backs from the members of the BSMA Committee (Plant Sciences) and the stakeholders including the private sectors involving in modern crop improvement and seed production and students, retired experts in the concerned fields, the revised syllabi and curricula on plant sciences which include the courses (i) Genetics & Plant Breeding, (ii) Seed Science & Technology have been developed for adoption in the SAUs in India. The revised syllabi and curricula will enable the students at PG level to learn more advanced technologies in the field of Genetics, Plant Breeding and Seed production with hands-on training at the place of their employment after completion of the course. Provisions are made in the curricula for the students undergoing Masters programme in Seed Science and Technology to undergo attachment training in seed production/processing/marketing and quality evaluation in private/public seed industry for a period of 2-3 months. A student in the discipline of Genetics and Plant Breeding should take preferably minor courses in the discipline of Biotechnology/Biochemistry/ Agricultural Statistics/Plant Protection subjects. The above exercises are mainly focussed on updating the course content in accordance with the recent developments in Plant Sciences. The students will get exposed in such a way that they could compete in international forums. Most SAUs offer combined course in Genetics and Plant Breeding except a few. Hence, all the members of the BSMA on Plant Sciences and stakeholders decided unanimously that a combined course curriculum should be developed for the disciplines of Genetics and Plant Breeding.