More Than 4,500 Agricultural Scientist Posts Lie Vacant In India

Bangalore: The green revolution came into existence due to a great amount of public funded research in agriculture. But, the government's interest in agricultural research seems to have reduced ever since, as more than 4,500 seats for scientists across various central and state government research institutes are lying vacant, reported TNN.

Recently in reply to a question by Mahabali Singh in Rajya Sabha, the government said 40 percent of faculty positions in state agriculture universities have been vacant for years and one fifth of the positions for scientists in the national network of central government agricultural research centers also have not been filled.

Minister for state for agriculture Tariq Anwar said "Presently, 19 percent posts of agricultural scientists in different Indian Council of Agricultural Research Institutes are vacant. The R&D programmes in these institutions are being managed through judicious re-deployment of available scientific manpower," reported TNN.

40 percent of faculty positions in state agricultural universities have been vacant for years said a study by the National Academy of Agricultural Research and Management. Further, there are more than 1,100 vacancies in the central agricultural research institutes across the nation with the Delhi office of Indian Agricultural Research Institute having the maximum number of seats for scientists vacant (149).

In state universities it was noted that 3,627 seats for scientists in agriculture and allied areas were vacant at the end of 2010, the government said. This included vacancies in the agricultural research areas, fisheries, forestry, veterinary and dairy sciences.

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