Karnataka government to continue Diploma College of Agriculture in Brahmavara

Admission to the diploma course was stopped in the last academic year following the government’s decision to close down the college. Local organisations, farmers’ associations, trade unions, former Karnataka State Permanent Backward Classes Commission Chairperson K. Jayaprakash Hegde and others had opposed the closure.

The Karnataka government has decided to continue the agriculture diploma college at Brahmavara, attached to Keladi Shivappa Nayaka Agriculture and Horticulture Sciences University, Shivamogga.

Admission to the diploma course was stopped in the last academic year following the government’s decision to close down the college. Local organisations, farmers’ associations, trade unions, former Karnataka State Permanent Backward Classes Commission Chairperson K. Jayaprakash Hegde and others had opposed the closure.

The Udupi district unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and farmers’ organisations pointed out that the course offers employment and skill development opportunities to the local youth.

On July 15, the Agriculture Department wrote to the university to resume the two-year Diploma in Agriculture course at the Brahmavara College, subject to certain conditions, from the academic year 2024-25. The department does not want the resumption of academic activities to cause any additional financial burden on the government. The course should be conducted with the available infrastructure and manpower.

The college has an intake of 50 students, 20 faculty members and 10 non-teaching staff. The university might issue an admission notification soon, officials said.

Mr. Hegde welcomed the decision of the government and thanked Agriculture Minister N. Cheluvarayaswamy for responding to his August 12, 2023 letter. The former MP sought continuation of the course being offered for the last 13 years with new college and hostel buildings in the premises of the Agriculture Sciences Research Centre. It was beneficial to students from Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu districts, he had said.