Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India

Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur – Leading Agricultural University in the Himalayan Hills

Introduction

Located amidst the picturesque Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh, Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya (CSK HPKV) was founded in November 1978 to serve as the premier agricultural university of the state’s mountainous terrain. With over four decades of service, CSK HPKV has emerged as a centre of excellence for hill agriculture, horticulture, veterinary sciences, and allied disciplines—with strong education, research, and extension outreach aligned to mountain farming and rural development.

1. Establishment & History

1.1 Foundation & Early Years

• CSK HPKV was officially established on 1 November 1978, evolving from the Himachal Pradesh College of Agriculture (est. 1966) to a full-fledged state agricultural university (Testbook, Wikipedia).
• Renamed in June 2001 in honour of social-worker and educationist Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar (Testbook).

1.2 Mandate & Regional Focus

• Charged with promoting agricultural education, research, and technology extension in the hilly agro‑ecology of Himachal Pradesh.
• Expanded over time to incorporate agriculture, horticulture, veterinary & animal sciences, dairy, food technology, basic sciences, home science, and policy research in mountain agriculture (Wikipedia).

2. Affiliations & Accreditation

• Recognised by the UGC and accredited by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) (Wikipedia).
• Member of Indian Agricultural Universities Association (IAUA) alongside other state and central agricultural universities (Wikipedia).

3. Academic Programs & Courses Offered

3.1 Undergraduate Programs

CSK HPKV offers a variety of UG degrees:

• B.Sc. (Hons.) in Agriculture
• B.Tech in Food Technology
• B.Sc in Physical & Life Sciences, Community Science
• BVSc & AH (Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry) (Wikipedia, Collegedunia).

3.2 Postgraduate & Doctoral Programs

• M.Sc. in agriculture, food sciences, veterinary sciences
• M.V.Sc. in Animal Husbandry-related disciplines
• Ph.D. in agriculture and related sciences (eligibility: M.Sc or M.V.Sc) (Wikipedia, Collegedunia).

3.3 Admission Mode & Selection

• Admissions largely based on university-conducted entrance tests, like HPCET or AIEEA for agriculture / veterinary programs (Collegedunia, Shiksha).
• Selective merit-based intake, open to domestic and international students (uniRank).

4. Campus & Facilities

4.1 Location & Campus Size

• Located in Palampur, Kangra district, the campus spans approximately 6.49 km² (~972 acres), amidst hill‑terrain ideal for hill‑farm research (Wikipedia).

4.2 Infrastructure & Amenities

CSK HPKV offers extensive facilities:

• Hostels: Separate boys and girls hostels, furnished, with CCTV, Wi‑Fi, indoor games, mess, computer rooms (Careers360).
• Library: Central library with print and digital resources; access to CeRA, CAB Abstract, RFID management; designated FAO repository (Careers360).
• Medical: On‑campus clinic in collaboration with Vivekanand Medical Research Institute, government medical centres for emergency and routine care (Careers360).
• Sports & Recreation: Grounds and courts for cricket, football, hockey, basketball, volleyball, badminton; standard 400 m athletic track; indoor sports (Careers360).
• Accessibility: Ramps, lifts installed in ~80% of buildings for differently‑abled access (Careers360).

5. Academic Excellence

5.1 Faculty & Student Body

• As of recent data, student strength: ~1,138 undergraduates and 268 postgraduates; faculty ~233 members (Careers360, Wikipedia).
• Balanced gender ratio (~61% female) and multi-disciplinary student mix (Careers360).

5.2 Scholarly Reputation

• CSK HPKV has a strong reputation in hill agriculture and veterinary sciences, regularly ranked among India’s top farming universities.
• It has released improved crop varieties (cereals, pulses, fodder, tea) tailored for mountainous cultivation (Wikipedia).

6. Research & Extension Activities

6.1 Research Centres & Outreach

Situated on campus:

• Advanced Centre for Hill Bio‑Resource & Biotechnology
• Organic Farming Research & Training Centre
• Centre for Commercial Mountain Agriculture & Enterprises Development
• Centre for Policy Research in Mountain Agriculture & Rural Development
• Centre for Human Resources Development in Mountain Agriculture (Wikipedia)

It also supports eight Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) across the state, including centers at Bajaura, Dhaulakuan, Kangra, Mandi, Una, Berthin, Kukumseri for extension and rural education (Wikipedia).

6.2 Innovation & Publications

• University publishes multiple scientific journals and magazines in English and Hindi.
• Active in crop improvement, policy, organic farming, mountain agri‑economics, publishing yield-enhancing crop varieties and technology-transfer case studies (Wikipedia).

7. Career Development & Placement Cell

7.1 Structure & Services

• Training & Placement Cell facilitates career counselling, industry internships, résumé workshops, guest lectures, and competitive exam guidance (e.g. ICAR‑NET, state forest or veterinary services).
• Coordination with agribusiness, veterinary firms, NGOs, and government schemes (Collegedunia, Wikipedia).

7.2 Placement Trends & Recruiters

• Placement rates vary across programs:
  • B.Sc. Agriculture / Food Tech / Veterinary: 60 – 70% placed, average ₹3.0 – 4.5 LPA; top ₹6 – 7 LPA in agri-business/hill dairy/forest departments (Collegedunia, Careers360, Wikipedia).
  • M.Sc. & Ph.D.: Many graduates placed in ICAR institutes, agricultural research bodies, state extension departments.
• Key recruiters include: ICAR laboratories, veterinary hospitals, agriculture extension boards, agro‑food processing firms, FPOs, state horticulture and forest services.

8. Rankings, Reputation & Awards

8.1 NIRF & National Ranking

• According to NIRF 2024, CSK HPKV is ranked #19 in the Agriculture & Allied Sectors category, and falls within #151–200 among overall Indian universities (Careers360).

8.2 Global & National Profiles

• uniRank / 4icu places CSK HPKV around world rank ~7808, country rank ~325 (uniRank).
• Recognised by IAUA among leading Indian agricultural universities (Wikipedia).

8.3 Institutional Accolades

• Regularly cited by ICAR for excellence in hill‑crop breeding and extension programs.
• Honoured for outreach via its multiple KVK network and mountain-specific agritech training initiatives.

9. Notable Individuals & Alumni

• Though CSK HPKV does not feature many nationally celebrated individuals, its alumni network includes professionals working across:
  • State Agriculture/Horticulture/Veterinary Departments
  • ICAR Research Institutes and Agri Extension Centers
  • Veterinary hospitals, rural development agencies, NGOs, and academic research bodies.
• Alumni often occupy leadership roles in rural agri-entrepreneurship (FPOs), agro-processing, and agricultural advisory services.

10. Student Life & Campus Environment

• Regular cultural fests, agro fairs, seminars, and skill competitions involving local farming communities.
• Strong student participation in sports, mountain trekking, youth leadership programs, and KVK-organised extension camps.
• Institutional support via student clubs, anti‑ragging committees, health services, and hostel welfare initiatives.

11. Address & Contact Details

• Official Address: Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur – 176062, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, India (Wikipedia).
• Vice‑Chancellor: As per latest records, Dr. Naveen Kumar (Governor of Himachal Pradesh is the Chancellor) (Wikipedia).
• Contact Phones (approx): Registrar (01894‑230406), Director Extension Education (01894‑230406), etc. (MyKollege).
• Website: www.hillagric.ac.in (Wikipedia).

12. Summary: Strengths & Opportunities

✅ Strengths

• Strategically tailored to hill‑agriculture and veterinary education in a mountainous environment.
• Strong academic and research infrastructure, with multiple research centres and extension nodes (KVKs).
• Integrated approach to education, technology development, and extension outreach across the state.
• Recognized via NIRF, ICAR, IAUA, and uniRank as a leading agricultural university in India’s mountain zones.

⚠️ Areas for Growth

• Corporate and startup placements remain limited compared to metropolitan agricultural universities.
• Alumni visibility beyond the regional agricultural ecosystem needs expansion.
• Scope exists for deeper industry‑academia partnerships, agritech incubators, and international collaborations.

13. Conclusion

Since 1978, Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya has played a pivotal role in strengthening agricultural education, research, and rural development in the Himalayan region. With holistic academic programs, research initiatives tailored to mountain ecosystems, extensive outreach via KVKs and extension networks, and solid placement outcomes in public-sector agricultural services, CSK HPKV remains a cornerstone institution for sustainable hill farming and allied sciences in India.

14. Quick Facts Table

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