Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Chhattisgarh, India

🌾 Cultivating Excellence: Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Chhattisgarh

Introduction

Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV), located in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, is a premier state agricultural university that serves as a hub for education, research, and extension in crop sciences, forestry, agronomy, and allied sectors. Founded in the late 1980s, IGKV blends academic rigor with field-based training, industry partnerships, and farmer outreach—aligned with its mission to drive sustainable agricultural development in central India and beyond.

1. Establishment & History

1.1 Founding & Legislative Origin

IGKV was formally established on January 20, 1987, under the state government’s agricultural university act. It is named in honour of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and set up to serve Chhattisgarh, which was part of undivided Madhya Pradesh at the time (Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya).

1.2 Mandate & Evolution

The university draws its mandate from the national land-grant model—education, research, and extension in agriculture and allied sciences. Over time, IGKV has grown to encompass 16 constituent colleges, 15 affiliated private colleges, multiple research stations and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) across Chhattisgarh (Target Admission).

2. Affiliations & Accreditation

• Recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) as a state public university (Target Admission).
• Affiliated with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), participating in ICAR‑regulated education, admission, and research schemes (Shikshalelo).
• Accredited NAAC Grade A, reflecting strong institutional quality (active accreditation status confirmed) (Shikshalelo).
• Member of the Indian Agricultural Universities Association (IAUA), reinforcing its role in national agenda for agriculture education (Wikipedia).

3. Courses Offered & Academic Structure

IGKV offers comprehensive academic programmes at undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, certificate, and diploma levels across multiple disciplines.

3.1 Undergraduate Programmes

• B.Sc. (Agriculture)
• B.Sc. (Horticulture)
• B.Tech. in Agricultural Engineering
• B.Sc. Home Science (Human Development & Family Studies) (Shikshalelo, Chhattisgarh Shiksha).

These programmes accept admission primarily through ICAR AIEEA, CG-PAT, and CG-PET examinations (Shikshalelo).

3.2 Postgraduate Programmes

M.Sc. agricultural disciplines including:

• Agronomy
• Genetics & Plant Breeding
• Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry
• Entomology
• Agricultural Extension
• Plant Pathology
• Statistics
• Economics
• Plant Physiology
• Agro-Meteorology
• Molecular Biology & Biotechnology
• Microbiology
• Forestry
• Fruit Science, Vegetable Science, Floriculture & Landscaping
• M.Tech. Agricultural Engineering (Soil & Water Engineering, Farm Machinery & Power, Food & Processing Engineering) (Chhattisgarh Shiksha).

3.3 Doctoral & Research Degrees

• Ph.D. programmes in most M.Sc./M.Tech. disciplines (entrance via ICAR AICEA or university CET, minimum requirement: Master’s degree with specified percentiles) (Shikshalelo, Chhattisgarh Shiksha).

3.4 Extension & Certificate Courses

• IGKV also imparts extension education and short certificate courses to farmers and rural stakeholders, working through KVKs and outreach centres. These may include training in sustainable farming, seed technology, pesticide management, etc. (Aajtak Campus).

4. Campus Facilities & Infrastructure

4.1 Location & Campus Area

• The main campus is situated at Krishak Nagar, Raipur – postal code 492012, covering approximately 238 acres (Shikshalelo).

4.2 Academic Facilities

• Nehru Library: A central library with over 125,000 resources (books, reports, theses, monographs) and subscriptions to 200+ print journals and 3,500+ online journals. ICAR recognizes it as a regional reference library for Central India. Facilities include an integrated cyberspace (“Cybrary”) with Wi‑Fi and LAN connectivity (Chhattisgarh Shiksha).
• Laboratories for soil, biotechnology, pest pathology, food science, dairy technology, and more across disciplines.
• Computer center & ICT facility: supports faculty and student research.
• Auditorium, sports facilities (grounds for cricket, football, volleyball, basketball, badminton, indoor games), medical clinic, cafeteria and guest house (Target Admission).

4.3 Residential & Student Support

• Hostels for men and women with hygienic mess facilities.
• Sports and gymnasium facilities.
• Transport services connecting from Raipur railway station (~12 km) and airport (~15 km) (Shikshalelo).

5. Academic Excellence & Research

5.1 Research Capacity & Outputs

According to EduRank 2025:

• 2,114 research articles published, with 15,551 citations.
• Ranked #378 in India, #2398 in Asia, #6370 globally.
• Classified in the top half of institutions across 12 research topics—including Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Science, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Forestry, etc. (edurank.org).

5.2 Research Projects & Extensions

• Coordinated through the Directorate of Research Services and Research Council.
• IGKV conducts research with support from agencies like ICAR, DST, DBT, World Bank (NATP, NAIP), IRRI, Biodiversity International, IFAD, ICRISAT, BARC, and others.
• Research centres focus on crop improvement, sustainable farming practices, climate-smart agriculture, pest management, agro-tech and biotechnology innovations. Notable conservation efforts include record-holding germplasm collections (including over 19,000 indigenous rice varieties) curated by luminaries such as Dr. R.H. Richharia—whose work houses at IGKV labs (Aajtak Campus).

5.3 Extension & Innovation Outreach

• Annual Agri Carnival (e.g., in October 2024): domestically an agriculture-tech festival involving innovators, students, and farmers.
• Youth Conclave / Startup Meets to inspire agritech entrepreneurship and rural innovation (Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya).

6. Career Development & Placement

6.1 Placement Cell & Training

IGKV maintains an active placement cell that organizes:

• Career counselling and orientation workshops
• Personality development and soft-skills training
• Campus recruitment events with industry and agribusiness organizations
• Internship coordination with research institutes and farm enterprises (collegedekho.com).

6.2 Recruitment Metrics & Recruiters

Based on recent sources:

• Over 80% of eligible students placed annually.
• Average salary: ₹4–6 LPA; Highest placements: ₹12–18 LPA depending on programme.
  • B.Tech (Agricultural Engineering): max ₹12 LPA; avg approx ₹6.5 LPA
  • M.Tech: max ₹15 LPA; avg ~₹8 LPA
  • Ph.D.: max ₹18 LPA; avg ~₹10 LPA for many disciplines
  • MBA (Agribusiness): max ₹10 LPA; avg ~₹5.5 LPA
  • B.Sc. Horticulture / Agriculture: avg ~₹4–4.5 LPA
  • Diploma/Certificate: avg ~₹2.5–3.5 LPA (Shikshalelo).
• Recruiters include major agribusinesses and food companies such as Rallis, Mahyco, Advanta Seeds, IFFCO, NABARD, FieldFresh Foods, Reliance Retail, ICICI, HDFC Bank, Parle Agro, Monsanto, Syngenta, Excel Crop Care, UPL, Mahindra Agro, Escorts, Godrej Agrovet, Tata Agro and more (Shikshalelo).

7. Notable Alumni & Legacy

IGKV alumni make meaningful contributions in agricultural research, farmer extension, agribusiness, education, policy, and media. While specific individual profiles are less publicly listed, a distinguished figure is Dr. R.H. Richharia, renowned agronomist credited with preserving India’s rice biodiversity, whose legacy includes the R.H. Richharia Research Laboratory at IGKV (Wikipedia).

8. Reputation, Rankings & Awards

8.1 National Ranking & Recognition

• ICAR ranked IGKV among the top 17 agricultural universities in India (2016–17) (Target Admission).
• EduRank 2025 places IGKV at:
  • #378 in India
  • #2398 in Asia
  • #6370 worldwide
  • #5 among 23 state universities in Chhattisgarh
  • #4 among 10 universities in Raipur (Wikipedia, edurank.org).

8.2 Awards & Achievements

• Golden Book of the World Award (2018) for largest germplasm conservation by any agricultural university (in recognition of its extensive crop collection) (My First College).
• ICAR and NAAC Grade A accreditation, recognition of institutional standards (Shikshalelo).

9. Strengths, Challenges & Student Experience

9.1 Strengths

• Comprehensive agricultural education across disciplines integrated with research and extension.
• Strong research profile, especially in crop biodiversity, biotechnology, agro-ecology.
• High placement rates, with reputable recruiters and attractive salary offers.
• Wide scholarship support: over 85% of students receive ICAR/state merit scholarships (annual fee ~₹17,240 for M.Sc.) (Shikshalelo, getmyuni.com).
• Excellent library and computational infrastructure via Nehru Library (ICAR regional status) (Chhattisgarh Shiksha).

9.2 Challenges

• Some infrastructure concerns about hostel quality noted by student reviewers (college infrastructure rating ~2.5/5) (getmyuni.com).
• Placement packages vary across disciplines—engineering and agribusiness students have higher potential; B.Sc. placements moderate.
• Moderate global research visibility—in top 50% globally but scope for improvement in output volume and citation impact.

9.3 Student Environment & Campus Life

• Active participation in cultural events like the annual Agri Carnival, Youth Conclave, seminars, inter-college academic festivals.
• Student union and clubs facilitate welfare and academic support.
• Most students rate academic life and scholarship opportunities favorably, though infrastructure upgrades are awaited (getmyuni.com).

10. Address & Contact Details

• Address: Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Krishak Nagar, Raipur – 492012, Chhattisgarh, India (Shikshalelo)
• Contact Phone: +91‑771‑2442537 (as public info) (collegedekho.com, Target Admission)
• Website: https://igkv.ac.in/ (Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Chhattisgarh Shiksha)

11. Summary & Conclusion

Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya is a noted centre of agricultural excellence in India’s heartland. Since its establishment in 1987, IGKV has evolved into a research-driven, placement-strong institution that addresses the region’s agricultural needs through education, innovation, and farmer outreach.

• Strong accreditation (UGC‑recognized, NAAC A, ICAR-affiliated) ✔
• Wide-ranging courses across agricultural sciences, engineering, horticulture, and related fields ✔
• Robust infrastructure including advanced labs, ICAR regional library, hostels, sports and medical facilities ✔
• Research leadership in crop germplasm, environmental science, and sustainable agriculture ✔
• Placement strength, with national recruiters and solid salary packages ✔
• Reputation: Ranked top 5 among Chhattisgarh state universities; Golden Book award for germplasm; agritech innovation events and collaborations ✔

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