Early Times Report
Jammu, June 22: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu has taken a significant stride in strengthening its industry-academia partnership by establishing the Bayer Learning Centre (BLC) under the dynamic leadership of Prof. B. N. Tripathi, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor. This collaborative initiative with Bayer Crop Science aims to provide hands-on learning opportunities to students, aligning agricultural education with modern industry practices. The agreement to establish the BLC was formally signed between Mr. Gulshan Singh Rana, Head Market Development and Commercial Capability, Bayer Crop Science and Prof. S.K. Gupta, Director Research, SKUAST-Jammu. The initiative was coordinated by Prof. Sanjay Guleria, Dean, Faculty of Basic Sciences and Incharge, Counselling and Placement Cell.
The BLC will function as a field-based learning and demonstration platform, enabling students to gain practical exposure to innovative agricultural technologies. SKUAST-Jammu will provide land, agricultural tools, machinery, and infrastructure support. It will also ensure regular academic guidance, faculty coordination, and management of produce generated from BLC demonstrations. Bayer will contribute by supplying essential inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, crop protection products, and micronutrients, and will bear the operational cost including labour charges. Additionally, Bayer will offer incentives or stipends to students actively involved in the centre’s activities and will provide technical support through literature, expert visits, and training programs.
Both institutions will jointly develop an annual work plan, co-brand the centre, and document success stories and learnings for broader dissemination. The agreement is valid for an initial period of five years and may be extended with mutual consent. Prof. N. Tripathi emphasized that the BLC represents SKUAST-Jammu’s strong commitment to experiential learning, skill development, and making students future-ready and industry-aligned. |
