SRM College of Agricultural Sciences, a unit of the SRM Institute of Science and Technology, plans to introduce seven Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) courses from the next academic year, said college dean M Jawaharlal.
This academic year, the college has launched Ph.D courses in agronomy, genetics and plant breeding, and fruit science. Next academic year, it will launch the doctoral courses in soil science, plant pathology, entomology, agricultural economics, agricultural extension education, vegetable science, and floriculture and landscaping.
“The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has given accreditation to our college. We provide hands-on training to the students. We also have tie-ups with universities abroad. All these help our students,” said the college dean.
Offering honours course
Set up in 2018, the college introduced post-graduate courses in these 10 courses a couple of years ago. The Ph.D is timed in a way that once the students finish their post-graduation, they can look at the option of taking the Ph.D courses, said Jawaharlal.
The college, which is operating on a 400-acre campus at Baburayanpettai in Chengalpattu district – about 115 km from Chennai – since March 2021, offers graduate honours courses in agriculture and horticulture.
The college offers on-farm training to its students enrolled in graduate and postgraduate courses. In the graduate course, the students spend their last semester learning to manage farms or become entrepreneurs.
“We educate the students through hands-on training on field preparation, micro irrigation system, organic farming, integrated farming systems, dryland agriculture, smart farming and agro-meteorological observatory for experiential learning with a multi-disciplinary approach for a well-rounded education in the field of agriculture,” said Jawaharlal.
Research opportunities
Post-graduate students are offered opportunities to do research in specialised fields. The college has units to conduct practical classes and well-equipped laboratories to expose students on various aspects of agriculture.
For example, in agroforestry, students get training in identifying important tree species along with their seeds and seedlings, demonstrating the production of saplings and silviculture and agri-silviculture techniques.
Two batches of students travelled to Kenya to learn about tulips and cut flowers. The College of Agriculture Sciences has a collaboration with the agricultural college of Kansas State University and UK’s Cranfield University for students’ exchange.
The university has over 800 students enrolled from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Nepal. The other feature of the college’s graduate courses is that students have to undertake travel in their last semester and learn about crops in other parts of the country, said the dean.
The College of Agricultural Sciences has now begun to train people in urban farming at its headquarters in Kattankulathur, about 50 km from Chennai. “There has been a good response to this. We are even looking to enlighten children on farming,” said Jawaharlal.
(The writer was at the campus on the invitation of the SRM College of Agricultural Sciences)
Published on September 12, 2025