NAHEP is designed to strengthen the national agricultural education system in India with overall objective to provide more relevant and high quality education to agricultural university students. This programme has been promoting efficiency and competiveness through changes in working mechanism of agricultural universities, raising the teaching and research standards through improved research and teaching infrastructure and enhanced faculty competency and commitments, and making agricultural education more attractive to talented students.

There are four key components under NAHEP, namely; Institutional Development Plan (IDP), Centres for Advanced Agricultural Sciences and Technology (CAAST), ICAR to support excellence in agricultural universities (AUs), and ICAR Innovation Grants to AUs.

Centres for Advanced Agricultural Science and Technology is awarded to  accredited AUs. This Centre would be multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary in nature for teaching, research and extension on critical and emerging issues of agriculture.

The key provisions under CAAST include research and teaching equipment, faculty and scientist development fellowships, postgraduate student scholarships, and the costs associated with twinning arrangements with similar centers both nationally and internationally.

The focus of CAAST hinges upon development of multidisciplinary faculty, innovative approaches to teaching and research, technology development and commercialization.

• High emphasis on industry orientation of agricultural science and technology generation system through strengthened association and partnership will be laid under this Component.
• It is envisaged that the support and efforts under CAAST would strengthen agricultural higher education with better employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for agriculture graduates.
• Master and Ph.D. students sandwich program to facilitate student exposure to national and international universities.
• Modern research facilities to conduct high-quality advanced research by faculty and students.
• Faculty upgradation through international and national training with mentor universities.
• Targeted research collaboration with national and international centres of excellence to increase both faculty/student productivity and research quality and relevance.
• Adjunct/Visiting Professorship opportunities to stimulate innovation in ongoing PG research and to mentor PG students.
• Distinguished Lecture Series/ Special lectures to bring about much needed vibrancy in the academic atmosphere and inspire students and faculty to perform better.
• Collaboration with private sector, industry and civil society organizations related to the specialized areas to develop market oriented programs and produce industry ready graduates.
• Conducting capacity building programmes for students, faculty and research scholars across the country
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