Under the great vision of Hon. Dr. D. Y. Patil (Founder President), Hon. Dr. Sanjay D. Patil (President), Hon. Shri. Satej D. Patil (Vice-President) and Mr. Ruturaj S. Patil (Trustee) and Mr. Prithviraj S. Patil, (Trustee) D. Y. Patil Education Society, Kolhapur, we are encompassing large number of education careers through different Agricultural courses and degree programme.
In India, everyone is aware of the significance of agriculture to the overall economy. Since agriculture employs almost 70% of the Indian population, it will eventually be necessary to upgrade the agricultural education system. Because of this, the D. Y. Patil Education Society founded the College of Agriculture in 2008, affiliated with Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, to offer higher education in agriculture to rural youngsters in order to give them prospects and jobs. Only the undergraduate (UG) B.Sc.(Hons.) Agriculture program is offered by the college. College was started with a student intake of 60 for B.Sc. (Agriculture) programme and from the year 2012-13, student intake is increased to 120. Total 10 different departments come under B.Sc. Agri. Degree programme viz., Agronomy, Horticulture, Agril. Botany, Plant pathology, Entomology, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Science, Soil Science, Agril. Engineering, Agril. Economics and Agril. Extension.
Total 21 teaching faculty are in our college. Out of which 8 faculties are PhD holder in which two faculties are gold medallist in Ph.D. and one received Gold medal in M.Sc. Total 04 faculties are ICAR NET qualified.
We have received ‘Agrowon Business Excellence Award -2019’ from Sakal-Agrowon for our great contribution in the field of agriculture education. Also recently received India Agro Business Awards 2022 in New Delhi. We have done more than 20 Academic and Industrial collaborations for betterment of student academic and future. Different competency-based activities we conduct in our college to give each student equal opportunity to master necessary skills and become successful adults. Sr to Jr. activity, Cultural activities, MCEAR test series, NSS programme, also institute gives students an international exposure that helps students to get out of their shell and become bolder and also helps them to broaden their horizon.
As per B.Sc.(Hons.) Agri. Programme our last year students engage in student READY(Rural Entrepreneurship Awareness Development Yojana) programme. The RAWE (Rural Awareness Work Experience programme) provides exposure to agricultural students to the natural setting of the village situations, work with the farm families, identify their problems and make use of various extension tools for transferring the latest agricultural technologies. The students also get opportunity to study the various on-going schemes related to agriculture and rural development and participate in their implementation.There are 4 components incorporated in RAWE. Under the title of Rural Agricultural Work Experience and Agro-industrial Attachment (RAWE & AIA), final year students enrol for RAWE place in villages for a period of 10 weeks to understand the rural situation in relation to agriculture and allied activities. The students attach with government/university/ ICAR units engaged in the region to get acquainted with the on-going research/educational and extension activities and rural development programmes through farmers training, workshops for a period of 4 weeks. In continuation with the village attachment programme, the students would simultaneously undergo plant clinic activities which will impart diagnostic and remedial knowledge relevant to real field situation through practical training. The students place in the agro-industries including cottage industries and commodities boards for a period of three weeks to get exposure and an experience of the industrial environment and working. This develops confidence and competence among students. Simultaneously half batch of students enroll for experiential learning programme offered for 180 days (one semester) period in the final year. The Experiential Learning Programme run for full year by making two groups and rotating activities of the final year in two groups. One group for RAWE & AIA programme and another for ELP and vice versa.Our college offered Experiential learning like Commercial Production of Organic Inputs, Processing of Milk and Milk Products, Seed Production and Technology, Commercial Vegetable Production, Biofertilizer Production Technology and Soil, Water, Plant and Fertilizer Analysis.
Our students are making great accomplishments in various fields. From 2017 our 17 students are selected and received scholarship from Government of Israel for Summer Training at Hebrew University, Israel. The Council of Higher Education, Govt. of Israel offered scholarship of 18,400 N.I.S. (Rs.3, 57,880) for each of the selected students. Along with academic excellence college also encourage students to participate in sports activities. More than 75 students selected for University level Sport Competition in various sports. To develop personality and confidence among students, college give opportunity to participate students in various competitions like Debate elocution, Poster presentation, research competition etc. One of our student received scholarship by Govt. of Maharashtra for success in Avishkar research competition. Ms. Vedika Khedekar our Third-year student received 3rd Prize in Avishkar Competition 2023.
Total 1217 students graduated from this college from its foundation year. MCAER PG CET is conducted by Maharashtra Agriculture Universities Examination Board (MAUEB) to shortlist aspirants for admission in PG level courses. 155+ students from this college completed higher education in PG from different agricultural universities. In 2020-21, 47 students, in 2021-22, 38 students, 2022-23, 44 students and in 2023-24, 50 students have been taken admission for PG studies. 11 of our alumni completed PhD from different National level Institutions. Two alumni from our college received Gold medal from renowned Universities of India. One at PG level and Second for Doctorate degree. 5 students from our college were state/university level research competition winner.
For betterment of future, college organised various lectures and provide guidance for the preparation public services exams like UPSC, MPSC etc. This helps students to get entered in Public service sector. 16 students from our college selected for Agriculture officers, 2 are Police Sub Inspector, 1 selected as a regional forest Officer, One as a NABARD Grad A officer, 5 selected as a Deputy Director of Agriculture, 1 as a Assistant Labour Commissioner, 1 as a Sales tax inspector and 1 as a Tax assistant. One of our Alumni Mr. Vaibhav Dighe got 1st rank in MPSC Forest service and selected as ACF (Asst Conservator Forest). 50+ students are working in various Govt. Banking Sector as an Agriculture officer. 40+ our alumni are successful Entrepreneurs in various field. Many students (400+) are also working in private sector in national and multinational agriculture base companies on higher rank.
With all these features and our efforts over the years, this institute has accredited with ‘A’ Grade by Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri. Our college received awards for “Best Agriculture Institute of the Year” and “Best Agriculture College of Maharashtra” from the Navbharat Group in 2023.