Engage-wl-6586-Understanding Employment Needs and Preferences in Indian Agricultural Higher Education: A Comprehensive Study of Students, Faculty, and Alumni

A comprehensive survey was conducted among students, faculty, and alumni in India's agricultural higher education to gather insights into their employment needs and curriculum suggestions aligned with industry trends and technological advancements. The study involved 6,505 undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students, 1,325 faculties, and 1,086 alumni from 76 agricultural universities under the National Agriculture Research and Education System (NARES) overseen by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). Data collected through Computer-Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI) covered employment trends, factors influencing career decisions, perceptions of education delivery, and relevant skills acquired. Notably, 50% of students developed crucial skills including personality, core subject knowledge, communication, research, industry etiquette, and behaviour. Faculty preferences paralleled students' choices, with 50% aiming for higher studies or government positions and acknowledging a rise in private sector opportunities. Faculty recommended improvements such as industry exposure visits, enhanced communication training, and market-oriented pilot courses. Alumni revealed challenges with job placements (only 23% had immediate employment) and identified crucial lacking skills including IT, communication, negotiation, personality development, business analytics, and managerial skills. The study highlighted the significance of experiential learning, practical knowledge, communication skills, and industry exposure in securing better job placements for graduates, providing valuable insights for enhancing agricultural higher education and facilitating smoother transitions to the job market for students, faculty, and alumni.