College of Horticulture Thenzawl

Central Agricultural University

Type	Central agricultural university
Established	26 January 1993 (1993-01-26)
Affiliations	DARE, ICAR, UGC, ACU
Chancellor	Pradeep Kumar Joshi
Vice-Chancellor	Anupam Mishra
Visitor	President of India
Location	Lamphelpat, Imphal , Manipur , India
Website	cau.ac.in

Central Agricultural University (CAU) is a central agricultural university located at Lamphelpat, Imphal, in the Indian state of Manipur. It is the first university of three central agricultural universities in India recognised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.^[1] It is Institution of National Importance recognized by Government of India [Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institutes_of_National_Importance ]

History

The university was established by an act of Parliament, the Central Agricultural University Act, 1992 (No. 40 of 1992).^[2] The Act came into effect on 26 January 1993, following notification by the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), and the university became operational on 13 September 1993 with the appointment of its first vice-chancellor, M. P. Singh.^[2]

Jurisdiction

The university's jurisdiction extends to seven of the eight North-Eastern states, namely Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Assam falls outside its jurisdiction, being served by Assam Agricultural University.^[2]

Academics

CAU offers undergraduate programmes across agriculture, agricultural engineering, Community Science, horticulture, food nutrition and dietetics, food technology, forestry, fisheries, veterinary sciences, delivered through its constituent colleges. In undergraduate programme, the B.Sc.(hons.) degree in natural farming is introduced from the academic session 2023-24. The university offers M.Sc., M.V.Sc. and M. Tech Programmes in agriculture, agricultural Engineering, biochemistry, plant molecular biology and biotechnology, community science, food science, fishery science, forestry, horticulture, veterinary science and MBA through its constituent colleges. In different constituent colleges, Ph.D. degree programmes are offered in agriculture, agricultural engineering, horticulture, forestry, fishery science, Veterinary sciences. Admissions to undergraduate programmes are conducted partly through state nominations from the seven jurisdictional states under the university, which receive 85 per cent of seats at the undergraduate level under state reservation policies, and 15% through the ICAR AIEEA examination administered by the National Testing Agency.^[3] For M.Sc. and Ph.D degree programmes 25% of seats are reserved for the candidates who had passed examination conducted by ICAR, New Delhi and VCI at all India level; and remaining 75% seats through the university entrance examination which is open to all India level.

Constituent Colleges of the University

The university comprises thirteen constituent colleges spread across the North-Eastern Hill(NEH) region excluding Assam State. In Manipur, these include the College of Agriculture at Imphal [Ref.: https://cau.ac.in/college-of-agriculture-imphal/] and the College of Food Technology at Lamphelpat [Ref.: https://cau.ac.in/home-cft-lamphelpat/]. Arunachal Pradesh hosts the College of Horticulture and Forestry [Ref.:https://cau.ac.in/home-chf-pasighat/] as well as the College of Agriculture, Pasighat [Ref.:https://cau.ac.in/home-ca-pasighat/] both at Pasighat. Meghalaya houses the College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences at Umiam [Ref.:https://cau.ac.in/home-pg-studies-in-agricultural-sciences-umiam/], the College of Community Science at Tura [Ref.:https://cau.ac.in/home-ccs-tura/], and the College of Agriculture at Kyrdemkulai [Ref.:. https://cau.ac.in/home-ca-kyrdemkulai/]. Mizoram is home to the College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry at Selesih [Ref.:https://cau.ac.in/cvsahaizawl/] and the College of Horticulture at Thenzawl [Ref.:https://cau.ac.in/home-ch-thenzawl/]. Nagaland has the College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry at Jalukie [Ref.: https://cau.ac.in/home-cvah-jalukie/]. Sikkim hosts the College of Agricultural Engineering and Post Harvest Technology at Gangtok Ref.: https://cau.ac.in/home-caepht/] and the College of Horticulture at Bermiok [Ref.: https://cau.ac.in/home-ch-bermiok/].In Tripura, there is the College of Fisheries, Lembucherra [Ref.:https://cau.ac.in/home-cof/] .

Administration

The university has three directorates viz., Directorate of Instruction, Directorate of Research, and Directorate of Extension Education.

Directorate of Instruction

The Directorate started its functioning in 2005 in accordance with the Central Agricultural University Act, 1992 (No.40 Of 1992) wherein the Director of Instruction is responsible for planning, co-ordination and supervision for all educational programmes (viz., Undergraduate: Postgraduate and PH.D) in the various faculties of the University [Ref.:https://cau.ac.in/home-directorate-of-instruction/]. Besides fulfilling aims and objectives laid down under the Act; new initiatives have been initiated. Among them worth mentioning ones are 1. Faculty Induction Programme[FIP] which is one of the first kind in any agricultural universities in India; 2. Faculty Development Programme (FDP); 3. Online teaching and learning during Lockdown and bandh; 4.Cross campus teaching and guidance;5.Industry and Investors Interaction along with students; 6. Student Innovative Business Ideas Competition; 7. Student Conclave on Futuristic Education, 8. Question setting by students [Ref.: https://cauimphal.online/quizapp/public/],9. Establishment of six(6) state-of-the-art Language Lab used for learning Foreign languages(Japanese, Korean, French) by the students from professionals, 10. establishment of incubation centres so that graduates are trained to opt Entrepreneurship as a profession.

Directorate of Research

The Directorate with its mandatory responsibility to monitor, co-ordinate and supervise all the research activities under the University aims at developing technologies which can bring about a far reaching impact on the productivity and profitability of crops, animals and fishes through sustainable and eco-friendly technological and scientific approaches for socio-economic upliftment of the people of NEH Region. With a view to fulfil the research objectives of the University, a number of need based location specific internally and externally funded basic, applied, strategic and adaptive research projects were undertaken in all the constituent colleges of the University. Among the significant achievements varieties of rice, CAU-R1, CAU-R2, CAU-R3, CAU-R4; CAU-R5; CAU-R105, CAU-R107, CAU-R124 etc. Soybean variety CAU-MS1, Groundnut Variety CAU-GS1, Cassava variety TCa13-1 (CAU-Umangra 1)are released. Twenty-seven(27) technologies are significant ones among the technologies developed by the university. There are 44 All India Co-ordinated Research Projects(AICRPs) and 150 Externally Funded Research Projects (EFRPs) and 44 university funded research projects till March 2025. So far the university is having 72 published and granted IPRs including international patents.

Directorate of Extension Education

It is responsible for dissemination of useful and latest agricultural information to the farmers through constituent colleges and Krishi Vigyan Kendras of the University besides planning, monitoring and execution of extension progress based on results of the researches conducted in all campuses/units of the University. The university also operates six Krishi Vigyan Kendras, which serve as agricultural extension centres, at Andro in Imphal East district of Manipur, East Siang in Arunachal Pradesh, Aizawl in Mizoram, East Garo Hills and South Garo Hills in Meghalaya, and Sepahijala in Tripura. The university has six multi-technology testing centre (MTTC) and vocational training centre(VTC), which serve as the centre to validate and test technology developed by the university as well as conducting vocational trainings etc., which are located at College of Agriculture, Imphal; College of Agriculture, Pasighat, College of Horticulture, Bermiok, College of horticulture, Thenzawl, College of community science, Tura and College of Fisheries, Tripura.

Rankings

In the ranking by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi in the year 2021, the central agricultural university, Imphal, India was ranked 13th position out of sixty-seven (67) participating universities In the National Institutional Ranking Framework, the university was ranked 29th in the "Agriculture and Allied Sectors" category in 2023 ; 31st in the "Agriculture and Allied Sectors" category in 2024^[4] and 24th in 2025 out of 173 participating institutes of India.^[5]

Notable Persons

Alumni

Alumni studying at international institutes

Alumni of the CAU, Imphal is undergoing their further PG,Ph.D and post doctoral research in renowned international institutes; viz., Sumita Sen undergoing Ph.D. Research in Ohio State University, US [Ref: https://cfaes.osu.edu/person/sumita-sen]; Sindoora Nalajala at University of Georgia, US [Ref:https://blueberrybreeding.uga.edu/our-team/]; Hawaibam Birla Singh in Synthetic Biotechnology Laboratory at the Division of Applied Life Science within Gyeongsang National University in Chinju[Ref:http://synbilab.com/index.php?gt=people/people04]; Suchismita Raha, Research Scientist in Microenvironment liver anti-cancer and anti-Inflammatory therapeutics Virginia Commonwealth University [VCU],US [Ref: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suchismita-r-00599b19/]; Sinheiba Ngangbam; Master of Science - MS, Crop and Plant Sciences from Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy [Ref: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ngangbam32/], Lokesh Pawar, Msc in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRSea) Ghent University, Belgium

Alumni working at different organisations and institutes

The alumni of the university has cleared examination conducted by UPSC, New Delhi and served as Indian Forest Service(IFS)viz., Ms. Laetitia Jean Syiemiong [Ref:https://www.whispersinthecorridors.com/detail/56367-L-J-Syiemiong-appointed-DIG-Forests,-MOEFandamp;CC,-Shillong]; many alumni has cleared ARS examinations conducted by Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board (ASRB) and hold the post of Joint Director/Head of Regional Centre under Indian Council of Agricultural Research for North East Hill Region (NEH), Umiam, Meghalaya viz., Dr.S.Basanta Singh,Head ICAR NEH, Imphal Centre, Manipur [Ref: http://www.icarneh.ernet.in/Profile/Manipur_Profile.html]; Senior Scientists viz., Dr. Kh. Rishikanta Singh; Dr. Arati Ningombam; Dr. Tensubam Basanta Singh; Dr. Romila Akoijam ; some alumni are in active service viz., Mihir Lal Das, TPS Gr-I; Commandant, 1st Bn. TSR; Tripura; [Ref: https://police.tripura.gov.in/tsr]; some are Professors in Universities viz., Prof. Bireswar Sinha, Medziphema campus, Nagaland University [Ref:https://medziphema.nagalanduniversity.ac.in/PlantPathology_Faculty]. Dr. Anup Das who is NAAS Fellow (2019) [Ref:https://naas.org.in/detail.php?id=681] is working as Director, ICAR Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna, Bihar, February, 2023 onwards [Ref: https://icarrcer.org.in/director/],Shilpita Das who is working at USDA Foreign Agricultural Service as Agriculture Analyst [Ref:https://www.linkedin.com/in/shilpita-das-813a3228/], Yenkhom Telheikhomba as Assistant in Food Corporation of India, North Lakhimpur, Assam;

Alumni as entrepreneur

Some of the alumni becomes successful entrepreneur like Pranay Kanti Dey, who established BABA AGRO NURSERY,BAMUTIA, TRIPURA [Ref: https://tmnehs.gov.in/writereaddata/Baba%20Agro%20Nursery-Bamutia.pdf; https://horti.tripura.gov.in/sites/default/files/2023-10/success_story.pdf]. Like him some of the fisheries graduate established biofloc enterprizes in Manipur state

Alumni working in Industries and companies

Many alumni are working in renowned companies and industries; and thus making linkage with the university with companies and industries. Some are highlighted here; Kanala Sai Sreelekha, M.Sc.(Agri.) from CAU, Imphal and now working as Territory Manager Quality Assurance at Bayer Crop Science, Hyderabad, Telangana, India [Ref: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kanala-sai-sreelekha-3565671b7/], Monika Kolisetti, M.Sc.(Agri.) from CAU, Imphal working as Operations and Business Development Executive Hyderabad, Telangana, India at 'Bluedoor Global Solutions'Hyderabad, India [Ref: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monika-kolisetti-65971b228/]; Suchiradipta Bhattacharjee working as Policy Engagement Specialist at International Water Management Institute (IWMI)Anand, Gujarat, India

Alumni working at International Institutes/organisations

Shilpita Das as Policy Analyst at USDA, US [Ref: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shilpita-das-813a3228/]; Iman Raj Chongtham as Associate Professor at Department of Biosystems and Technology,Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences [Ref: https://www.slu.se/en/profilepages/c/raj-chongtham/]

International Alumni working at Institutes and organizations

International Students viz., Danisa Dube, M.Sc.(Agri.) in Genetics and Plant Breeding from College of Agriculture, Imphal, CAU, Imphal India is now serving as Lecturer (Genetics and Plant Breeding)at Gwanda State University, Zimbabwe [Re: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danisa-dube-72b960122/];

Faculty at different Institutions

Some of the distinguished faculty members of CAU, Imphal held administrative positions in the renowned national institutes of national importance on lien; some of them are 1. Dr. Mayank Rai; Dean, Post Graduate College of Agriculture; Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University,Pusa, Samastipur – 848 125, Bihar [Ref:https://rpcau.ac.in/profile-of-dr-mayank-rai/; https://cau.ac.in/departments-cpgsas-umiam/]; 4. Dr. Ajay Kumar Vashish; Dean; College of Agricultural Engineering & Technology CCS Haryana Agricultural University Hisar - 125004 Haryana (India)[ Ref:https://www.hau.ac.in/college/college-of-agricultural-engineering-and-technology]; 2. Prof. Lobsang Wangchu; Head, ICAR-Regional Center, Arunachal Pradesh [Ref: http://www.icarneh.ernet.in/Staff/Arunachal_Pradesh.html]; 6. Dr. Pradip Kumar Bora; Director ; North Eastern Regional Institute of Water and Land Management(NERIWALM), Tezpur {Ref: https://neriwalm.gov.in/index.php ; https://neriwalm.gov.in/rti/4_b_ix.pdf]

References

External links

• Official website

24°48′47″N 93°53′24″E / 24.8130°N 93.8900°E / 24.8130; 93.8900