College of Agriculture Pune nixes placement forum following 'meddling' charges

PUNE: The College of Agriculture Pune (CoAP) nipped in the bud an initiative by some of its former and current students to boost the employment prospects of the institute's graduates.

The group had sought to create a forum associated with the college, named “AgriConnect”, that would improve campus placements by connecting students with alumni and industries as well as developing job-oriented skills. However, the promoters began facing allegations of “meddling” in the institute's affairs even before the idea could take shape, and it was eventually shelved by the college administration.

While the institute defended its decision, saying that there was no need for a separate body as the college already has an “official” student council, those involved with the project believe that it was sabotaged by some faculty members and students with “vested interests”.

The development at CoAP, a constituent college of Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV), Rahuri, and one of the oldest agriculture education centre in the country, comes at a time when the agriculture graduates in the state find it difficult to land well-paying jobs. The snub stands in stark contrast to other premier institutes around the country, which are increasingly relying on their alumni network for monetary, placement and academic support.

CoAP AgriConnect

AgriConnect was the brainchild of Aniket Wakale, a 2022 graduate from CoAP and a committee member of the institute's alumni association, who had also brought on board some of the students from the institute. Speaking to Careers360 in early March, Wakale and the students had billed it as a pilot project to address poor placements and the employability gap at agri institutes.

The forum was to organise a number of events aimed at mentoring students and honing their soft skills and extra-curricular knowledge. They also promised a platform for students to connect with the alumni and help them find jobs and internships.

Wakale (centre) and CoAP students assoicated with AgriConnect. (Image: Musab Qazi)

For this purpose, the group had also drafted a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed by the college and the alumni association. The agreement entailed that the college would provide necessary infrastructure and logistical support for AgriConnect's activities and encourage student participation. The Alumni Association would have been responsible for providing mentorship and career guidance, and arranging for industry interaction.

In the last week of February, the group had also submitted a proposal to expand the institute's placement hall.

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However, none of it saw the light of day, as the initiative caused some discontent on the campus. On March 20, several students from the college complained against AgriConnect to the Maharashtra Council for Agricultural Education and Research (MCAER), the state regulator of agri universities and colleges, claiming that the platform is causing 'interference'. On the same day, the council issued a letter to the college asking for an explanation on the issue.

The college, in turn, refused to grant recognition to the group. "We didn't want a separate front as we have a students' council. It's an official body. We will do [placements] through them. The alumni association is with us and they continue to help us. It's not a major issue," said CoAP associate dean Mahanand Mane, who heads the institute.

The only activity the group managed to do on campus was a yoga retreat on March 15.

The alumni association also sought to distance itself from the initiative. "AgriConnect wasn't connected to us. The alumni association is a separate organisation. Our work is going on. The students were trying for something but the college said that there's already a student council," said Shekhar Gaikwad, a former Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer and the president of CoAP's alumni association.

‘No clarity’: CoAP alumni president

Gaikwad added that while they are willing to join hands with the college, AgriConnect lacked clarity. "They need to lay down their policy. The draft MoU didn't have any clarity as to who is entering an agreement with whom. So far, there has been no formal communication between the college and the alumni association. They should convey to us what they need. We haven't received a proposal from the institute," he said.

Incidentally, days earlier, on March 11, MPKV Rahuri had announced that an earlier decision to let the body construct a building for hostel and office space had been revoked. In a letter to Gaikwad, the university informed that its executive council, in a meeting in January, had cancelled its October 2022 approval due to a paucity of space on the campus.

"The university land has been acquired from farmers and belongs to the state government. It won't be appropriate to hand it over to the alumni association. There's a shortage of space for agriculture, education and research. The Pune land is inadequate even for student activities. The possibility of similar demands for university land in future can't be ruled out. Similarly, the possibility of objections to it can't be ruled out either," read the executive council proceedings.

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‘CoAP faculty instigated students’

Wakale, who spearheaded AgriConnect, claims that the dissenting students were instigated by some of the faculty members. He was also dismayed by what he saw as the absence of support from other alumni and administrative apathy towards his vision.

"There was resistance from the powers that be. Some of the professors don't want any change at the institute and are averse to the alumni involvement. We started the project because there was a go-ahead from the administration. I had no personal interest in it. Ultimately, the students were going to benefit from it," he said.

Wakale has now resigned from his position at the alumni association.

Students involved with the project are also disappointed by the college's rejection. "Students had shown a great interest in it," said one of them.