Chandra Bhanu Gupt Krishi Mahavidyalay, Principal: Prof. Gajendra Singh Interview

Prof. Gajendra Singh is the Principal of Chandra Bhanu Gupt Krishi Mahavidyalay. He holds a B.Sc. degree in Agriculture along with a postgraduate degree in Agronomy. Mr. Singh also holds a PhD in Agronomy. With 35 plus years of work experience, he has won the award of Best Agriculture Scientist of State which was awarded by UPCAR Lucknow. His areas of interest are weed management in rice, nutrient management in rice, and cropping system research.

What inspired you to pursue a career in higher education administration, and what drew you to your current role as a Principal?

My aim was just to become a teacher, after completing my PhD. I applied for an Assistant Professor position in Agronomy at Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology, Ayodhya, and started working there. After that, I started my career as a research scientist, for which I continued working for 22 years. Thereafter, I was selected for many administrative posts, such as Chief Scientist at Krishi Vigyan Kendra and so on. After retirement, I got the opportunity to become the principal of Chandra Bhanu Gupta Krishi Mahavidyalya. Here, I have been introduced research in post-graduation as a subject. I have to maintain all the management of the college and provide help to the faculties of the college whenever they need it.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing higher education today, and how do you think your institution is addressing those challenges? 

So far, the challenges we have been facing in higher education concern the cropping up of several higher educational institutes. It has become hard for us to attract students and retain them. We also need to work towards providing quality education to our students. Our college has been working hard to tackle this problem. To overcome this, we call companies to our institute for students placement in agriculture positions.

What do you think sets your institution apart from other colleges and universities and how do you communicate that unique value proportion to students and other stakeholders?

Our college is entirely different from the other college, as it’s an old agriculture institute. We also have three agricultural farms at our college. Our students and teachers conduct research and practicals for a better understanding of the course material. We conduct seminars and presentations for the students along with assigning them to do different projects. They handle all the research, project work, and experimentation and prepare the report of the research. We inspire students to work with farmers for practical research, which sets our college apart from others.

What are your primary responsibilities as Dean/ Assistant Dean and how do you balance them with other aspects of your job?

As the principal of this college, my responsibilities towards the college are multifaceted. I have to collaborate with all the departments and work together towards the institute’s goals. We also have to manage all activities and projects for the department’s growth. Overall, I have to manage all the activities related to academics at the college.

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How do you approach decision-making in your role and how do you balance the needs of different stakeholders when making difficult decisions? 

Before taking any decision, I analyse all the parameters related to it. For instance, what can be the result of my decision, what will be the positive and negative sides of the decision. With the data gathered and the feedback from my colleagues, I arrive at a decision that is for the better of all. I always consider the professor’s opinions, especially for a big decision, so that they feel included in the decision-making process.

Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth and the aspiring students?

I would like to suggest to the youth of this generation that they should focus on their studies. They should also focus on their personality development to stand out from the competition. Focus on gaining knowledge and upskilling so that they remain competitive in nature, no matter what stage they are in their careers. They should work on themselves to have a better future.

Can you describe any specific measures or programs that your institution has implemented to address the rising mental health issues and stress among students in India?

Many students are becoming victims of stress and suffering greatly from it. To overcome this, our institution provides a dispensary, where the doctor sees the student’s health and performs checkups. We also organize health campaigns in our institution, along with providing student counselling sessions in which we help students to overcome any tough situation and motivate them.

What new initiatives and collaborations has the University established with industry leaders to promote industry-specific courses?

We have done three memoranda of understanding with the meda learning foundation. This partnership aims to provide courses to develop our students' personalities and provide opportunities for internships and placements for the students. We promote a clean, green society, which inspires students to keep the campus clean and plant more plants. We also provide a robust platform that provides workshops, webinars, and symposiums for the students to learn from.