As a result of the establishment of the Department of Agriculture at the national level and at the provinces, the realization that research and education are the very foundations for the development of agriculture dawned on the minds of the administrators, educationists, social reformers and thinkers. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, the noted thinker, social reformer and agriculturist of Pune appealed to the British Government to set institutions for agricultural education and research in India. This led to the opening of a branch for teaching agriculture in the College of Science at Pune in 1879 that was subsequently developed into a separate College of Agriculture in 1907. Initially a three year diploma of the Bombay University was offered. In 1899 a degree course leading to Licentiate in Agriculture (L.Ag.) was started. The Bombay University in the year 1909 further extended the scope of these studies, raised the standards and instituted the degree of Bachelor of Agriculture (B.Ag.). Its nomenclature was changed to Bachelor of Science in Agriculture [B.Sc.(Agri.)] and the first batch of graduates with this degree passed out in 1937.
The College of Agriculture, Pune is one of the first five agriculture colleges established in India. From its very inception, there has been a close coordination between research and teaching. After establishment of Maharashtra Agricultural University in the year 1968, the College of Agriculture, Pune was transferred to the University as a constituent college. In 1969, the College was transferred to the Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (Agricultural University), Rahuri established in that year. The B.Sc.(Hort.) degree programme was started in 1984. The University headquarters are located in Rahuri, Dist. Ahmednagar 160 km to the north of Pune.
The department of agriculture was established at the center in 1877 followed by setting up similar departments by the provinces. It was soon realized that research and education are the very foundations for the development of agriculture. Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, the noted thinker, social reformer and agriculturist of Pune appealed to the British Government to set up institutions for agricultural education and research in India.
The governor of Bombay province Sir Richard Temple proposed the establishment of College of Agriculture at Pune and accordingly a branch for teaching agriculture was started in the college of Science at Pune in 1879, which was subsequently developed into a separate college of Agriculture in 1907. The college has completed 100 years and celebrated its centenary during the year 2007.
Establishment of the Alumni Association
The Alumni Association, College of Agriculture, Pune was established in the year 1988 (Reg. No. Maharashtra / 3778 / 88/ Pune Dt. February 01, 1988) and on the occasion of centenary celebrations of the college, the committee of the association was reconstituted in the general body meeting held on 15th October 2007 for its strengthening and effective functioning with the following objectives.
Download Memorandum of Association