SKLTHU aims at 100 pc placement for students: VC

Hyderabad: Sri Konda Laxman Telangana Horticultural University, Vice-Chancellor, Dr Danda Rajireddy announced that changes will be implemented in horticulture education to enhance skills and ensure job placement for horticulture students in Telangana.

Interacting with the faculty and students on Saturday, he said students would be encouraged to adopt training and skill development as their primary aims to become the best workforce.

He said that the university will also promote industry-oriented horticultural crops and collaborate with various industries and other leading universities to provide better opportunities for students within the surrounding environment. In addition, Dr. Rajireddy urged horticulturists to work diligently to mitigate the damage caused to crops due to climate change. He emphasized the importance of research students, noting that they are the backbone of the university. To facilitate knowledge sharing, he stated that conferences would be organized at the mandal, district, and state levels, bringing together farmers and scientists to discuss horticultural crops.

Dr Rajireddy highlighted the significant potential of the horticulture sector in Telangana, which currently is making a significant contribution of 25 per cent to the state’s GDP from just 12.8 lakh acres of horticultural crops. He affirmed the university’s commitment to addressing field-level issues faced by farmers in the horticulture sector, despite the challenges involved. The Vice-Chancellor advised experts and scientists against conducting research solely for sensationalism. He stressed that research results should be practical and beneficial to farmers, rather than being theoretical or irrelevant. He announced plans to organize state-level conferences for each horticultural crop grown in Telangana. Consequently, a calendar detailing tasks that farmers should undertake for each crop will be prepared. Dr. Rajireddy insisted that research outcomes should help farmers increase yield, improve quality, and reduce costs, urging that these findings be effectively communicated to farmers who meticulously consider every detail. Given the growing number of women horticulture farmers, the university will organize special horticultural fairs specifically for them.

To tackle the current vegetable shortage in the state, Dr. Rajireddy indicated plans to develop a specialized method to meet the state’s vegetable needs through research and extension technology. The university aims to collaborate with specialized institutions across the country to ensure profitable cultivation for farmers and enhance the university’s role in the state’s development. The program was attended by Registrar Bhagwan, Dean Dr M. Rajasekhar, THUTA President Dr J. Cheena Naik, General Secretary T. Suresh, Control of Examination Dr Srinivasan, professors, THUTA members, and Non-Teaching Association President Yadaiah, along with students and other attendees.