Menu

Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University

Overview

Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University (RLBCAU) is a central university in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India, devoted to higher education and research in agriculture and allied sciences. Named after Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, the university serves the Bundelkhand region, an area of central India characterised by semi-arid conditions, rainfed farming, and recurring agricultural distress. It is one of three central agricultural universities established by the Government of India through Acts of Parliament, alongside the Central Agricultural University, Imphal, and the Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa.

Key facts

Name Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University
Type Central university (agricultural)
Location Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Region served Bundelkhand
Named after Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi
Parent ministry Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Government of India
Established by Act of Parliament

Background

The Bundelkhand region, spread across parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, has historically faced challenges of low and erratic rainfall, soil erosion, water scarcity, and limited irrigation infrastructure. These conditions have shaped the cropping patterns and livelihoods of farmers, with pulses, oilseeds, and coarse cereals dominating cultivation. Setting up a dedicated central agricultural university for the region was conceived as a long-term institutional response, intended to combine teaching, research, and extension activities tailored to the agro-climatic conditions of Bundelkhand.

Establishment and mandate

The university was created by an Act of the Indian Parliament to provide for the development of agricultural education and research in the Bundelkhand region. Its broad mandate covers:

  • Undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral education in agricultural and allied sciences.
  • Basic and applied research focused on dryland and rainfed agriculture, water management, horticulture, animal sciences, and forestry suited to Bundelkhand.
  • Extension activities aimed at transferring research findings to farmers in the region.
  • Capacity building of human resources for agriculture in central India.

Academic structure

RLBCAU offers programmes through constituent colleges in fields such as agriculture, horticulture and forestry, with provision for further expansion into areas including animal sciences, fisheries, agricultural engineering, and basic sciences. Academic programmes are aligned with the model curricula recommended by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), which serves as the national coordinating body for agricultural education in India.

Research focus

Research priorities reflect the agro-ecological needs of Bundelkhand and include:

  • Drought-tolerant and short-duration crop varieties.
  • Soil and water conservation, watershed management, and rainwater harvesting.
  • Pulses and oilseed improvement, given the region's importance in production of these crops.
  • Livestock, small ruminants, and integrated farming systems.
  • Agroforestry and management of degraded land.

Significance

As the only central agricultural university located in Uttar Pradesh, RLBCAU has a distinct role within India's agricultural higher-education system. It complements the work of state agricultural universities in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh by providing a federally funded institution focused specifically on the problems of central India's drylands. The choice of Jhansi as its seat, and its naming after Rani Lakshmi Bai, also link the institution symbolically to the historical and cultural identity of the Bundelkhand region.

References

  • Wikidata entity: Q24907755
  • Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Government of India.
  • Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi.