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