Biswanath College of Agriculture, the second constituent college of the Faculty of Agriculture of Assam Agricultural University (AAU) was established considering the need for overall development of Agriculture and allied fields in the state of Assam in general and the entire north bank valley of the state in particular. The academic programme of the college started w.e.f 2nd February, 1988.The College was established at Biswanath Chariali located in the North Bank Plains Zone of Assam. The college made a humble beginning with 25 students on roll for the B.Sc.(Agri) degree programme.
Historical background
The policy regarding annual intake of students in different colleges of AAU including Biswanath College of Agriculture is mainly governed by the University’s policy based on the state’s demands for agricultural graduates, employment avenues, physical infrastructure of the college and the size and nature of development programmes envisaged by the Government. As a matter of fact, it was on the basis of the projections of manpower requirements made in the wake of the 7th plan that this institution as the second constituent college of Faculty of Agriculture was established at Biswanath Chariali, then a subdivision and now a district.
Growth of institution
The College was established during the Seventh Five-Year Plan Programme. It is worth mentioning that the estimates of the ‘Task Force’ instituted by the Govt. of Assam in 1980 highlighted the shortage of technical manpower in agriculture sector in the state. The estimate was considered rational in view of the regional imbalance and the pressing needs for targeted development in agricultural sector involving crop husbandry, horticulture, agro- forestry, plantation sector, natural resources, seed sector, tea industry, agro-inputs/chemicals, agro-processing, agricultural marketing/financing etc, besides the self employment avenues in different agri- businesses. With this imperative, the college was established as an institute to produce qualified and skilled manpower for serving an extensive region dominated by agriculture as the primary sector.
The academic programme of the College commenced from 2nd February, 1988. Formal teaching activities started with the enrolment of 25 students in the first two batches which was subsequently increased to 30 from the session 1991-92, 40 from 2011-12 and 61 from 2022-23 onwards. The college has launched post graduate programmes from 2011-12 academic session. Presently the college offers PG courses in the department of Horticulture, Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, Extension Education, Agronomy, Plant Pathology, Plant Breeding and Genetics and Entomology. Many students from BNCA have represented the college nationally as well as internationally in various student related activities. Significant number of students has cleared various national level examinations (JRF, SRF, NET etc) from BNCA to pursue higher studies in eminent institutions across the nation. The College celebrated Silver Jubilee in the year 2013.
The college campus is widely spread in a gross area of 174 hectare mainly under upland situations that includes college buildings with three blocks, new administrative building, hostels, play grounds, staff residences, roads, crop farms, horticultural orchards, forestry, plantation crops and livestock farm. The animal husbandry farm of the college is expanding rapidly with inclusion of dairy, poultry, piggery and goatery and pigeon units. The college has made rapid strides towards infrastructure development during last decade (2010-11 to 2022-23). Four girls’ hostels have been constructed and the original boys’ hostel has been renovated with modern amenities. A computer lab, a language lab, an auditorium and a new library building have also been constructed during this period. A complex of indoor stadium equipped with two badminton courts and two table tennis courts along with a canteen has also been constructed in the campus. A volleyball court with facilities to play during the night is also dedicated for the students. The farmland has been suitably developed for cultivation of various agronomic and horticultural crops.