The National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), in collaboration with 30 agricultural universities,
established the MANAGE-University Alliance for Advancing Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services with a visionary
mandate to reform and revitalize agricultural extension education.
This initiative aims to develop a dynamic, practice-oriented curriculum that bridges academic knowledge with field realities.
A milestone in this journey was the National Workshop on “Agricultural Extension: Time to Change”,
held from February 14–16, 2017, at MANAGE, Hyderabad.
The workshop marked the beginning of a collaborative movement that evolved into a national consortium,
serving as a platform for dialogue, innovation, and academic transformation in Agricultural Extension.
As a follow-up to the national workshop, MANAGE constituted a Committee on Agricultural Extension Curricula Reforms.
Working in close association with the ICAR Broad Subject Matter Area (BSMA) Committee and drawing upon insights
from a wide range of stakeholders including faculty from agricultural universities, ICAR institutes, non-governmental
organizations, extension professionals, and students, a revised, forward-looking curriculum was developed.
This new curriculum emphasizes academic rigor, practical relevance, and the development of multidimensional
competencies needed to address the complexities of technology transfer and rural advisory systems.
MANAGE–University Alliance for Advancing Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services
Over time, it became evident that although agricultural extension education has a strong academic foundation, it requires renewed alignment with field realities, emerging technologies, and evolving career pathways. This thinking gained momentum through an initiative led by MANAGE in collaboration with around 30 agricultural universities, forming the MANAGE–University Alliance for Advancing Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services. The alliance aimed to revitalise extension education by making it more practice-oriented, future-focused, and responsive to the evolving needs of farmers and advisory systems.
A significant milestone in this process was the National Workshop on “Agricultural Extension: Time to Change”, held from 14–16 February 2017 at MANAGE, Hyderabad. The workshop initiated a national dialogue involving faculty, researchers, extension professionals, students, and development practitioners who shared concerns about the relevance and direction of extension education.
Following this workshop, MANAGE established a Committee on Agricultural Extension Curriculum Reforms, working closely with the ICAR Broad Subject Matter Area (BSMA) Committee and stakeholders from agricultural universities, ICAR institutes, NGOs, and extension organisations. The outcome was a revised curriculum that emphasised practical relevance, interdisciplinary thinking, and the development of multidimensional competencies needed to address complex advisory systems, technology transfer, and rural innovation processes. The MANAGE Committee recommended the following Syllabi for UG and PG/ Ph.D in Agricultural Extension.
Download:
MANAGE (2018): Proposed UG Agricultural Extension Syllabi ( Download )
ICAR (2021): Agriculture and Allied Sciences Volume-2: Restructured and Revised Syllabi of Post-Graduate Programmes – Social Sciences- Agricultural Extension ( Download )
Building on this foundation, MANAGE launched its flagship National Young Professional Development Program (NYPDP) in 2024,
in partnership with agricultural universities across India.
The program is designed to cultivate next-generation competencies,
explore emerging career pathways, and identify research priorities in agricultural extension.
NYPDP orients young scholars toward contemporary themes in extension
research, practice, and policy, fostering leadership among future extension professionals
in an ever-evolving agricultural landscape.
To date, thirteen successful NYPDP cohorts have trained 720 young professionals from 73 universities across 22 states,
nurturing a vibrant and interconnected community of emerging extension leaders.
Collaborative editions with institutions such as SDAU (Gujarat), SOA (Odisha), KAU (Kerala),
CAU (Meghalaya), CCSHAU (Haryana), RAJUVAS (Rajasthan) and KVAFSU (Karnataka) have significantly
enriched the program, creating a robust ecosystem of experiential learning and academic exchange.