Plant pathology in the era of new education policy: challenges and opportunities

Government of India has been framing education policy since 1968, whereby the third such guideline has been drafted for implementation in 2020. The policy brings a paradigm shift in the education system of India that is bound to influence teaching, course curriculum, pattern of degrees, departments, etc. both quantitatively and qualitatively. The government plans to have subject-wise committees, whereby there could be a committee for the agricultural sciences for catering to all concerned disciplines including that for Plant Pathology. The paper discusses the challenges of students in present times, which coupled with the demand of employers and stakeholders would determine the nature of human resource that would be relevant for the coming times. Globalisation of education in Plant Pathology may challenge mediocrity through a higher level of competition. The subject of Plant Pathology even today remains reasonably insignificant to the public at large due to lack of awareness related to its contributions in everyday life. Thus, there lies a case of effective advocacy by the concerned professional societies for the contributions made by the science in the past and present. Though the aim of the new policy is to make education more multi-disciplinary, the Indian National Agricultural Research and Education System is already attuned to meet such target. Further, the science of Plant Pathology has also evolved towards multi-disciplinarity by mingling with several allied subjects in order to cater to the needs of times. Professional societies involved with Plant Pathology need to appreciate the changing scenario and identify factors responsible in deciding the choice of students in favour of Plant Pathology, their aspirations related to career development, varying nature of demands of farmers, employers, sub-disciplines and allied subjects with research and extension within the country and across the globe. In the tide of global dynamism, change we must. The effort should necessarily be a journey of continuous perseverance in tune with the growing global demand for food, nutritional and livelihood security.