From January to December 2025, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, strengthened its standing as India’s leading agricultural university by aligning strong academics, impactful research, farmer-focused extension and global engagement.
PAU delivered measurable research outcomes through high-value patents, AICRP Best Centre awards and top-ranked crop varieties that boosted food security and farm incomes. Targeted infrastructure and capability upgrades expanded agro-processing, digital and precision agriculture, and climate-resilient planning. Extension remained central, with Kisan Melas, residue management drives, village trainings, KVK programmes and Kisan Clubs enabling technology adoption at scale. Global collaborations, visiting scholars and international conferences widened PAU’s reach, while scholarships, fellowships and campus digitisation enriched student life, making 2025 a defining, future-oriented year.
Rankings, National Recognition and Education Impact
PAU sustained its leadership in national rankings, securing the top position among State Agricultural Universities in NIRF for the third consecutive year, including 2025. It also ranked first among SAUs and second nationally in IIRF 2025. Globally, PAU entered EduRank’s Top 100 Agricultural Institutions, placed 93rd in Agricultural Sciences, and emerged as the only Indian SAU on the list, reflecting its strong research output and academic impact.
PAU’s education ecosystem was further recognised with the IIRF Education Impact Award 2026 at the Industry-Academia Conclave in New Delhi, citing its experiential learning models, mentoring culture and extension-linked teaching.
Signature Academic Ceremonies
PAU held its Annual Convocation in the presence of the Hon’ble Governor of Punjab and Chancellor, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal. Degrees, Chancellor’s Medals and Merit Certificates were awarded to graduating students. At the College of Agriculture’s Convocation and Prize Distribution, over 160 students received degrees and honours, while the joint ceremony of the Colleges of Agricultural Engineering and Technology and Community Science conferred 394 degrees. Together, these events marked PAU’s commitment to academic excellence and student achievement.
Conferences and Major Academic Meetings
During 2025, PAU served as a national and international platform for academic exchange by hosting a wide range of conferences and major meetings. These included the National Summit on Maize on food, feed, nutrition and bioenergy security (August 23-25); the National Symposium on Plant Health Management addressing diagnostics and disease management under climate change (Novemeber 18-20); the 11th All India Conference of Linguistics and Folklore (October 8-10); and the 33rd National Conference on Land and Water Management for ecological restoration and sustainability (December 8-10). PAU also hosted the Annual National Meeting of the AICRP on Agro-Meteorology, a conclave on Emerging Technologies for SMART and Sustainable Agriculture (March 24), PAU Media Harvest on media discourse and alumni engagement (February 18), and an International Symposium on Digital Transformation and Agribusiness Challenges focusing on AI and cybersecurity (December 4).
Punjab Government Support and Infrastructure Expansion
Strengthening of infrastructure and research-teaching-extension programmes continued with sustained backing from the Punjab Government in the form of Rs 20-crore capital grant. The Punjab Finance Minister, Sardar Harpal Singh Cheema, inaugurated major facilities, including the Agro-Processing Complex and Jaggery Processing Plant, while also laying the foundation stone of the Plant Acclimatisation Facility at the School of Agricultural Biotechnology.
The university also highlighted its research capabilities, including speed breeding platforms, wild germplasm resources, high-throughput genotyping, tissue culture, gene banks and digital agriculture initiatives, underscoring its preparedness for climate, sustainability and food security challenges.
The university made both the men’s and women’s sections of its newly established gymnasium fully operational, offering a facility designed to integrate physical wellbeing with academic life. Supported by funding from the Punjab government, the gym sits inside the university’s Gymnasium Building and spans two fully equipped sections for men and women. Similarly, the university’s swimming pool, Sukhdev Singh Bhawan, Parker House and hostels were also upgraded.
Research, Patents and Technology Leadership
PAU’s research ecosystem delivered field-ready outcomes through high-value patents and practical technologies that improved farm productivity and post-harvest efficiency. A key achievement was Patent No. 507172 for a Portable Maize Dryer developed by the Department of Processing and Food Engineering in response to a state requirement. Designed by PAU scientists and fabricated under an MoU with industry, the dryer reduced post-harvest losses through efficient, decentralised drying, improving grain quality and farmer income.
PAU also secured a patent for a Magnetic Field-Assisted Freezing Process for horticultural produce, extending storage life while preserving quality and offering scope for reduced waste and improved cold-chain performance.
PAU secured a patent for a Ready-to-Use Stable Zinc Phosphide Bait for rodent management, developed with Orion Organics, Ludhiana. Invented by PAU scientists and a student, the formulation offered a stable, easy-to-use solution that addressed bait instability and field misuse, supporting safer and more effective rodent control.
In digital and precision agriculture, PAU unveiled a GNSS-based auto-steering system for tractors, enabling satellite-guided, computer-assisted operations. Field trials showed improved precision, reduced overlap and input use, lower operator fatigue and more uniform crop establishment.
The innovation aligned with PAU’s mechanisation and digital agriculture roadmap, which includes remote-controlled sensor-based paddy transplanters, GNSS-enabled machinery and IoT-based irrigation systems developed by the Centre for Water Technology and Management. These systems support real-time monitoring of soil moisture, water levels and weather, enabling data-driven irrigation decisions.
PAU rolled out a new line of bioenzyme-based home-care products that promise strong cleaning performance without the health risks linked to conventional chemical cleaners. At the core of the initiative is PAU’s citrus bioenzyme, originally introduced as PAU EcoSol. This fermented mix of kinnow peels and droppings contains natural enzymes, organic acids, and metabolites that lift dirt, loosen grease, and even help declog drains.
National Programmes and Variety Breakthroughs
Punjab Agricultural University reinforced its position as a national hub of coordinated agricultural research, earning multiple Best Centre awards under All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRPs). PAU was named Best Centre under the AICRP on Farm Implements and Machinery for contributions to mechanisation and precision tools, Best Performing Centre under the ICAR-AICRP on Fruits for horticultural research and effective SCSP implementation, Best Centre under the AICRP on Energy in Agriculture and Agro-based Industries, and Best Coordinating Centre under the AICRP on Vegetable Crops for leadership in varietal development, protected cultivation and integrated crop management. In pulses, PAU received the Best Centre Award under the AICRP on Kharif Pulses for developing nine high-yielding varieties and recommending key production and protection technologies. The university also secured the Best Centre Award under the AICRP on Seed (Crops) for advances in seed technology, including grading standards, seed treatments, hybrid purity testing, certification protocols and diagnostics for seed-borne pathogens.
PAU also led national research coordination by hosting the Annual Group Meeting of the AICRP on Agro-Meteorology, followed by a five-day national capacity-building programme on climate tools and decision-support systems. During the meeting, AICRPAM centres at Ludhiana, Samastipur and Bengaluru received Best Centre awards, highlighting PAU’s role in climate-smart research coordination.
Crop improvement remained a core strength. In 2025, PAU, Ludhiana released 20 new crop varieties and hybrids covering cereals, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables, fruits and ornamentals, with a clear focus on yield, quality and stress resistance. Key releases included wheat varieties PBW 872 (24.4 q/acre, rust tolerance) and PBW Biscuit 1 for the biscuit industry; rice PR 132, a 111-day, nitrogen-efficient variety yielding 31.5 q/acre with resistance to six bacterial blight pathotypes; malt barley PL 942; dual-purpose maize hybrid PMH 17; fodder oat OL 17 (315 q/acre green fodder); summer mungbean SML 2575 (63 days, YMD resistant); raya hybrid PHR 127 (39.3% oil); potatoes Punjab Potato 103 (early, 450.7 q/ha) and Punjab Potato 104 (late blight tolerance); carrot Punjab Santri with high β-carotene; cauliflower Punjab Maghri; brinjal hybrid PBHL 56; French beans Punjab Anand and Punjab Rangat; seedless grapefruit Flame; and four ornamentals including new chrysanthemum and gladiolus varieties, strengthening PAU’s pipeline across food, fodder, processing and floriculture crops.
Under the ICAR-AICRP on Maize, three PAU hybrids were identified for national release: Punjab Baby Corn 3 for Zones I, III, IV and V; PMH 18 for the Central Western Zone; and PMH 19 for the North-Western Plains Zone. In wheat, PAU varieties PBW 872 and PBW 833 topped ICAR National Wheat Varietal Trials. PBW 872 ranked first under early-sown, high-input conditions in the North Western Plains Zone with an average yield of 79.6 q/ha, showing 2.9–11.7 percent yield advantage, moderate rust resistance, 152-day maturity and bold grains. PBW 833 led the late-sown category in the North Eastern Plains Zone with an average yield of 45.7 q/ha.
Global Engagement and Strategic Collaborations
Punjab Agricultural University expanded its global academic and research footprint through sustained international collaboration, mentoring and policy engagement. A key initiative was the appointment of 22 Honorary Visiting Professors drawn from PAU alumni, former faculty and long-term collaborators, including World Food Prize laureates, Dr G.S. Khush (UC Davis), Dr Rattan Lal (Ohio State University) and Dr S.K. Vasal, along with leading scientists from institutions in the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK and Mexico. The hybrid mentoring model, combining campus visits with online engagement, was designed to strengthen doctoral supervision, joint research, thesis guidance, fellowship mentoring and international exposure for students and faculty.
PAU hosted a UNIQLO Japan delegation to explore collaboration in cotton research, sustainable sourcing and student placements. A Fresno delegation from California State University (CSU, Fresno) visited in March 2025 to strengthen agricultural ties, with PAU hosting them for discussions on global farming, bridging tradition and tech, and showcasing innovations. A seven-member delegation from Argentina’s Centro Agrotécnico Regional (CAR) visited PAU from October 8 to 17 under an Academic and Cultural Exchange Programme facilitated by the Indian Embassy in Buenos Aires. The group, comprising three teachers and four students, chose PAU for its reputation as a frontrunner in agri-education and innovation.
Dr. Abraham Matoc Dhal, Vice-Chancellor of Dr. John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology (DrJGMUST), South Sudan, visited PAU as a part of his academic tour of India under the ICCR’s Academic Visitors Programme. The visit laid the groundwork for agricultural ties between India and South Sudan, as discussions focused on potential joint ventures in research, technology, and education.
As part of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness Project led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, a high-level delegation from FAO India visited PAU to initiate stakeholder consultations for the development of the Climate Resilient Agriculture Investment Plan (CRAIP) for the state of Punjab. Ms. Caroline Rowett, British Deputy High Commissioner, Chandigarh, visited PAU to explore areas of mutual collaboration in agriculture, especially horticulture, post-harvest management, and cold chain infrastructure. Scripting a new chapter to bridge the domains of agriculture and technology, PAU and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) setting the stage for collaborative ventures in precision agriculture, data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), geospatial science, and joint research and training programmes.
Delegates from the University of Florida, USA visited PAU to explore the possibilities of research collaborations. PAU further deepened its partnership with the Borlaug Institute for South Asia, focusing on collaborative breeding of climate-resilient maize and wheat, including traits for heat and water stress, nitrogen-use efficiency, waterlogging tolerance and post-harvest performance, with plans for joint workshops to accelerate farmer-ready solutions.
Student Life, Campus Culture and Holistic Development
PAU prioritised academic induction and student well-being through Deeksharambh, its structured orientation programme introducing new students to academic life, extension work, welfare services, conduct norms and experiential learning. Anti-Ragging Week was observed across campuses with UGC guideline awareness, rallies, competitions, classroom sensitisation and squad visits to ensure a safe and inclusive environment.
Student talent and leadership were showcased at the Inter-College Youth Festival across music, dance, theatre, fine arts, literature and traditional Punjabi arts, with a strong focus on rural and cultural heritage. PAU students also won multiple prizes at the Punjab State Inter-University Youth Festival, reinforcing the university’s cultural standing.
Nine students of PAU secured the Prime Minister’s Doctoral Fellowships in 2025. Besides, academic and research excellence was reflected in students securing DST-INSPIRE, CSIR SRF, ICAR JRF and SRF ranks and Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowships, along with Best Thesis and presentation awards across disciplines. Several students gained international research positions and admissions to leading global universities.
Applied learning was strengthened through participation in national technology and design competitions, entrepreneurship exposure via the Punjab Agri-Business Incubator, Digital Agribusiness Lab, Skill Development Centre and agro-processing facilities. Sports and fitness were supported through upgraded infrastructure and alumni engagement, highlighted by an interaction with PAU alumnus Dr Manjeet Singh Chinnan and Dr Lata Mahajan Chinnan.
Students also engaged in crop residue management campaigns, school outreach, museum visits and public exhibitions, including SUTLEJ PEX 2025 and the 28th Chrysanthemum Show, promoting scientific awareness, sustainability and appreciation of Punjab’s agrarian and cultural heritage.
Extension Leadership and Farmer-Centric Outreach
Extension education remained central to Punjab Agricultural University’s mandate, translating research into field impact through sustained farmer engagement. PAU organised Kisan Melas, farmer trainings, demonstrations and field days with the active involvement of KVKs, Farm Advisory Service Centres and Regional Research Stations. These efforts focused on crop diversification, climate-smart and conservation agriculture, agri-entrepreneurship and value addition, reinforcing PAU’s role as Punjab’s principal knowledge partner.
On June 5, 2025, during the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan – Kharif 2025 at KVK Patiala, the Union Agriculture Minister, Sh. Shivraj Singh Chouhan remotely operated a two-wheel paddy transplanter developed by PAU, highlighting its sensor-based automation and farmer-friendly design. The innovation enables shaded, remote operation, cutting operator fatigue by 85%, reducing labour needs by 40%, and improving field efficiency and farm profitability. He also witnessed the DSR model of cultivating rice in the area.
Crop Residue Management and zero stubble burning were major priorities. During a field visit to Ransih Kalan village, Moga, the Union Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, commended the village’s six consecutive years without stubble burning and acknowledged PAU’s sustained extension efforts. PAU scientists and KVK Budh Singh Wala demonstrated straw management technologies such as the Happy Seeder, mulching and in-situ incorporation, enabling timely sowing of wheat, potato and peas.
In response to floods, PAU launched a Seed Support Campaign. The campaign distributed 725 quintals of improved wheat seed (PBW 826, PBW 725, PBW 869, PBW 766, PBW 677, PBW 824 and PBW Zinc 2) and five quintals of canola gobhi sarson (GSC-7) across Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Ferozepur, Fazilka and Patiala. Faculty and staff voluntarily contributed part of their salaries. Distribution was coordinated through KVKs, FASCs, Regional Stations and Young Innovative Farmer groups to support recovery, seed multiplication and self-reliance.
At the grassroots, PAU’s KVK network conducted skill-based programmes, including five-day trainings on Natural Farming under NMNF; nursery raising and protected cultivation; gur and shakkar production; and oilseed diversification, processing and value addition. School-level awareness campaigns on stubble burning mobilised students as climate ambassadors, while Kisan Club meetings strengthened farmer-to-farmer learning and sustained adoption of PAU-recommended practices.
Overall, 2025 reflected PAU’s integrated approach of research leadership, farmer-first extension and institutional credibility, while advancing sustainable and future-ready agriculture.