MRCFC Khudwani designated as SKUAST-K South Campus for Agriculture
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MRCFC Khudwani designated as SKUAST-K South Campus for Agriculture

  • Younus Rashid By Younus Rashid
  • Comments 0
  • 07 Apr 2026

Faculty of Agriculture, South Campus (FoASC) to offer MSc and PhD programmes; aims to strengthen agricultural education and research in South Kashmir

Khudwani (Kulgam), Apr 06: The Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops (MRCFC), Khudwani of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) has been upgraded to Faculty of Agriculture, South Campus (FoASC), Khudwani, marking the first dedicated agricultural faculty in South Kashmir.

Ashaq Hussain, Professor cum Chief Scientist at MRCFC Khudwani, told Rising Kashmir that the centre has been a key research hub for field crops like rice, wheat, rapeseed and mustard, and other oilseeds, and the new status will help formalise academic programmes and strengthen research to solve regional agricultural problems.

He said that South Kashmir, which was without an agricultural faculty despite its large farming area and agricultural output, will now see MSc and PhD courses in agronomy, plant breeding, plant pathology, entomology and soil sciences, with an initial intake of around 40 students. MSc classes are likely to begin later this month, followed by PhD courses in August 2026 at Khudwani.

The Chief Scientist said that the decision comes with government funds sanctioned for infrastructure including an academic block, laboratory block and hostels for boys and girls. He said the upgraded campus will attract students from across South Kashmir and beyond, given Khudwani’s accessibility on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway and proximity to the nearby railway station at Anantnag.

He added that the move will also help study and address local agricultural challenges more effectively. The centre will now operate as the Faculty of Agriculture, South Campus and Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops (MRCFC), Khudwani.

SKUAST-K Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai told reporters at MRCFC Khudwani that the designation of the South Campus will help strengthen the university’s presence in South Kashmir and provide opportunities for students from the region.

“Starting from April, we will launch our postgraduate programmes here, which will include Master’s and PhD courses. Many students from across South Kashmir will be admitted here. This will also help us study local agricultural issues in a more effective way and work on practical solutions,” he said.

SKUAST-K currently has several faculties including Faculty of Agriculture, Wadura (Sopore), Faculty of Horticulture, Shalimar (Srinagar), Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry, Shuhama (Ganderbal), Faculty of Sericulture, Mirgund (Baramulla), Faculty of Forestry, Benhama (Ganderbal) and Faculty of Fisheries, Rangil (Ganderbal), besides the College of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, Shalimar.

Notably, VC SKUAST-K, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganie, along with Director Extension, Prof. Raihana Habib Kanth, visited MRCFC Khudwani on Monday to celebrate “Sarson/Tilhan Day,” focusing on oilseed self-sufficiency, joined by senior university officers, scientists, and farmers from Kulgam and Anantnag.

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Faculty of Agriculture, South Campus (FoASC) to offer MSc and PhD programmes; aims to strengthen agricultural education and research in South Kashmir