Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

Foundation & Early Developments

• 1928: The Royal Commission on Agriculture, headed by Lord Linlithgow, recommended the establishment of the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to promote agricultural research in India.
• 16th July 1929: ICAR was established as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

Post-Independence Expansion & Reforms

• March 1946: Under the presidentship of Jogendra Singh, the name Imperial Council of Agricultural Research was changed to Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
• 1963: The Agricultural Review Team, led by Dr. Marion W. Parker (USDA), was appointed to evaluate ICAR.
• 1965: A policy was introduced to appoint an Agricultural Scientist as the Chief Executive of ICAR, with the title Director General (DG). Dr. B. P. Pal became the first DG of ICAR.
• 1966: ICAR became a fully autonomous organization based on the Agricultural Review Team’s recommendations.

Modernization & Strengthening of ICAR

• June 1972: The Gajendragadkar Committee was set up to review recruitment and personnel policies of ICAR and its institutes (report submitted in 1973).
• 1973: The Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) was created under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to coordinate ICAR’s research and educational programs.
• 1st November 1973: The Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) was formed as an independent recruitment agency based on Gajendragadkar Committee’s recommendations.

Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) 

Foundation & Early Growth

• 1905: The Agricultural Research Institute was established in Pusa, Bihar, under Lord Curzon with financial aid (₹9 lakh) from American philanthropist Henry Phipps Jr.
• 1911: The Institute was renamed Imperial Agricultural Research Institute (IARI).
• 1923: IARI started offering Diploma of Associateship in Agriculture.

Relocation & Post-Independence Development

• 1934: A major earthquake in Bihar severely damaged the IARI campus.
• 1936: IARI was relocated to Pusa Road, New Delhi.
• 1936: B. Vishwanath became the first Indian Director of IARI.
• 1946: The Diploma of Associateship was recognized as equivalent to an M.Sc. degree.
• 1947: The name was changed from Imperial Agricultural Research Institute to Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI).
• 1958: IARI was recognized as a “Deemed University” under the UGC Act, 1956, and the Post-Graduate (PG) School was established.

ICAR & IARI in Recent Years

• ICAR has established several National Research Centers (NRCs), Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), and All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRPs) to enhance agricultural research.
• IARI has continued its leadership in crop research, biotechnology, and climate-resilient agriculture.