Indian Council of Agricultural Research
National Agricultural Innovation Project
KrishiPrabha
Indian Agricultural Doctoral Dissertations Repository
PI : Prem Singh, University Librarian, CCSHAU, Hisar
CoPIs : Mrs. Indra Bajaj, Dy. Librarian, CCSHAU, Hisar
Sh. Balwan Singh, Asstt. Librarian, CCSHAU, Hisar
Sh. Rajive Pateria, Asstt. Librn. , CCSHAU, Hisar
Project Cost : Rs. 124.33 lakhs
Duration : 2 years.
Nehru Library
Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University
Hisar -125004 (Haryana)
Introduction
Doctoral research – a rich intellectual heritage of a country - is the harbinger of scientific enquiry in all domains of knowledge which initiates the researchers into a great scholarly journey to academia. The extensive background information, detailed methodology, discussions, inferences and exhaustive bibliography make it an original and unique resource which, in most cases, may not be available in any other form. This enormous body of literature offers a wealth of information, if only they are catalogued, archived and disseminated. But for want of institutional and organizational mechanism to archive and disseminate, doctoral dissertations are hardly noticed or read. This resource must be preserved for the posterity and used by the contemporary scientists. Keeping in view the importance of the doctoral dissertations, the project : KrishiPrabha – Indian Agricultural Doctoral Dissertations Repository – was emvisioned. The title “KrishiPrabha” has its own significance. “Prabha” means “morning”, in other words “beginning of the day”. Since, this Project is first of its kind in agricultural discipline in India, hence the title “KrishiPrabha”. It was sanctioned by ICAR under its National Agricultural Innovation Project in November 2007. The objectives of the Project will be achieved at a cost of Rs. 124.33 lakhs within a time limit of 2 years from the date its commencement .
Rationale
There are 45 Agricultural Universities/Deemed Agricultural Universities in India which award Doctoral Degrees in agriculture and allied disciplines. These doctoral dissertations are one of the very important and valuable original sources of information. There is a need to unveil this resource to the scientists across the world. This objective can be achieved only if:
- Indian Agricultural Dissertations Repository (IADR) is set up for the preservation of information enshrined in these dissertations for the posterity and use by the current generation;
- the Repository so established, is used for evaluation of research findings, and the evaluation reports are used for further pursuit and generation of agricultural knowledge;
- the same Repository is utilized for the creation of electronic Database of Doctoral Dissertations;
- the Database, so created, is made accessible online to the national and international users; and
- the same Database is further utilized for the publication of an e-journal reporting abstracts of the dissertations in order to disseminate information.
Scope
Access to doctoral dissertation is severely restricted due to absence of appropriate policy and infrastructure. A systematic effort to develop and maintain a national repository of these resources, digitize them and make them accessible online would facilitate their potential use for extracting maximum value from them. Use of modern technologies for effective data capturing, organization and storage, and information retrieval will enhance the value of these resources further. This project was envisioned in this backdrop to establish, develop and maintain a repository of Indian agricultural doctoral dissertations. This Project envisages :
- the digitization of about 10,500 agricultural doctoral dissertations produced in India during 2000-2006;
- the maintenance of the Digital Library thus created;
- collection of hard copies of the old dissertations, if spare copies are available with the respective universities; and
- collection of soft copies of dissertations to be produced in future for updation of the database of the Digital Library.
Objectives
The investment in this Project has been sanctioned for the achievement of the following objectives :
- To develop, organize and sustain knowledge base of Indian Agricultural Dissertations in digital form and make it accessible online.
- To develop a standard format for submission of e-theses to the SAUs/DUs.
- To upgrade skills of human resources of SAUs/DUs.
- To publish a journal in electronic form/ hard copy form from the Database.
The objectives of this Project do not terminate with the establishment of the Digital Library and the Repository. It has to be perennially updated by the addition of dissertations that have come up during 2007 and 2008 and will be produced in future. In fact, the coverage should go back to atleast 1995, if not prior to it.
Stakeholders in the Project.
The proposed Digital Library and Repository will be developed along a distributed cooperative model. It will consist of the following components:
S.No. |
Stakeholders |
Role |
|---|---|---|
1. |
ICAR |
Patron, Guide and Supporting Agency. |
2. |
Lead Centre - Nehru Library, CCSHAU, Hisar |
Nehru Library will act as a Nodal Agency and Coordination Agency. This Agency will be responsible for data capturing, editing, indexing, organizing, aggregating and other operations leading to the development and maintenance of the Digital Library and Repository. |
3. |
Data Sources – All SAUs/DUs |
The 45 Agricultural Universities/Deemed Agricultural Universities offering Ph.D. degrees in agriculture and allied disciplines spread over the country will serve as sources of data for this Project. |
Privileges of Data Sources
The data providers – the SAUs and DUs – will have free access to the Digital Library database. The access will be password- as well as IP-address-based. Besides the ICAR institutes, Directorates of Research and other constituents will also enjoy the same privileges as the SAUs/DUs.
Impact and Deliverables
The expected outcomes/deliverables of this Project will be as under :
- Integrated Database of abstracts already digitized by SAUs/DUs.
- Digital Library (full text) of about 10,500 Indian Agricultural Dissertations.
- Indian Agricultural Dissertations Repository of Hard and Soft copies.
- Standard Template for online submission of dissertations from remote locations.
- Capacity building through Trainings/Workshops.
- Journal in electronic form.
Work Programme and Implementation of the Project
Work Programme
Data (textual, graphical, images) capturing etc. programme will commence from April 1, 2008. For the purpose of data capturing, the Data Centres across the country have been divided evenly into three groups. The data will be captured from each group, followed by data processing and uploading simultaneously. The schedule of work at different Data Centres will be as under.
Group |
No. of SAUs/ DAUs |
Period |
|---|---|---|
Group 1 |
15 |
April 1, 2008 to Sept. 30, 2008 |
Group 2 |
15 |
Oct. 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009 |
Group 3 |
15 |
April 1, 2009 to Sept. 30, 2009 |
Implementation
Oct. 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009
The data captured and processed from the Group 1 libraries will be uploaded on the Server and made accessible online to the SAU/DU users during this period.
April 1, 2009 to Sept. 30, 2009
The data captured and processed from the Group 2 & 3 libraries will be uploaded on the Server and made accessible online to the SAU/DU users during this period.
Monitoring of Progress
The progress of work will be monitored, and report will be submitted to NAI P every six months. Final report will be submitted after the conclusion of the Project.
Capacity Building
Training will be organised for SAU/DU/ICAR Institute Librarians to impart skills in the use of database and online submission of dissertations in future.
Contacts
NAIP |
Lead Centre |
|---|---|
Dr. N.T.Yaduraju, |
Sh. Prem Singh, |