By teaching youngsters in many areas of dairy production, processing, and management, the Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Dairy Technology (SGIDT) is the state’s sole institution of its type, contributing to the expansion of the dairy sector and the well-being of millions of milk producers and consumers.
SGIDT was founded in 1980 in Pusa as part of the previous Rajendra Agricultural University. In 1986, it relocated to Patna, and on 1990, it moved to its own campus at Jagdeo Path in the city’s western outskirts.
This ICAR-accredited institution is currently a part of Bihar Animal Sciences University, which was recently formed. It teaches, conducts research, and provides extension services in areas such as dairy engineering, dairy microbiology, dairy chemistry, dairy cattle and nutrition, animal physiology and reproduction, and dairy economics.
Dairy technology is a four-year bachelor’s degree programme offered by the institution. Dairy technology, dairy chemistry, and dairy microbiology are all offered as two-year M Tech programmes. It has adopted the curriculum based on the suggestions of the ICAR’s Deans’ committee.
The Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board administers an entrance exam for admission to the BTech programme (BCECEB). A candidate must have completed an intermediate (Class XII) examination in physics, chemistry, and mathematics (PCM) or physics, chemistry, mathematics, and biology (PCMB) in order to take this test.
This course has a total of 40 places available. Short-term training is also provided by the institution to dairy farmers, dairy entrepreneurs, and dairy technicians as needed.
SGIDT dean Veer Singh Rathore stated that the school gives students with a secure and comfortable atmosphere in which to pursue their study. There are around ten full-time faculty members on staff, in addition to a number of visiting professors. On campus, there are two large hostels, one for guys and one for girls.
Its campus is around 9000 square metres in size. It is made up of several academic and administrative blocks that are designed to satisfy the needs of students. Three air-conditioned classrooms with a total capacity of 175, as well as more than a half-dozen well-equipped laboratories, including a central fine instrumentation lab, are available.
An auditorium is being built on the site, according to Rathore. In addition, an experimental milk facility with a daily capacity of 10,000 litres is being built.
Students are encouraged to participate in cultural and literary activities within the institute, as well as to go beyond the state to participate in youth festivals, agri-unifests, and other events. The college has both indoor and outdoor sports facilities, and sporting activities are held on a regular basis, he added.
In the seventh semester, the students are assigned to various dairy factories both inside and outside of the state for in-plant training. They are attached to dairy cooperative societies of various milk unions for five weeks during their second and fourth semester breaks under the “Student Ready Programme” to gain experience in milk procurement and processing in order to prepare themselves for future entrepreneurship in the dairy business.
SGIDT has a specialised placement cell that assists students with training and campus placement. Students are placed at reputable dairy plants such as Amul, Verka, ICT, as well as a variety of other public and private dairy plants and food sectors around the country. The Bihar State Milk Cooperative Federation (COMFED) selects students on a regular basis. The shortlisted individuals would be paid an average of Rs 36,000 per month, according to Rathore.