Students learn through experiments, practicality
Going beyond the four walls of the classroom is when experimental learning starts and helps in fostering deeper understanding, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. To achieve in-depth knowledge, students need to move beyond the traditional rote memorisation and engage themselves actively with content, apply knowledge in real-world contexts and make connections between what they learn and their own lives.
This approach not only enhances academic achievement but also prepares students for challenges and opportunities ahead in their lives. Students at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) are learning through hands-on activities, direct experience, meeting villagers, interacting with them, going to the fields which allow them to connect theoretical concepts with real-world applications and making learning more meaningful and impactful.
The students have initiated various campaigns, especially on stubble burning, millets in diets and asking villagers for going on regular health check-ups. They go to the villages, get first-hand knowledge by interacting with farmers.
Students turn into crusaders against stubble burning, engage in outreach programmes in villages, including activities aimed at reducing stubble burning. These initiatives involve educating farmers about environmental consequences of stubble burning and promoting alternative residue management practices.
“We conduct door-to-door paddy straw management campaigns under which students are allotted villages. We share relevant literature with farmers and make them aware of reasons to stop burning stubble while adopting scientific techniques for its proper management,” says Harleen, a student from the PAU.
Recently, BSc (Hons) Agri Business Management (ABM) students of School of Business Studies, conducted an interactive session with progressive farmers and cooperative society with members of Kular village, under the Mullanpur block.
The event focused on key themes such as crop health, crop diversification, value addition and marketing, pillars crucial to building a resilient and profitable agribusiness ecosystem. The interaction formed a part of the ongoing summer training programme, where students are exposed to ground realities of agribusiness and rural enterprise development.
Dr Ramandeep Singh, Director, School of Business Studies, emphasised the significance of diversification in agriculture and asked the village youth to remain in close contact with the PAU for entrepreneurial support, skill training and technical education.
The Experiential Learning Programme (ELP) of the BSc Nutrition and Dietetics programme, offered by the Department of Food and Nutrition at the College of Community Science received high acclaim during the recent visit of Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, when as a part of their practical training, students prepared and presented a variety of healthy snacks, creatively blending culinary skills with core concepts of balanced nutrition, the use of wholesome ingredients and food safety.
The nutritious food items were served to the minister and senior university officials, who praised the students for their excellent taste, innovative preparation techniques and focus on health-conscious practices. Cheema while lauding the spirit of innovation and wellness among students, setting a benchmark for holistic education, said: “The importance of integrating academic learning with real-world skills, especially in fields such as nutrition that directly impact public health.”
Dr Kiran Bains, Dean, College of Community Science and Head, Department of Food and Nutrition, emphasised that such experiential initiatives were vital for developing entrepreneurial skills among students. “It is essential that our students graduate not only as degree holders but also as future job providers,” she stated.
She stressed that building creativity, practical skills and business acumen was central to our educational philosophy.
Simran, another student from the PAU, said what she thought about villages was entirely different from what she saw during her visit to a village during an outreach programme. “I have seen villages only in movies and visiting a village and interacting with villagers and listening to their issues was a first-hand experience, which no book can teach,” she said.
The students are also involved in teaching the importance of millets, highlighting their nutritional benefits and suitability for value addition. The university is actively promoting millet cultivation and consumption, particularly among farmers in Ludhiana and surrounding areas. Various cooking classes are conducted in villages, teaching them innovative recipes using millets.
Ludhiana