The Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal, was established on 26th January 1993 under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) through the Central Agricultural University Act, 1992 (No. 40 of 1992) of the Indian Parliament. Headquartered in Imphal, Manipur, CAU is a fully residential institution integrating teaching, research, and extension education. It caters to all North-East Hill (NEH) states, excluding Assam, and is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including advanced laboratories, a Central Instrumentation Laboratory, research and demonstration farms, 6 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), 6 Multi-Technology Testing Centres (MTTCs), and 6 Vocational Training Centres. The University offers 10 undergraduate, 48 master's, and 34 Ph.D. programs, accredited by NAEAB, ICAR, until 27th March 2026. Since its inception, CAU has produced 6,836 graduates, including students from 28 Indian states and 16 international students representing 8 countries. CAU students have consistently excelled in competitive examinations, with 125 qualifying ARS, 433 clearing JRF, 72 achieving SRF, and 63 qualifying GATE. Over the years, the University has been ranked 13th in ICAR rankings (2017, 2020), 25th (2018, 2019), 29th in NIRF rankings (2023), and 31st (2024). It was also ranked 2nd in All-India ICAR-JRF rankings in 2012, 2014, and 2016.
CAU, Imphal has made significant contributions to research and innovation. It has undertaken 276 externally funded projects supported by 23 agencies, of which 207 have been completed, and 69 are ongoing. Additionally, 176 university-funded projects have been implemented, with 159 completed and 17 in progress. The University hosts 39 All-India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRPs) and 4 All-India Network Projects (AINPs). It has developed 86 farmer-friendly and 362 location-specific technologies, released 11 crop varieties (including 8 rice, 1 soybean, 1 groundnut, and 1 tapioca), and registered 4 animal breeds: Manipuri Kaunayen (Indian chicken), Manipuri Black Pig, Local Zowak Pig (Mizoram), and Local Haofa Dog (Ukhrul). Additionally, CAU has secured 13 patents, 2 copyrights, and developed 29 farm prototypes, with 3 technologies licensed. Noteworthy Centers of Excellence established by the University include Fisheries and Aquaculture Biotechnology (Tripura), Advanced Animal Disease Diagnosis and Monitoring Consortium (Mizoram), Oil Palm (Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh), Millets Development, Integrated Bee Development, and Natural Farming across 5 NEH states.
The CAU’s outreach programs have had a profound impact on the region, benefiting 61,756 farmers across 1,326 villages in 71 districts of 7 NEH states. Through the mobile-based agro-advisory system (m4agri), supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), 35,509 farmers have been registered, covering 2,027 villages, 237 blocks, and 53 districts in 6 NEH states. CAU has also promoted 60 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and 56 startups while conducting 5,236 training programs, reaching 1.49 lakh farmers, rural youth, and extension personnel. Furthermore, 931 Frontline Demonstrations (FLDs) have been conducted in 93,947 farmers’ fields between 2014 and 2024.
With a strong foundation in agricultural education, research, and extension, CAU continues to lead the way in fostering innovation and sustainable development in the North-East region of India, making significant contributions to the nation’s agricultural growth and development.
Website: https://cau.ac.in/
