Published Jul 30, 2026 | 1:37 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 30, 2026 | 1:37 PM
Students across Karnataka's agriculture institutes have been protesting since July 15.
Synopsis: Students of Karnataka’s agriculture institutes have been staging protests against a recent notification opening the Agriculture Officer (AO) and Assistant Agriculture Officer (AAO) posts to BE, B-Tech graduates. The exam is likely to be postponed amid the protests. The government is yet to address the issue.
Uncertainty remains regarding the recruitment exams for Agriculture Officer (AO) and Assistant Agriculture Officer (AAO) posts in Karnataka as the tests are likely to be postponed amid protests by aspirants against a recent notification issued by the examination authority.
Since July 15, students at Bengaluru’s GKVK college — the state-run agriculture institute — have been protesting against the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA)’s decision to open the posts to BE/B-Tech graduates, including students from Rai Tech College, which the government previously blacklisted, deeming its curriculum substandard.
For agriculture students who’ve spent years training under the ICAR-prescribed curriculum, the latest decision came as an added trouble, triggering protests across Karnataka’s state-run agriculture colleges, beginning at GKVK.
The examination, scheduled to be conducted on August 9 after a gap of nine years, is now again likely to be postponed amid the row. The examination is conducted to fill 945 vacant posts.
Nandheesh R, who is leading the student movement at GKVK, said the protests are about ensuring recruitment rules are followed fairly.
“Our demand is not against private colleges. We only want candidates who have studied the prescribed agriculture curriculum to be eligible for these posts,” he told South First.
“We are asking the government to protect the interests of agriculture students,” Nandheesh added.
Nanjappa Gowda, a second-year student from a farmer’s family, argued that the move pushed the students into an unfair competition.
“Most of us come from agrarian backgrounds and don’t have the financial resources that others do. We see these exams as a pathway to a secure future. If students from private colleges, who haven’t undergone the same training or followed the prescribed curriculum, are allowed to compete for the same jobs, it feels unfair to us,” he said.
Apart from excluding “ineligible” candidates, the students are also demanding annual AO and AAO recruitment, sports quota, lower reservation share for B.Tech graduates, and the issuance of pharma license only for state-run universities.
Reacting to the protests, GKVK Vice-Chancellor V. Suresha said the issue has been under discussion since 2021 and has been taken up with the Agriculture Secretary and the Commissioner of Agriculture. He said students have submitted a memorandum to the government. He also noted that any changes to the recruitment rules would require the government’s formal approval and stressed that the administration is in discussions with the government.
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Rai Tech’s administration, when contacted, confirmed it had been selected to conduct the AO/AAO examinations, but declined to say anything further.
Meanwhile, a delegation of protesters met the Governor on July 28, seeking his intervention in the issue. The Governor reportedly assured them that he will raise the issue with the government.
The government is yet to make an official statement regarding a change in the examination dates and the students’ demands.
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
