Awards Description

During the past three decades, the graduates from fisheries colleges affiliated to different SAUs have contributed significantly to fisheries development both at national and global level. With the growth of our economy in the current pace, the need for well qualified fishery professionals to address the complex issues confronting the fisheries sector is being realized more often than earlier.

At this juncture, in order to prepare fisheries professionals to meet the national and global necessities, PFGF introduced a scheme to identify the Best Fisheries Graduates since 2003. Identification of such persons is proposed to be based on an all India level competitive examination which can be taken by all the graduating students of the Fisheries Colleges affiliated to Agricultural Universities, followed by a set of other selection processes that will help in identifying the best graduates of the country.

Altogether FIVE Awards have been instituted by different generous fisheries professionals in the mane of eminent scientists and academicians. They are:

• Dr. K.C. Naik Award (1^st Rank holder)
• Prof. H.P.C Shetty Award (2^nd Rank holder)
• Dr. E.G. Silas Award (3^rd Rank holder)
• Dr. T.J. Varghese Award (4^th Rank holder)
• Dr. K.V. Devaraj Award (5^th Rank holder)

In addition to this, five more students in the order of merit are given a Certificate of Appreciation every year. 

            The whole selection process consists of three stages:

First Stage

The first stage of examination will be held at the respective colleges. The alumni associations of the respective colleges/Head of the Institutes will be requested to conduct the examination. Alumni members/well-wishers from the proximal colleges/organizations will serve for the conduct of the examination. Only final year B.F.Sc. students who are expected to complete their degree would be eligible for the examination. In this stage, marks scored till the 7^th semester would be considered and account for 40% of the score while the marks secured in written test will account for 60% of score in the first round. The written test will have 2 papers: First paper will be of objective type consisting of English, General Knowledge, Quantitative Aptitude, Test of Reasoning and General Sciences for 100 marks. This will be for one hour duration and the score obtained in this paper will account for 20% of score in the second round. Second paper will be for 2 hours duration with the objective type questions based on the fisheries subjects covered during the four year degree programme under the ICAR syllabus for 200 marks. Negative marking will be applied for both the papers. The score obtained will be account for 40% (Total of 2 papers in 60%). The PFGF will coordinate the evaluation of answer script and announce the merit list.

Based on the score obtained, the top ten students and the top ranking student from each of the college not represented in the top ten will be invited for a second round of selection.

Second Stage

The second stage of selection would be held in one of the Fisheries Colleges situated in India and the students selected in the first round of examination, will appear for two papers set by the PFGF examination committee. The first paper consisting of objective type questions based on the General Knowledge and the second paper with the objective type questions based on the Fishery Science prescribed by the ICAR. At the end of second stage top ten students would be selected based on 25% of first stage marks and 75% of second stage marks, for the final stage of selection.

Third and Final Stage

  In the final selection top ten selected in the second stage are subjected to Practical Examination, Elocution competition, Essay Competition and Personal Interview. At the end of the final stage of selection, top five students will be selected as the Best Fisheries Graduates awards. 

Recognition

1. Selected top five students will be given the “The Best Fisheries Graduate” Awards. The certificate will describe the process adopted in the selection.
2. Rest of the students invited for second round selection will receive certificate along with the description of the process adopted.
3. PFGF will provide professional guidance and ad vice to the winners of the above awards based on specific request and availability of resources.
4. PFGF will take lead to establish linkages with relevant Institutions, funding agencies and send them the list of winners.

Examination committee

The examination committee for the selection of Best Fisheries Graduates of India is coordinated by Dr Jitendra Kumar (09532320002),​ Assistant Professor, Department of Fisheries Resource Management, College of Fisheries, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana- 141 004, Punjab, India and Mr Himashu Sekhar Swin (07077655889), Scientist, ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, Kolkata-700120. 

Likely impact

 It is anticipated that the identification of the best fisheries graduates through this competitive process would help in building the most talented resource pool of fisheries professionals to address the complex problems confronted globally creating healthy competitive spirit among the fisheries colleges. Thereby resulting in overall improvement of fisheries education and personality of students emerging out of these institutions; providing opportunities for PFGF on an annual basis to identify the needs of fisheries educational institutions based on the performance of students from each College and devise mechanisms to help the neediest institutions using the available resources and network of Fisheries Graduates.

The applicant should be a bona fide student of any of the fisheries colleges affiliated to State Agricultural Universities in India.