UGC-NET Success: 

Six postgraduate students-Ms. Romanpreet Kaur, Ms. Amrita Kaur, Ms. Anupriya, Ms. Arshdeep Kaur, Ms. Sadhana, and Ms. Jagjit Kaur qualified the UGC-NET examination during the academic year 2024–25, reflecting the department’s academic excellence.

Recognition in National and International Conferences:

Dr. Prachi Bisht (Scientist) received the Second Prize for her oral presentations at:

• ICSSR Sponsored National Seminar on “Nutrition, Psychology and Screen Time: Status, Interplay, Challenges and Way Forward” (29 January 2025).
• Global Conference on “Innovations to Impact: Gender Transformative Approach for Sustainable Agri-food System”, organized by ICAR-CIWA, Bhubaneswar (8-10 March 2025).

Curriculum Development:
A one-year Certificate Course in Early Childhood Care and Education was launched in July 2024 (First semester) to provide hands-on training, enhancing youth competencies in the field of ECCE.

Nutrition Awareness & Millet Promotion:
Under the AICRP-WIA project:

• Farm women were sensitized about incorporating millets into their diets, leading to improved nutrition and immunity.
• Frontline demonstrations on millet cultivation were conducted in adopted villages to encourage production and consumption.

Data Repository Development:

A comprehensive Data Repository on the Livelihood Security of Farm Women was developed under the project “Standardization of Techniques for Livelihood Analysis and Women Empowerment in Different Agro-Ecological Zones”. This resource will support evidence-based policy and strategy development.

Research Contributions:
The department is actively engaged in impactful research on:

• Mental health, psychological well-being, and academic anxiety.
• School readiness, academic performance, and socio-emotional intelligence.
• Gender role attitudes, family environment, peer relations, and youth aspirations across rural and urban settings.

• Media usage, digital addiction, spiritual intelligence, and personal values in youth development.

Development of Educational Resources:

• An Interventional Module titled “Empowering Youth with Life Skills” was created to support life skills education in higher education institutions.
• A Guidebook titled “Grow Your Spiritual Intelligence” was developed to aid youth in enhancing their spiritual awareness and mental strength.

• Training, Awareness, and Capacity-Building Initiatives
• Skill Enhancement and Training Programmes: The department organized eight training programmes/workshops for Anganwadi workers, supervisors, non-teaching staff of PAU, KVKs, UG-PG students, parents, rural adolescent girls, and Home Science scientists of PAU and GADVASU. These sessions aimed at capacity building and enhancing the professional effectiveness of each target group.
• Awareness Events and Youth Empowerment: Sixteen national and international days, such as International Women’s Day, World Suicide Prevention Day, and Agricultural Education Day, were celebrated to raise awareness on key social issues. These celebrations are regular feature of the department. Additionally, ten webinars were held for tutorial support and youth capacity-building, reflecting the department’s strong focus on education, empowerment, and community outreach.