Nauni varsity’s soil, leaf analysis lab achieves NABL accreditation
The advanced Soil and Leaf Analysis Laboratory of the Department of Soil Science and Water Management at Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, has achieved a significant milestone by earning accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). This recognition underscores the lab’s national-level competence and compliance with the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards, which set rigorous guidelines for testing and calibration laboratories.
The lab, established under the World Bank-funded HP-HDP project, specialises in analysing soil and leaf samples for macronutrients and micronutrients, along with testing manure and compost as per Fertiliser Control Order (FCO) specifications. Since its inception, the facility has served as a valuable resource for both revenue generation and facility sharing, attracting clients from within and outside Himachal Pradesh.
Dr Uday Sharma, Professor and Head of the Department of Soil Science and Water Management and the lab’s Quality Manager, explained the rigorous accreditation process. It involved an evaluation by the Quality Council of India, where the lab demonstrated its reliability by testing unknown samples for 11 soil parameters.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Rajeshwar Singh Chandel congratulated the Department of Soil Science for this remarkable achievement. He emphasized that the accreditation would enhance the laboratory’s credibility and strengthen the trust of farmers and institutions in its analyses.
Director of Research, Dr Sanjeev Chauhan, commended the team for maintaining high standards and underscored the lab’s role in advancing research quality. Since becoming fully operational in 2021, the lab has analysed over 6,000 samples, significantly contributing to the university’s revenue and bolstering its reputation as a leader in soil science research.
This accreditation marks a new chapter for the lab.
