Agriculture contributes to almost 20% of India’s GDP and consists of a little over 50% of the countries workforce. However, the service sector contributes more than 50% of the country’s GDP. In recent days, due to the pandemic, all the sectors thrived but agriculture saved the country’s economy. Hence, you can know that this is an evergreen sector and your job here will always be safe even in case of a pandemic. Also, the agriculture industry is the most important industry of any country, and agricultural courses in India have recognition of being a professional course. Therefore, we have summed up this blog on BSc Agriculture, all you need to know about it, eligibility, syllabus, top colleges, scope, and salary.
Be informed on trends in education, entrance examinations, scholarships, government jobs and exams, and more at ForeignAdmits blogs.
Also Read: Competitive Exams for Biology Students after 12th
About BSc Agriculture
India has the largest educational sector in agriculture. It has three main central agricultural universities namely, Imphal University, Pusa University, and Jhansi University, along with 4 general central and 5 deemed universities with the agriculture department. Also, it has 42 state universities dedicated to agriculture. Additionally, more than 75,000 students get enrolled in these universities for studying both UG and PG courses in agriculture and about 1,700 students perform research and obtain a PhD in agriculture. Thus, the topics covered under agriculture are agronomy, forestry, fisheries, veterinary sciences, some science, horticulture, etc.
The admissions into BSc agriculture are accepted annually. Further, it is a four-year course with a specialisation in the last semester. Also, the degree is considered as a professional course, and it is a full-time course with a credit-based semester system. Originally, the BSc agriculture was termed as BSc AG and AH, that is agriculture and animal husbandry, with a five-point evaluation system. However, now it is separated into BSc Agriculture and BSc Veterinary Sciences and the evaluation is done on a ten-point system. Hence, with BSc agriculture, you can get gazetted posts in government like agriculture officer.
Courses after BSc Zoology you Must Consider
Why study BSc Agriculture?
Agriculture includes both theoretical and practical applications of farming. Also, advances in agriculture define a country’s progress which is exactly why every country invests and promotes agriculture. Another reason for promoting agriculture is the need for food for the ever-growing population. Since, the planet has reached its saturation point in terms of the human population, the shortage of land, resources, livestock, and food has struck us. Not only does the agriculture sector invite candidates to study but to find innovative methods to overcome problems. As the saying goes,
“No race can prosper until it learns there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.”
— Booker T. Washington
Hence, this realisation has struck the youngsters and they are slowly driving towards this field. The sector is full of opportunities and government jobs. Also, it gives a lot of scope for business and development. Further, the sector holds the power to develop the nation, increase its economy, and eliminate poverty.
For those of you who still think that agriculture is done with the help of plough and ox, they need to wake up. The field has applied many innovative techniques of tissue culture, biotechnology, microbiology, transplanting, hybridization, genetics, and engineering to improve crop production, increase the amount of nutrition in fruits and vegetables, etc. Thus, the science of agriculture is vast and needs more young and creative minds to develop this field further and meet the demands.
Additionally, those who want to pursue agriculture as their career should have a background in maths or/and science, with basic knowledge of business and economics. Moreover, BSc Agriculture gives you the on-time opportunity of doing research-based internships in countries like the USA, and Ireland. International experience further increases your salary and worth.
Syllabus of BSc Agriculture
The curriculum for BSc Agriculture is very broad and interdisciplinary.
Apart from these topics the program also includes an internship, and every module has experimental learning so that the student gets hands-on experience and practical knowledge on agriculture. The syllabus in the detail is given below:
Basic Sciences and Humanities
- Analytical chemistry
- Environmental science
- Agricultural heritage
- Crop production
- Soil science
- Agricultural meteorology
- Educational psychology
- Comprehension and communication skills in English
- Plant biochemistry
- Computer applications
- Rural sociology and constitution of India
Agronomy
- Agricultural finance and corporation
- Basics of agricultural economics
- Agricultural business management
- Trade and prices
- Agricultural extension
- Technology in agriculture
Agricultural Engineering
- Principles of soil and water engineering
Agricultural Etymology
- Basics of etymology
- Pest and insect management
- Pests in horticulture
- Sericulture
- Economic etymology
Agricultural Microbiology
- Soil microbiology
Agricultural Statistics
- Fundamentals of agricultural statistics
Agronomy
- Introductory agriculture, principles of agronomy, and agricultural meteorology
- Field crops I (Kharif)
- Field crops II (Rabi)
- Practical crop production I
- Practical crop production II
- Irrigation water management
- Rain-fed agriculture and watershed management
- Weed management
- Farming systems, organic farming, and sustainable agriculture
- Natural resource management
- Experimental techniques in agricultural research I
- Horticulture
- Agribusiness management
- Crop production
- Social sciences
- Bio inputs
- Commercial agriculture
- Integrated livestock farming
- Genetics and biotechnology
The course is divided into 8 semesters. Additionally, the course is best for students from rural areas. While those in the urban areas can opt for this course to apply for the posts for the agricultural officer, etc. also, due to recent trends, organic farming is becoming popular. Further, the student can also visit foreign countries to study or work, or internship. The detailed scope of the field, as well as salary, is mentioned in the section below.
Eligibility
The following are the eligibility criteria to get admission into BSc Agriculture in top institutes in India.
- Firstly, the candidate should complete 10+2 or equivalent examination with a minimum of 50 percent aggregate score.
- Secondly, the candidates should be from a science background and studied subjects like physics, math, biology, chemistry in 10+2.
- Also, the candidate should have studied 10+2 from the agriculture field, a subject available in a few states.
- In addition, the candidate must be at least 17 years of age for admission into a bachelor’s course.
- Lastly, the candidate should attempt an entrance examination. The entrance exam can be a common entrance or a specific entrance for the university, it varies with the institute.
Also Read: Study MBBS in Ukraine.
Admission Process for BSc Agriculture
The admission can take place in two ways, either the candidate should attempt and qualify for an entrance examination, or based on the score in this exam the candidate is selected. Otherwise, the candidate can take admission directly without attempting the entrance examination through the management quota.
Further, the entrance tests can be a common entrance test or the specific ones conducted by the university. The common national level entrances are conducted by ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research). You can check for more details on this exam through their official website. Whereas, the state level common entrance tests are conducted by the state authorities. Moreover, some colleges accept students without any entrance exam directly through the percentages in high school (12th and 10th). Some of the state-level exams are:
- Firstly, EAMCET (Engineering, Agriculture and Medical Common Entrance Test) conducted by the state of Andhra Pradesh
- Secondly, PAU (Punjab Agriculture University) entrance test conducted by the PAU
- Thirdly, KEAM (Kerala Engineering Architecture and Medical) entrance test conducted by the state of Kerala
- Lastly, IGVK CET (Indira Gandhi Krishi VIshwavidyalaya Common Entrance Test) conducted by the Indira Gandhi Krishi Vidyalaya
Also Read: MBBS in Belize- Complete guide
Top institutes for BSc Agriculture
Here is a list of some of the top colleges in India that offer the BSc agriculture course.
- Central Agricultural University, Imphal
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar
- Bundelkhand University, Jhansi
- Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
- Chandigarh University, Ajitgarh, Punjab
- Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab
- University of Calicut, Kerela
- Jawarharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh
- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore
- Amity University, Noida
- Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab
- ICAR- Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
- Acharya Nagarjuna Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
Here is a list of top institutes abroad that provide BSc Agriculture and related courses. These institutes were ranked by the QS world ranking for agriculture and forestry courses.
- Wageningen University and research, Netherlands
- University of California, Davis
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Switzerland
- AgroParisTech, France
- ETH Zurich- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway
- University of British Columbia, Canada
- Warsaw University of Life Sciences- WULF SGGW, Poland
- University of Natural Resources and Applied Life sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Alma Mater Studiorum- University of Bologna, Italy
- Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan
- Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile (UC), Chile
Also Read: Top 20 Universities for Agricultural Science
Scope After BSc Agriculture
Bsc agriculture has the same scope as any regular bachelor’s degree and also the scope of jobs comparable to courses like MBBS, BTech, etc. You can imagine yourself as a researcher, teacher, lecturer, officer, government job holder, private employee, etc. Though you can directly apply for jobs after your bachelor’s but before jumping to jobs and salary, let us first discuss the scope of higher education after BSc Agriculture. Firstly, you can go for MSc Agriculture or related specialisations and then apply for research. You can also continue your higher education in agriculture abroad. Additionally, you can opt for internships in countries like the USA, Ireland, Netherlands, etc, and then apply for jobs there.
Otherwise, you can go for MBA, MIM, PGDM, and any other MSc. This option is for those people who want to go out of the box or maybe even switch careers. Meanwhile, the MBA or PGDM option allows you to kick start your entrepreneurship in agriculture. Maybe you can set up your own organic farm or orchard and start your own brand.
Additionally, you can attempt any of the public entrances and enter the government sector, for example, UPSC, FCI, IBPS, and any other government exam. The basic eligibility for these exams is BSc agriculture. Further, in the banking sector, the SBI (State Bank of India) recruits Junior Agricultural Associate (JAA), ADO, BDO, etc. Also, you may get appointed for posts like Agricultural Officer (AO), Assistant Agricultural Officer (AAO), Seed Officer (SO), and Field Officer. And through UPSC you can enter the Food Corporation of India (FCI), airport, seaport, etc.
Also Read: Erasmus Mundus Scholarship- Complete Guide.
Job and Salary
The multitude of study options are available after BSc Agriculture, getting another degree will increase the weightage of your resume and grant you lucrative and higher paid jobs as compared to starting a job right after your bachelor’s. But this option cannot be neglected hence, here are some of the top positions you can apply for directly after a Bachelor’s:
- Agricultural Officer in the public sector
- Assistant Agricultural Officer
- An employee at fertilizer, Pesticide, etc private companies
- Assistant professor
- An officer at an airport or seaport
- Join the state Farm Corporation
- National Seeds Corporation of India
- Quality Assurance Officer
- Research Officer
- Plantation Manager
- Rice Breeder
- Marketing Officer
- Operations manager
- Business Development Executive
Salary in the private sector can range from INR 2.5 to 5 lakh per annum depending on the company. However, in the public sector depending on the job it can fall in the range of INR 3 to 6 lakh per annum.
In conclusion, the best field to apply for is the agriculture sector, it is evergreen, the job opportunities are endless and the field is multidisciplinary. In addition, individuals from the rural as well as the urban sector can apply for this course. We covered all the possible details about BSc Agriculture here. Also, to read more interesting and informative blogs click here.