As India’s economy mainly relies on agriculture, the students aspiring to make a career in agricultural sciences can imagine the abundant future potential this sector beholds…
What is B.Sc. Agriculture?
B.Sc. Agriculture is a 4-year undergraduate program that primarily focuses on teaching agricultural science and the effective implementation of new-age agricultural techniques and equipment in the real world scenario. The study of this field includes practical learning on farms, internships, field work and more.
Some other concepts that you will master in B.Sc. Agriculture are:
- Soil science
- Water resources and its management
- Animal husbandry management
- Land surveying
- Few aspects of biotechnology, etc.
Agricultural sciences is a broad field which includes a variety of disciplines such as:
- Agronomy
- Horticulture
- Plant pathology
- Entomology
- Veterinary Science
- Forestry
- Genetics and Plant Breeding
- Fisheries
- Horticulture
- Food technology
- Home Science
- Agricultural economics
- Home science, etc.
B.Sc. Agriculture: Eligibility Criteria
- In order to take admission in B.Sc. Agriculture, students should have cleared 10+2 or any equivalent examination from the recognized university and board.
- They should have completed their higher secondary with science stream subjects such as physics, chemistry, mathematics, and biology.
- Students should have a minimum score of 50 percent in their higher secondary school examination or any equivalent examination, which varies from college to college.
- Students who have completed their intermediate/diploma in the agriculture field can also take admission in this course.
- Some universities conduct their own entrance exam for admission in the course.
B.Sc. Agriculture: Course Duration & Fees
| Course | Duration | Fees (INR) |
| Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Agriculture | 4 years | Between Rs. 7000 to 40000 per semester (varies from university to university) |
The fees for the course vary from university to university and a few universities also offer a part-time course.
Skill-set required to pursue B.Sc. Agriculture:
- Students enthusiastic to take admission in this course should have a creative mindset and basic understanding of the field
- Ability to develop a stable mindset and analytical thinking
- Capability to work hard in both theory and fieldwork
- Precise communication and presentation skills
B.Sc. Agriculture: Scope
India’s economy is mainly dependent on agriculture and the recent boost in the trend of organic farming has added more scope to the potential of this ever-growing field. Talking in facts and figures, this sector is expected to reach a value of INR 125350 Billion by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 12% during 2021-2026.
B.Sc. Agriculture: Career Prospects
B.Sc. Agriculture graduates can work in the agriculture sector both in India as well as abroad. There are numerous sectors that employ agricultural sciences graduates, namely:
- Food processing
- Dairy industry
- Poultry industry
- Fertilizer production company
- FMCG and other institutions
Also, various agro-industries like fertilizer producers and food processing companies require skilled professionals in agriculture. There are self-employment opportunities, as graduates can start their own consultancy firm and enlighten farmers about improving farming methods and crop productivity.
They can also go for poultry farming or related. They can start their own dairy unit and can go for animal husbandry farming. In short, agriculture is the vast never-ending sector and the professionals with B.Sc. in Agriculture degree can apply for any of the aforementioned positions and gain lucrative experience and salary in this industry.
B.Sc. Agriculture: Job Profiles
- Agriculture Officer
- Assistant Plantation Manager
- Agricultural Research Scientist
- Agriculture Development Officers
- Agriculture Technician
- Agriculturists
- Business Development Executive
- Marketing Executive, etc.
B.Sc. Agriculture: Top Recruiters
- DuPont India
- Rallis India Limited
- Advanta Limited
- National Agro Industries
- Rasi Seeds
- ABT Industries, etc.
B.Sc. Agriculture graduates can enjoy lucrative pay packages in this sector. Some of the best-offered roles with job description and salary packages are:
| Job Profile | Job Description | Average Annual Salary |
| Agriculture Officer | They work with farmers and companies related to agriculture. The vital role of an agriculture officer is to guide and help them to increase agriculture productivity. | INR 9.60 LPA |
| Assistant Plantation Manager | Assistant Plantation Manager is responsible for the efficient management of harvesting and other operations related to the plantation of vegetables or crops. | INR 5.25 LPA |
| Agricultural Research Scientist | Agricultural Research Scientists perform intricate research work. Consisting of both lab work and fieldwork, they are primarily concerned with the biological processes of various things and their relations with products and processes. | INR 6 LPA |
| Agriculture Development Officer | An Agriculture Development Officer works to improve the productivity of soil and other agricultural practices. | INR 4.80 LPA |
| Agriculture Technician | Agricultural Technicians do work related to food, animal research, production, and processing by discovering methods to improve the yield of crops and protect animals from diseases. | INR 3.5 LPA |
| Marketing Executive | A Marketing Executive is responsible for promoting a product and developing effective sales strategies to attract customers and satisfy their requirements, while keeping maximum profits in mind. | INR 3.46 LPA |
| Plant Breeder | These professionals innovate and develop new strategies, tools, and advanced technologies to improve the yield of major crops in India. | INR 7.76 LPA |
| Seed Technologist | These professionals provide support to seed growers by helping them with operations of seed equipment, planting of seeds, and seed scouting. | INR 3.25 LPA |
| Self Farming | Self Farming includes farming and managing of one’s own farm. | INR 3 to 6.5 Lakh |
B.Sc. Agriculture: Admission Process
| Merit-Based | Entrance-Based |
| Fill Up the Application | Fill Up the Application |
| Check the Cut-off List | Appear for Entrance Exam |
| Counselling Session | GD/PI and Counselling Session |
B.Sc. Agriculture: Syllabus
B.Sc. Agriculture is divided into 8 semesters. In the first semester, you will learn the basic science and humanities in detail, which includes:
- Rural sociology and constitution of India
- Comprehension and communication skills in English
- Plant biochemistry
- Introduction to computer applications
- Educational psychology
In the second semester, you will be learning the concepts of agricultural economics, which includes:
- Agricultural finance and cooperation
- Principles of agricultural economics
- Trade and prices
- Agricultural marketing
- Fundamentals of agribusiness management
In the third semester, you will learn the concepts of agricultural engineering, which includes:
- Farm power and machinery
- Energy sources and their application in agriculture
- Protected cultivation structures and agro-processing
- Principles of soil and water engineering
In the fourth semester, you will learn agricultural entomology, which includes:
- General Entomology
- Crop pests and their management
- Economic Entomology
- Sericulture
In the fifth semester, students learn agricultural extension education, which includes:
- Extension methodologies for transfer of agricultural technologies
- Dimensions of agricultural extension
- Entrepreneurship development and communication skills
In the sixth semester, you will learn agricultural microbiology, which includes:
- Soil microbiology
- Agriculture microbiology
In the seventh semester, you will learn the Agricultural Statistics and its applications in real world scenario.
In the eighth semester, you will be learning:
- Introductory agriculture
- Principles of agronomy and agricultural meteorology
- Practical crop production I
- Practical crop production II
- Field crops I (Kharif)
- Field crops II (Rabi)
- Irrigation water management
- Weed management
- Rain fed agriculture and watershed management
- Farming systems, organic farming and sustainable agriculture
- Experimental techniques in agricultural research I
- Natural resource management
- Horticulture
- Crop production
- Agribusiness management
- Social sciences
- Integrated livestock farming
- Bio inputs
- Commercial agriculture
- Genetics and biotechnology
B.Sc. Agriculture: Electives Offered
The program also offers a plethora of elective subjects that one can opt for in the 5th and/or 6th semesters. Every candidate has the leverage to pursue the elective subjects of their choice. List of the elective subjects are provided below:
- Agribusiness Management
- Commercial Plant Breeding
- Food Safety and Standards
- Protected Cultivation
- Hi-Tech Horticulture
- Weed Management
- Agricultural Journalism
- Landscaping
- Agrochemicals
- Protected Cultivation
Most Popular Colleges for B.Sc. Agriculture in India
Some of the most popular colleges that offer B.Sc. Agriculture Sciences program are:
- BHU – Banaras Hindu University
- Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya Raipur
- Delhi University (DU)
- Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
- Amity University, Noida
- Chandigarh University
- Chandigarh Group of Colleges, Jhanjeri
- Vellore Institute of Technology
- LPU – Lovely Professional University
- Visva Bharati University
- Govind Ballabh Pant University
- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
- Karunya Institute of Technology
- SOA – Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University
- Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University
- Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU)
- College of Agriculture, Bangalore
- Jaipur National University
- Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology
B.Sc. Agriculture: Top Entrance Exams
Below is the list of India’s most popular agriculture science entrance exams:
- [ICAR] The Indian Council of Agri Research Exam
- [LPUNEST] LPU National Eligibility & Scholarship Test
- Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination [BCECE]
- [MHT CET] Maharashtra Health & Tech Common Entrance Test
- [KEAM] Kerala Engg Agricultural Medical Entrance Examination
- [MAJU Entrance Exam] Mohammad Ali Jauhar University Entrance Examination
- [MCAER PGCET]
- [OUAT]
- [BHU UET] Entrance Test
- Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University [BBAU]
- [JNU CEEB] Jawaharlal Nehru University Combined Entrance Exam for Biotech
- CSK H.P Agri University [HPAU] Entrance Exam
- Agriculture Common Entrance Test [AGRICET]
- [NABARD Grade B] National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Grade B
- Indian Council of Agri Research All India Entrance Exam for Admission [ICAR AIEEA]
- [ASRB ICAR NET] Agri Scientists Recruitment Board Indian Council of Agri Research National Eligibility Test
- [OSGU Entrance Exam] Om Sterling Global University Entrance Examination
- [AP EAMCET] Andhra Pradesh Engg. Agriculture & Medical Common Entrance Test
- Karnataka Common Entrance Test [KCET]
- Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination [JCECE]
- Tripura Joint Entrance Examination [TRIPURA JEE]
- AISECT Joint Entrance Exam [AJEE]
- ITM NEST
- AAU VET