BSc Agriculture is a 4-year undergraduate degree course that includes topics related to agriculture and its applications. The subject also has further streams such as agronomy, horticulture, plant pathology, entomology, soil science, food technology, agricultural economics, home science, fisheries, forestry, and veterinary science. It aims at providing modern techniques of agricultural sciences to better the water resource management, soil texture, poultry management, land surveying, etc. The main objective of this course is to assist the future generation with ways to improve agricultural productivity and yield along with minimizing the loss of crops. The course fee of BSc Agriculture is generally 2 Lakh to 3 Lakh INR in India and 10 Lakh to 20 Lakh abroad (varying as per the university).
Eligibility Criteria
The general admission requirements for BSc Agriculture are as follows:
Students must have 10+2 (preferably in Science) or an equivalent examination with the science stream subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology.
If you are planning to study BSc Agriculture abroad, you will have to provide SAT/ACT scores along with language proficiency scores of IELTS/TOEFL/PTE, etc. Moreover, you will also have to provide SOP and LORs as well.
BSc Agriculture Subjects
The major BSc Agriculture subjects covered in this undergraduate programme are as follows:
Agronomy
Plant Biochemistry
Water Management
Study of Pests and Crops
Agricultural Meteorology
Watershed Management
Organic Farming
Farming System
Plant Breeding
Food Technology
Plant Pathology
Agricultural Economics
Horticulture
Entomology
Genetics
Admission Process in India
Entrance Exam Based Examination: To apply for the entrance examination conducted by universities, students must fill the application form and get themselves registered. Entrance examinations such as KCET 2022, KEAM 2022 give admission to students who qualify the exam, in BSc Agriculture colleges of Karnataka and Kerala.
Entrance Exams in India
Depending on the institution, the admission procedure differs for BSc in Agriculture. However, the general procedure consists of selection based on your merit followed by an interview. A few colleges also have entrance exams for their shortlisting procedure. The most common entrance exams are:
BHU UET (Banaras Hindu University)
AP EAMCET (Andhra Pradesh)
SAAT ( Siksha Anusandhan)
CG PAT (Chhattisgarh)
OUAT (Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology)
Scope and Opportunities
Despite being the largest employer and contributor to the global economy, the Agriculture sector remains unskilled. With global warming and climate change, agricultural experts are now needed more than ever. Thus, this sector will continue to employ many with lucrative salaries even if other sectors face downsizing. On completing graduation, the BSc Agriculture students can either opt for higher studies by pursuing Masters in Agricultural sciences, Master in Sciences (MSc) in fields like biotechnology, Rural banking, International Agribusiness etc. or MBA in Agriculture. You can also start working as :
Being a growing sector, agricultural study has a vast number of career opportunities for students. The government as well as the private organizations provide a good position along with a generous salary amount. The following companies are some of the top recruiters for students who have studied Bsc in Agriculture:
National Agro Industries
Rallies India Limited
Advanta Limited
Phalada Agro Research Foundation Limited
Rasi Seeds
ABT Industries
DuPont India
With the research growing briskly in the scientific world, students can also use ample opportunities and apply for a research study in agriculture. The following are a few of the most renowned research institutes for agriculture in India:
Indian Agricultural Research Institute
National Seeds Corporation Limited
State Farms Corporation of India
Food Corporation of India
National Dairy Development Board
NABARD and other banks
Agricultural finance corporations
Indian Council of Agricultural Research
The salary packages differ for each role and position. However, an average annual salary for professionals who work in an agricultural sector ranges between INR 2 to 8 Lakhs.