B.Sc Agriculture Admissions 2019: Eligibility Criteria, Subjects, Entrance Exams, Colleges

B.Sc Agriculture is an undergraduate degree that can be taken up by 10+2 students with a Science background. It is a programme of four-year duration in which students have to study all about agricultural sciences, use of modern scientific equipment and techniques in agriculture, soil science, land surveying, water resource management, biotechnology basics, animal and poultry management.

The students pursuing B.Sc Agriculture will get to study agricultural economics and such courses follow a more practical based approach. It is not a general degree as such but requires further specialisation such as agricultural engineering, soil science, animal science, etc.

The course’s objective is to improve agricultural productivity by inculcating the right concepts in students so that they become industry-ready.

Why You Should Pursue BSc Agriculture

Considering that India is popular for farming and its agricultural land, this is one sector where you will never see a shortage of work. While there are abundant job options in this field, the idea behind this course is to have trained professionals for the better management of products and future developments. It is also a great alternate to B.E. or B.Tech Agriculture programme. Therefore, you will find enough reasons to pursue this course and some of them are, in fact, listed below.

• Good employment opportunities in State and Central Government ministries and departments, rural and nationalised banks, agricultural finance corporation research institutions, Krishi Vigyan kendras, agro-industry sector, various agricultural universities and service organisations.

• Agriculture is a very lucrative industry in India and also at the global level

• After pursuing B.Sc Agriculture, applicants can choose to set up their own business in economic sectors such as farming, plantation, mining, poultry farming, etc

• Applicants can also work as inspectors or agricultural managers in farm-related organisations, food processing unit, dairy fields, breeding centers and NGOs.

Who All Can Pursue BSc Agriculture

This is not a very conventional course but some students may find it particularly interesting. To pursue this course, applicants need to have good knowledge of Science and need to familiarise themselves with pastures, crops, soil types, etc. They must also have good communication and organising skills, the ability to give presentations, etc. and they should have an idea of some of the popular business concepts. Candidates belonging to agrarian families may also find this course interesting.

BSc Agriculture Eligibility

Candidates who wish to pursue B.Sc Agriculture have to meet the criteria listed below:

• They should have completed 10+2 with Chemistry, Biology and Physics as their main subjects.

• The minimum marks required for admission would depend on the institute to institute

• The minimum age limit is 18 and there is no upper age limit to pursue B.Sc Agriculture.

• Another admission requirement is an entrance test, which is conducted by an institute. Given below are some of the institutes in India that conduct their own entrance exams for admission in B.Sc Agriculture.

Note: The eligibility criteria vary from university to university in terms of subject combinations and it also varies for the reserved categories.

Entrance Exams for BSc Agriculture Admissions

In India, there is 1 Central Agricultural University, 42 State Agricultural Universities, 4 General Central Universities, 5 Deemed Universities and 4 General Central Universities. These universities enroll students at the undergraduate level in 11 disciplines and about 15,000 students get admission every year. There are many private colleges and general universities that offer B.Sc. Agriculture course to a large number of students.

Admission to some of these colleges offering B.Sc Agriculture course is based on some of the most popular entrance exams listed below:

BCECE – Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (BCECEB) conducts the Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination (BCECE) every year for admissions in various professional courses offered under Engineering and Agricultural streams in the Institutions of the state of Bihar.

AP EAMCET – JNTU (Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University), Kakinada on behalf of Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) organises AP EAMCET (Andhra Pradesh Engineering, Agriculture, Medical Common Entrance Test). Through this state-level entrance exam, candidates can get admission in various undergraduate programmes offered at participating universities/private colleges of Andhra Pradesh.

PAU Entrance Exam – It is organised by Punjab Agricultural University for candidates seeking admission in various UG programmes offered by it. Interested candidates who wish to pursue B.Sc Agriculture programmes from Punjab Agricultural University can apply for admission after fulfilling the eligibility criteria.

(IKGV) CET – The Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV) conducts a common entrance exam i.e. IGKV CET every year for candidates seeking admission in the postgraduate programmes such as M.Sc.Agriculture, M.Sc. Fruit Science, M.Tech Agriculture, etc.

ICAR Entrance Exam (ICAR-AIEEA) – Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) conducts All India Entrance Examination to shortlist aspirants for admission in undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in agriculture and allied sciences.

MP PAT – MP PAT is a state-level examination conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, also known as MP Vypam, for admission in B.Tech (Agriculture Engineering), B.Sc (Agriculture), B.Sc (Horticulture) and B.Sc (Forestry) courses offered by various agriculture colleges and institutions in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

JCECE – Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (JCECEB) is responsible for conducting JCECE for admission to B.Sc. Agriculture, B.Tech (Dairy Technology, Agriculture Engineering), B.V.Sc. & Animal Husbandry. Candidates with Jharkhand domicile are the only ones who can apply for this entrance exam.

TS EAMCET – Telangana Engineering, Agriculture and Medical Common Entrance Test (TS EAMCET) is a state-level entrance exam organised by Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad on behalf of TSCHE (Telangana State Council of Higher Education). The examination is meant for candidates seeking admission to various professional courses offered in over 300 private colleges and Universities in the Telangana state.

OUAT – Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology organises OUAT Entrance Exam for various UG programmes offered by the university in its affiliated colleges. Interested candidates must fill the application form after fulfilling the eligibility criteria.

Also Read: NEET-UG Mandatory for Forestry, Agriculture and Other Related Courses in Kerala

BSc Agriculture Admission Process

The admission process for B.Sc Agriculture is done through two modes – either on the basis of the marks in the qualifying exam or on the basis of a written exam conducted by a particular university or institute that offers the degree. Details regarding the application process can be taken from the official website of the institute along with the course details and the number of seats that are available. The application forms will be available in the college office or from the concerned website.

Popular Colleges for Pursuing BSc Agriculture

There are a number of universities and private colleges that offer B.Sc. Agriculture course. Some of the most popular colleges are:

Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi	Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (SHIATS), Allahabad
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, PB	Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore
University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bengaluru	Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU), Hisar, Haryana
G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUA&T), Pantnagar	Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University (RAU), Pusa
Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUA&T), Bhubaneswar	Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology (CSAUA&T), Kanpur

BSc Agriculture Subjects

B.Sc. Agriculture covers subjects like Agronomy, Plant Genetics, Soil Science, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Entomology, amongst many others. The subjects included in this course give students an overall insight into agriculture and all its related disciplines. Some of the subjects are given below:

Agricultural Economics	Trade prices, Market prices, Finance, Marketing, Farm Management, Agribusiness Management
Agronomy	Basics of Agronomy, Field Crops (Kharif), Field Crops (Rabi), Weed Management, Water Resource management, Crop Production, Irrigation Techniques, Sustainable Agriculture, Organic Farming
Agriculture Engineering	Agriculture Machinery, Harvest Technology, Power and Tools, Renewable Energy, Environment Science and Engineering
Agricultural Meteorology	Climatic hazards on Agriculture, Climate patterns, Climatic Zones, Weather forecasting
Horticulture	Aromatic Plants, Fruit Crops, Flower Production, Medicinal Plants, Spices, Plantation Crops
Agricultural Extension	Extension Methodologies, Dimensions of Agricultural Extension, Entrepreneurship Development programme
Soil Science	Introduction to Soil Science, Soil Chemistry, Soil Fertility, Agricultural Chemistry, Fertilizers

Employment Opportunities after BSc Agriculture

Those who've done their graduation in B.Sc Agriculture can find a number of jobs in both private as well as government organisations. In the government sector, graduates can work in State Agriculture Departments at the Officer level posts. They can also be hired by Government Banks to fill up Officer level posts (generally dealing with Loans).

In the private sector, graduates may work as Officers at Fertilizer Manufacturing companies, Managers at Plantations, Agricultural Products Marketing companies, Agriculture Machinery Industries, Food processing units, etc.

Candidates who've done their graduation in B.Sc Agriculture may work as independent consultants after gaining some years of work experience. Taking up M.Sc Agriculture after B.Sc. Agriculture is another option, basis which one can take up a teaching job. Candidates may also try pursuing a Ph.D to do Agriculture related Research work.

Job Types/Job Roles after BSc Agriculture

After pursuing BSc Agriculture, applicants can choose to take up any of the following roles:

• Agricultural Portfolio Manager
• Actuarial Analyst
• Program Manager
• Agricultural Lecturer
• Research Analyst
• Farming Consultant

Salary after Pursuing BSc Agriculture

The starting salary after pursuing B.Sc agriculture can range from Rs.15,000-Rs.30,000, and after gaining some experience, graduates can look forward to earning from Rs.60,000-Rs.80,000. It also depends on the university or institute from where the student has pursued his/her degree.