BSc Agriculture vs BSc Horticulture - Which is the Best Option after Class 12th?

Kumari Neha

Updated On: March 03, 2023 04:12 pm IST | ICAR AIEEA

In agriculture field BSc Agriculture and BSc Horticulture are two of the most important courses that the candidates can pursue. These courses have different career prospects, job roles and salary. Check the detailed comparison between BSc Agriculture and BSc Horticulture here.

BSc Agriculture vs Horticulture

BSc Agriculture and BSc Horticulture are two major courses in the field of Agriculture. Even though the career prospects for the two courses are different, many students often get confused between the two, specifically when it comes to choosing the best course after Class 12th. In these two courses, the scope for getting employment in the government sector is high subject to the eligibility and performance in the recruitment exams. On the other hand, private companies that deal with the production of seeds, fertilizers etc also hire BSc Agriculture/ Horticulture graduates. The Job roles and positions of both BSc Agriculture and BSc Horticulture graduates can be different.

What is BSc Agriculture?

BSc Agriculture is a Bachelor’s Degree course that chiefly deals with food production, farming, and practices associated with irrigation, cultivation, and farming. The course offers in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge of cultivation science, its basics, innovative techniques to improve soil fertility, etc. The technical know-how in food production, water resource management, poultry management, and livestock maintenance are also developed during this course. An agriculture graduate can explore diversified fields after pursuing BSc in Agriculture. The degree awarded to an agriculture student is well recognized and well accepted all over the nation as well as in international universities. Most importantly, it unveils an employment arena that never gets affected by the recession, and jobs are more secured here than the other agriculture-related fields.

What is BSc Horticulture?

B.sc Horticulture focuses on the education of cultivating fruits, flowers, vegetables, tea, etc. During the course, students get learning about the theoretical and technical studies of cultivation, horticulture, postharvest management, processing and storage of fruits, vegetables, aromatic plants, crops plantation, etc. The degree of BSc Horticulture is only recognized by Indian Universities and government organizations. Though it has good career opportunities, they are limited to the cultivation of vegetables, fruits etc and the techniques required to help them to thrive. If you are interested in studying the techniques of cultivating vegetables, fruits, flowers, tea etc, then BSc Horticulture is the best course after Class 12th. 

If you are confused about which is better BSc Agriculture or BSc Horticulture then this article will help you to come to a conclusion. In order to help you understand the basic to major differences between the two courses, i.e., BSc Agriculture and BSc Horticulture, we have listed the same in the table below along with details on career prospects, job roles, top colleges, salary details etc.

Comparison between BSc Agriculture and BSc Horticulture

Following is the comparison between BSc Agriculture and BSc Horticulture course based on various parameters:

Parameter

BSc Agriculture

BSc Horticulture

Overview

  • Study of cultivation of food crops that are edible

  • Study of extensive cultivation

  • Finds its application in Farming

  • Study of cultivation of specific crops like fruits, flowers, tea that may also have medicinal and aesthetic value

  • Study of cultivation of crops in a limited area.

  • Finds its application in Gardening, Pomology, Flowering etc.

Duration

3- 4years (Candidates who have completed their Diploma in Agriculture can study a three-year B.Sc Agriculture course)

3- 4 years (Candidates who have completed their Diploma in Horticulture can study a three-year B.Sc Horticulture course)

Eligibility

Class 12th passed in PCB or PCMB with minimum 55% marks

Class 12th passed in PCB or PCMB with minimum 55% marks

List of Entrance Exams

ICAR AIEEA, TS EAMCET, NEET (UG), KCET, MP PAT, BCECE

ICAR AIEEA, TS EAMCET, NEET (UG), KCET, MP PAT, BCECE

Admission Process

Entrance Exam or Centralised Counselling Process

Entrance Exam or Centralised Counselling Process

Average Fees

Rs 8000 to 1.20 lakh Per Annum

Rs 8000 to 1.20 lakh Per Annum

Job roles

Agronomist, Agriculturist, Plant Breeder, Entomologist

Horticulturist, Pomologist, Floriculturist

Top Recruiters

IARI, NABARD, Agricultural Economics Research Centre, Agrosky Agrilink Private Limited, Heritage Food Limited

National Horticulture Board, Institute of Horticulture Technology, NAFED, Paryavaran Mitra

Starting salary

Rs. 1.80 to Rs. 2.50 Lacs Per Annum

Rs 1.80 to Rs. 2.40 Lacs Per Annum

Top Colleges

Also Read: Higher education after BSc Agriculture

BSc Agriculture vs BSc Horticulture: Higher Education Opportunities

By looking at the aspects of higher education opportunities, a student can decide which course to go for.

A BSc agriculture graduate can proceed to higher education by pursuing MSc in Genetics, Plant Entomology, Plant Pathology, Agricultural Economics, Horticulture, Soil Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Food Science, MBA in Agribusiness, etc.

On the other hand, after completing BSc in Horticulture, a graduate can go for M.sc Horticulture.

Reasons to Pursue BSc Agriculture

Following are some of the reasons to pursue a BSc Agriculture course after Class 12th:

  • Since India is an agrarian country, BSc Agriculture offers job opportunities for qualified professionals who improvise the agriculture sector of the country.

  • There are career opportunities as an Agronomist, Agriculturist, Plant breeder, Entomologist etc in both government and private sectors.

  • BSc Agriculture programme trains students to get acquainted with various aspects of agriculture and its related topics. They are trained to work in the agricultural industry or farming.

  • BSc Agriculture programme is defined to train students to understand the agricultural process and improve agriculture productivity and find solutions to improve the quality of agriculture production.

Reasons to Pursue BSc Horticulture

Following are some of the reasons to pursue a BSc Horticulture course after Class 12th:

  • BSc Horticulture is a good course to opt for students who wish to study some special technique and cultivation of plants like vegetables, fruits, flowers etc.

  • There are numbers of job opportunities after the completion of B.Sc Horticulture. A candidate can pursue job roles as a horticulturist, floriculturist, pomologist, etc.

  • BSc Horticulture programme trains students on special techniques and methods for cultivating df specific plants.

  • Candidates can learn about the plants that are used for consumption, medicinal purposes, and aesthetic purpose.

BSc Agriculture vs Horticulture: Which is the Best Option after Class12th?

By this time, you might have got an idea on which is the suitable course for you. As two courses have decent career prospects, you can choose the right course that suits your career aspirations and interests. Avoid choosing the course just because of peer pressure.

If a candidate is more driven towards farming and cultivation of food crops then he can pursue a BSc Agriculture course. On the other hand, if He/ She is interested in making a career in specific plant cultivation like fruit, flowers, tea etc and other plants that have medicinal or aesthetic value then B.Sc Horticulture would be a good option.

We hope that the above comparison and explanation helped in choosing the most relevant course after Class 12th. For the latest updates on B.Sc Agriculture/ Horticulture admission, stay tuned to CollegeDekho!

Related Articles

Following are the list of article related to Agriculture courses:

BSc in Agriculture vs B.Sc in Food Technology

Agriculture Diploma vs BSc Agriculture

BSc Food Technology vs BTech Food Technology

BSc Agriculture vs BTech Agriculture Engineering

Are you feeling lost and unsure about what career path to take after completing 12th standard?

Say goodbye to confusion and hello to a bright future!

news_cta

FAQs

Does B.Sc Horticulture come under Agricultural stream?

Yes certainly, B.Sc Horticulture, which is under graduate program, falls under Agriculture stream.

Can you please suggest us the name of the entrance exams for B.SC Agriculture?

The aspirants of B.Sc Agriculture can write any of the following entrance examinations provided they have eligibility criteria

  • ICAR AIEEA
  • TS EAMCET
  • NEET UG
  • KCET
  • MP PAT
  •  BCECE

What is the eligibility criterion for B.Sc Horticulture?

The aspirants of B.Sc Horticulture must have completed Class XII with PCB or PCMB with minimum 55% marks.

What would be the average fee of B.Sc Agriculture?

The average fee for the course of B.Sc Agriculture would be between Rs 40000

What is the starting salary of a candidate with a B.Sc Agriculture degree?

A candidate can expect a starting salary of Rs 1.8 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakhs for admission in the B.Sc Agriculture course.

/articles/bsc-agriculture-vs-bsc-horticulture/
View All Questions

Related Questions

How to get admission in bsc agriculture

-atmakuri mahima ananda rajuUpdated on March 26, 2024 03:05 PM
  • 3 Answers
Puja Saikia, Student / Alumni

To get Sri Venkateswaraa University admission in its Ettayapuram campus for its BSc agriculture course, you need to meet the eligibility criteria set for the course and fill in the application form with the required details. Then you need to pay the application fees and follow the instructions as communicated to you by the institute.

READ MORE...

Apply last date in AGBSC in undergarullation please tell me

-kinjarapu krishnaUpdated on March 14, 2024 02:47 PM
  • 2 Answers
Rajeshwari De, Student / Alumni

The candidates who are selected will have to report to the college for admission formalities. The AGBSC (Agriculture) course at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has already closed for applications. The deadline for applications was May 15, 2023. The AGBSC course is a full-time, four-year curriculum that is available at all of the constituent institutions of TNAU. The curriculum is created to give students the information and abilities they need to work in the agricultural industry. For the AGBSC course, the following requirements must be met:

  • Candidates must have passed the 10+2 exam with math, physics, chemistry, and biology …

READ MORE...

Spot admission ki fees Kay hai

-vaishnav nagapureUpdated on February 21, 2024 03:38 PM
  • 2 Answers
Aditya, Student / Alumni

Dear vaishnav, the Shri Shivaji Agriculture College, Amravati does not offer spot admission. The college offers admission to the B.Sc (Agriculture) course through the MHT CET entrance exam. The application form for the MHT CET can be downloaded from the MSCE website. The application fee is Rs 500 for general category candidates and Rs 250 for reserved category candidates. You can pply for registration next year since the 2023 admissions have closed.

READ MORE...

Do you have a question? Ask us.

  • Typical response between 24-48 hours

  • Get personalized response

  • Free of Cost

  • Access to community

Recent Articles

Subscribe to CollegeDekho News

By proceeding ahead you expressly agree to the CollegeDekho terms of use and privacy policy

Top 10 Agriculture Colleges in India

View All

Know best colleges you can get with your score

Top
Planning to take admission in 2024? Connect with our college expert NOW!