PGP in Agri-Business Management

Post Graduate Programme in Agribusiness Management is one of the flagship programmes offered by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). It is a full-time 2-year, 6-trimester residential course, which is considered equivalent to MBA. Upon completion of the course, students are awarded a PGDM but it is expected that IIMs will soon be able to award an MBA degree to students of this course. The course is available for graduates of the Agricultural Sciences and Agricultural Engineering streams. However, candidates from other streams can also apply.

PGP-ABM is a course that combines the fields of agriculture and management. It equips a student with the skills to start and sustain their own agricultural business. The course provides education on the technical aspects of agriculture such as crop production and processing while simultaneously teaching about management principles and how to apply them to an agriculture-related business. The course is fruitful for a person who is inclined towards business activities with a strong interest in the agricultural sector. After completing this course, a student has not only learned the best practices of farming but becomes able to create and manage an agricultural business.

The course focuses on building leadership qualities in a student and helps them become an effective entrepreneur and intrapreneur in the agribusiness segment. The pedagogy adopted by the course not only includes theoretical studies but students are also made aware of the practical applications of AgriBusiness Management, how to read current market trends and how to predict the future market requirements. Students are also able to customise the course as they have to choose electives in the second year i.e. fourth, fifth and sixth trimester of their study in PGP-ABM.

PGP in AgriBusiness Management (PGP-ABM) Highlights

All candidates applying for PGP-ABM will have to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria specified by the offering institution. The course is available for bachelor's degree holders, and candidates from relevant backgrounds are given a higher preference since it involves the study of technical aspects as well. Check the following points for more details.

• Candidates who wish to apply for the course must have completed a bachelor's degree course in Agricultural Sciences or Agricultural Engineering.
• Candidates who have a bachelor's degree in other streams from a recognized college can also apply for the course but they are required to submit a special form.
• A minimum of 50% aggregate marks (45% for reserved category candidates) must be scored in graduation to be eligible.

PGP in AgriBusiness Management (PGP-ABM) Admission Process

Given below is the admission process of the PGP in Agribusiness Management course. Candidates applying for the course must also refer to the process specified by their college for details such as the shortlisting criteria and the exact process followed.

• The candidate seeking admission to the PGP in Agri-Business Management course must go through the selection process of the respective IIM to which they have applied.

• Candidates are required to appear for the Common Admission Test (CAT) for admission to PGP-ABM offered by IIMs.

• Candidates who score about the shortlisting criteria specified by the IIM will be invited to take part in the selection process of the institute.

• The selection process involves a WAT (Essay) round followed by a GD / PI round. All of the selection rounds are conducted on the same day.

• The final selection is done on the basis of the performance in the entrance exam, previous academic performance, work experience and the performance in selection rounds.

PGP in AgriBusiness Management (PGP-ABM) Colleges

First Year

Second Year

PGP ABM has good career opportunities in a country with a vast agriculture sector that has a severe lack of skilled professionals. The course enables students to look for job opportunities in various segments of agricultural business and companies. Job opportunities after this course can be found in fields such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, business analytics, agricultural engineering, retail, analysts etc. There are many companies that recruit candidates from this field and many students also go for entrepreneurial agribusiness ventures after completing the course.

The Agribusiness Industry offers good employment opportunities to talented graduates from IIMs. The average salary for the industry is around Rs. 7 to 8 LPA. IIMs also ensure that their students get the best placement opportunities in the top recruiting companies of PGP ABM. Some of the common job profiles available after PGP ABM and their approximate average salary can be found given below.