The Bachelor of Science in Agriculture [B.Sc.(Agr.)] is a 4 year undergraduate degree awarded in agriculture. It is not a general degree but requires specialization in a certain field like, majoring in Animal science, Agronomy, Agricultural Biochemistry, Soil science or Agricultural engineering.

The main focus of this program is to use the above mentioned concepts to train students who’ll in turn help in improving agricultural productivity, manage products and pave way for future developments through research activities.

IMPORTANT SUBJECTS IN THE PROGRAM

Agronomy: This is a branch of agriculture that deals with field-crop production and soil management. The topics involved in this are – Basics of Agronomy, Field Crops (Kharif, Rabi), Crop Production, Weed Management, Irrigation Techniques, Water resource management, Organic Farming and Sustainable agriculture. Apart from theoretical, practical knowledge is also involved in case of these subjects. Plant Genetics: This is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in plants. Botany, Basics of Genetics, Plant breeding, Seed technology, Basics of Biotechnology are some of the topics covered in this. Apart from the above mentioned theoretical subjects, practical sessions about the same are also included. Soil Science: It is the branch of science concerned with the formation, nature, ecology and classification of soil. It consists of subjects like Soil fertility, Soil chemistry, Fertilizers and Agricultural chemistry with theory as well as practical. Entomology: This is a branch of zoology that deals with insects. Pest management, Beneficial insects, Grain storage and management are the topics taught under this with theory and practical. Agricultural Economics: It’s an applied field of economics concerned with the application of economic theory in optimizing the production and distribution of food and fibre. Market prices, Trade prices, Marketing, Finance, Agribusiness Management, Farm Management are the topics involved with both theory and practical. Agriculture Engineering: This branch of engineering deals with the design of farm machinery, location and planning of farm structures, farm drainage, soil management and erosion control, water supply and irrigation, and the processing of farm products. Topics included under this are Agriculture Machinery, Power and Tools, Harvest Technology, Environment Science and Engineering, Renewable Energy with theory as well as practical. Agricultural Meteorology: This is the branch of meteorology that deals with the relationship of weather and climate to crop and livestock production and soil management. Climate patterns, Climatic hazards on Agriculture, Climatic zones, Weather forecasting are the topics included under this which involve both theory and practical. Plant Pathology: It’s the study of diseases in plants caused by pathogens and environmental conditions. Crop diseases and Nematology are taught under this with both practical and theory sessions involved. Horticulture: It is the practice of garden cultivation and management. Topics like Fruit crops, Medicinal plants, Aromatic plants, Flower production, Spices, Plantation crops are covered under this with theory and practical knowledge. Agricultural Extension: This refers to the application of scientific research and knowledge to agricultural practices through farmer education. Dimensions of Agricultural extension, Extension methodologies and Entrepreneurship development program are all included under this with theory and practical sessions involved. Biochemistry, Physiology, Microbiology and Animal Products: are some of the other subjects being taught.

SCOPE, JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND SALARY

Numerous Government as well as private job opportunities are present after pursuing this course. Government jobs include State Agriculture Departments and Government Banks which recruit graduates for Officer level posts.

Similarly, in Private Sectors, graduates may find work as Plantation Managers, Officers at Fertilizer Manufacturing firms, Agriculture Machinery Industries, Agricultural Product Marketing firms, Food processing units etc. with an average starting salary between 2-4.5 Lakh Rupees per year.

Other Job posts available are of Research Officer, Quality Assurance Officer, Agriculture Officer, Production Manager, Operations Manager and Farm Manager.

HIGHER EDUCATION

After completing this course, graduates can also pursue different types of PG courses like:

M.Sc. Agriculture, which is a two year program.

MBA, MMS and PGDM programs.

After the completion of relevant M.Sc. course, interested candidates may also apply for PhD admission. PhD is a research based program and provides with a Doctoral Degree. This program will help you build a career in agriculture R&D sector. As India is an agrarian country, this field will never run dry i.e. more and more of job opportunities would pop up every now and then, and moreover, qualified professionals are always valued, when it comes to agriculture sector. Thus, it is evident that there is more than just one reason to pursue this course.