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, KrishiVigyankendras, 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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
