Best B.Sc Agriculture Colleges in Bangalore, India – Career, Scope & Job Opportunities
Best B.Sc Agriculture Colleges in Bangalore, India – Career, Scope & Job Opportunities:
Careers in B.Sc in Agriculture:
B.Sc in Agriculture is an undergraduate degree that explores agricultural sciences, with a focus on basic biotechnology and the use of modern scientific equipment and techniques in agriculture, land surveying, soil science, water resource management, animal and poultry management etc.
The main aim of this course is to train professionals who can improve agricultural productivity using the above techniques. India is a largely agrarian economy and hence there is a large demand for agricultural professionals in the private sector and officers in the government sector.
There are a number of industries that manufacture agriculture-related products for the Indian market and even for export, these companies usually have a need for individuals who have a background in agricultural science.
However, this professional degree is not as popular amongst students as engineering or other such fields.
For students who have an aptitude for the field, the pay off in this field can be very impressive and hence it is worth considering B.Sc in Agriculture as a pathway into a fruitful career.
Duration:
B.Sc in Agriculture is a 4-year undergraduate degree, which includes one semester of unpaid internship, usually in Rural agricultural work. This hands-on experience prepares students to seamlessly integrate into the workforce.
This degree is also offered in the distance mode by some national open universities, however, it is more desirable to study in the full-time mode so one can gain hands-on experience.
Specializations:
Most universities do not offer scope for specialization in the B.Sc Agriculture course. Generally, the curriculum includes basic training in all possible fields of specializations so students can explore all the fields before deciding on which field to specialize in.
Specialization is possible at the higher level during Masters or Postgraduate Diploma. Some of the subjects included in the B.Sc Agriculture degree are mentioned below.
- Agriculture Economics
- Agriculture Entomology
- Agriculture Genetics
- Agriculture Microbiology
- Agronomy
- Floriculture
- Forestry
- Horticulture
- Hydroponics
- Plant Breeding
- Weed sciences
- Agricultural chemistry
- Fisheries
- Soil science
- Veterinary Science
Candidates can specialize in one of these fields after completion of B.Sc in Agriculture by enrolling in a professional diploma or a masters degree.
General Eligibility Criteria:
Candidates wishing to enroll in B.Sc in Agriculture must come from the Science stream during intermediate level education. Students must have completed 10+2 from any recognized state, national or international board.
Physics, Chemistry and Biology or Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics are compulsory subjects, however, students who have not pursued these subjects but have completed a diploma in a relevant field are still eligible to apply.
The qualifying mark varies from college to college, ranging from 40% to 60% minimum aggregate score.
Most universities also require students to take an entrance examination as a part of the admission process. Students must have a valid score in the relevant entrance examination at the time of application.
Admission Procedures:
The general admission procedure for most universities that offer B.Sc in Agriculture is mentioned below.
- Download admission form from university website/collect admission form from the university campus
- Fill out the complete form with accurate information, attach copies of all relevant documents as prescribed by the university or college. This usually includes educational certificates, identity proof, birth proof etc.
- Appear for relevant entrance examination as prescribed by the university or college. Entrance examinations are usually conducted at the national or state level. Some of the major entrance examinations that universities usually recognize are:
- ICAR Entrance Exam (ICAR-AIEEA) conducted by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
- EAMCET (Engineering Agricultural and Medical Common Entrance Test)
- PAU Entrance Exam- Conducted by Punjab Agricultural University
- KEAM (Kerala Engineering Architecture Medical) entrance test
- IGKV CET (Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya Common Entrance Test)
- Await merit list based on entrance examination scores. In case of no entrance examination, merit list will be prepared on the basis of 10+2 examination scores.
- Usually, there is no interview for B.Sc in Agriculture, hence admission is given solely on the basis of entrance examination scores or 10+2 qualifying examination scores.
Top Colleges that offer B.Sc in Agriculture in India:
As per UGC recommendation, there is a state agricultural university in almost every state. Additional to this many private universities also offer this course, however, state universities remain the most reputed for B.Sc in Agriculture. Some of the top colleges and universities to pursue B.Sc in Agriculture are mentioned below.
- Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
- Bharti Vidyapeeth University, Pune
- Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
- G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Uttarakhand
- Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur
- Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Jabalpur
- Mewar University, Chittorgarh
- Parul University, Vadodara
- Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
- Rai University, Ahmedabad
- Sanskriti University, Mathura
- Sardar Vallabhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut
- Sathyabama University, Chennai
- Sivaji University, Kolhapur
- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore
State or national universities tend to be a better leeway into government sector jobs including the coveted Gazetted post of Agricultural Officer (Agronomist).
List of Best B.Sc Agriculture Colleges in Bangalore:
- University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bengaluru
- University of Agricultural &Horticultural Sciences – [UAHS], Bangalore
- Rai Technology University – [RTU], BANGALORE
Scope:
The Indian Economy is largely made up of agricultural activity, naturally, there is a demand for professionals in the field of agricultural science, especially for those who have completed the courses from Best B.Sc Agriculture Colleges in Bangalore or in India.
Not only do private sector companies require these professionals, but there is also a number of government agencies who are dependent on qualified individuals to make policy decisions and implement policies.
Some of the industries and organizations hiring graduates of B.Sc in Agriculture are mentioned below.
- Agri-biotech organizations
- Agriculture Marketing
- Agro-industries
- Banks
- Coffee and Rubber Plantations
- Educational Institutes
- Fertilizer companies
- Financial sector with a focus on agriculture
- Micro-finance institutions
- Research Organizations
- Tea Gardens
Career Opportunities:
B.Sc in Agriculture is a professional degree that opens up doors to a number of different types of industries and job profiles. It is a multidisciplinary field, therefore, graduates are trained to work in a variety of departments within the field of Agricultural Science.
Agricultural Science is a very vast field, graduates should take this into account as this can mean one can switch job profiles at different points in their career, thus affording flexibility. Some of the most common job profiles that B.Sc in Agriculture graduates often take up are as follows.
- Actuarial Analyst
- Agricultural Research Scientist
- Agriculture Development Officers
- Agriculture Loan Officer (in Banks)
- Agriculture officer
- Agriculture portfolio manager
- Agriculture Technician
- Agriculturists
- Assistant Plantation Manager
- Business Development Executive
- Farm Manager
- Farming consultant
- Gazetted officer Agricultural Officer (Agronomist)
- Junior Associate – Research
- Marketing Executive in Agro-industries
- Operations Manager
- Production Manager
- Programme Manager
- Quality Assurance Officer
- Research analyst
- Research Officer
- Rice Breeder
- Seed Technologist
This is a very small list compared to the huge range of jobs out there for B.Sc in Agriculture graduates.
Salary:
Contrary to popular belief, professionals in the field of agricultural sciences are actually highly paid compared to others with qualification in professional degree courses.
At the starting level, graduates can expect to earn between 2 to 4.5 lacs per annum (including benefits and bonuses). Mid-level employees can earn between 6 to 9 lacs per annum.
Experience is very highly rewarded in this field as professionals with up to 20 years of experience can earn up to 12 lacs per annum. In the private sector, graduates working at administrative positions such as those working as managers at plantations, officers at fertilizer manufacturing firms, agriculture machinery industries, agricultural products marketing firms, food processing units etc usually earn between 5-6 lacs per annum.
Recruiting Companies:
There is huge scope for graduates of B.Sc in Agriculture in government organizations, departments, institutions, ministries, banks and research centers. Some of these government bodies recruiting such candidates are mentioned below.
- Indian Agricultural Research Institute
- National Seeds Corporation Limited
- State Farms Corporation of India
- Food Corporation of India
- National Dairy Development Board
- NABARD and other banks
- Agricultural finance corporations
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
- North Eastern Region Agricultural Marketing Corporation
Some of the private sector companies, industries and organizations that are currently recruiting graduates of B.Sc in Agriculture are as follows.
- DuPont India
- Rallies India Limited
- Advanta Limited
- National Agro Industries
- Raasi Seeds
- ABT Industries
- Phalada Agro Research Foundation Limited.
There are many smaller agro-industries and NGOs that are recruiting B.Sc in Agriculture graduates as well. If you have an interest and aptitude in the field, Agricultural science is a timeless field that values experience and hence provides great job opportunities and growth as well.
