By- Akanksha Yadav

About the course:

The Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (B.Sc. in Agriculture) is a 4-year long undergraduate course. This course focuses on agricultural science research and practice, including disciplines such as genetics and plant breeding, agricultural microbiology, soil science, plant pathology etc. Students, who want to build their career in the agriculture field, can choose this graduation course. B.Sc. in Agriculture course is a professional course recognized by the Government of India. This course is available online, offline and through distance education mode. 

During this course, students get training to implement modern agricultural techniques and various modern technologies in a real-world scenario.

In India, there are many colleges/institutes offering B.Sc. in Agriculture courses. Some of the top agriculture colleges/institutes are Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Punjab Agricultural University, GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, BAU Ranchi etc. 

After completing this course, individuals can work as plant breeders, agricultural analysts, agricultural officers, seed technologists etc. Students can also go for government jobs if they want to. Some people also go for master's after their graduation in this field. 

What is the duration of the B.Sc. Agriculture program?

The duration of this program is 4 years which are then divided into 8 semesters. In each semester, students learn about the different subjects of agriculture.

The eligibility criteria for B.Sc. Agriculture program:

Students, who want to get admission to an agriculture college, should first check the eligibility criteria of that college. The eligibility criteria differ from college to college. Some universities conduct their entrance exam for admission to the college. The general eligibility criteria for the course are given below.

• The student should have completed his/her class 12th examination with PCB (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) subjects from a recognized education board.
• He/she should get a minimum of 50% marks in his/her class 12th.
• The student should appear in the entrance exam if the desired college demands.

What are the subjects in B.Sc. Agriculture program?

The semester-wise subjects list is mentioned below for reference.

Semester 1:

• Fundamentals of agronomy
• Fundamentals of genetics
• Fundamentals of soil science
• Rural sociology and psychology
• Introduction to forestry
• Introductory animal husbandry
• Comprehension and communication skills in English
• Agricultural heritage
• Introductory biology or basic agriculture 1
• Elementary mathematics or basic agriculture 2

Semester 2:

• Fundamentals of crop physiology
• Fundamentals of plant biochemistry
• Fundamentals of entomology I
• Fundamentals of agricultural economics
• Principles of organic farming
• Fundamentals of plant pathology
• Production technology for vegetables and spices
• Fundamentals of agricultural extension education
• Food processing and safety issues
• Human values and ethics
• Soil and water conservation engineering

Semester 3:

• Crop production technology 1
• Practical crop production 1
• Fundamentals of plant breeding
• Agricultural biology
• Agricultural finance and cooperation
• Farm machinery and power
• Principles of integrated disease management 
• Environmental studies and disaster management
• Dairy science
• Fundamentals of entomology II

Semester 4:

• Crop production technology II
• Practical crop production II
• Principles of seed technology
• Problematic soils and their management
• Renewable energy and green technology
• Production technology for ornamental crops, maps and landscaping
• Entrepreneurship and development of business communication
• Introductory agro meteorology and climate change
• Poultry production and management

Semester 5:

• Rain-fed and dry land agriculture
• Crop improvement-1
• Pests of crops and sorted grain and their management
• Agricultural marketing trade and prices
• Protected cultivation and secondary agriculture
• Diseases of field and horticultural management-I
• Production technology for fruit and plantation crops
• Communication skills and personality development
• Intellectual property rights
• Principles of food science and nutrition
• Geoinformatics and nanotechnology
• Elective I

Semester 6:

• The farming system, precision farming and sustainable farming
• Crop improvement-II
• Manures, fertilizers and soil fertility management
• Farm management production and resource economics
• Diseases of field and horticultural crops and their management II
• Post-harvest management and value addition of fruits and vegetables
• Watershed and wasteland management
• Beneficial insects and Pests of horticultural crops and their management
• Elective 2
• Educational tour

Semester 7:

• General orientation and on-campus training by different faculties
• Project report, preparation, presentation and evaluation

Semester 8:

• Production technology for bioagents and biofertilizer
• Seed production and technology
• Mushroom cultivation technology
• Soil, plant, water and seed testing
• Commercial beekeeping

Scope after doing B.Sc. in Agriculture:

After completing their graduation in agriculture, students can work as

• Agriculture officer
• Agriculture development officer
• Agriculture analyst
• Assistant plantation manager
• Agricultural research scientist
• Agriculture technician
• Seed technologist
• Plant breeder
• Animal breeder
• Sericulturist
• Food critic

Top Universities offering B.Sc. Agriculture program:

Some of the top agriculture universities are given below.

• Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
• Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural university
• Punjab agricultural university, Ludhiana
• Assam agricultural university, Jorhat
• Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Nadia
• Bihar Agricultural University, Bihar
• Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi
• CCS Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar
• Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur
• Agriculture University, Jodhpur
• Lovely professional university, Jalandhar
• Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishvidhyalaya, Jabalpur
• Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore