SCOPE & JOBS AFTER BSc AGRICULTURE
BSc Agriculture
It is a 4-year undergraduate professional course offered by various government and private universities in India. A student pursuing BSc Agriculture course gains knowledge about a wide variety of subjects including agronomy, soil sciences, horticulture (fruit science & vegetable), plant breeding and genetics, entomology, plant pathology, animal sciences, extension education, plant biochemistry, agriculture economics, basics of biotechnology, etc. The demand for agriculture graduates is increasing day by day in India and abroad too. Course fees are also considerably lower in comparison to other professional degrees, while it has also opportunities with good jobs and a better package.
The syllabus is as per the guidelines of ICAR (Indian Council of Agriculture Research) and is designed to train students to provide overall knowledge related to agriculture and related disciplines.
Why B.Sc. (Agriculture)?
BSc in Agriculture is a broad-subject course with great potential. It deals with things like food production, horticulture, animal husbandry, rural development, environmental health, etc. Since food is the basic necessity for life, it can never fall prey like other industries may face downsizing. In fact, feeding the world will never face a recession or a slowdown. The recent development in technology, research, and innovation has multiplied the scope of agriculture in a broad way.
Agriculture is most important enterprises of the world. It is also one of the most flourishing sectors of the Indian economy. Therefore, inclination of more and more students towards obtaining a degree in this field has been prevalent. There are various Agriculture courses in which one can explore promising prospects in the private and public sector as well.
Govt & Private Jobs after B.Sc. Agriculture
Over the past few years, the need for professionals in the Agricultural industry has rapidly increased. Because of agriculture sector is becoming more modern, scientific and technology-oriented. Specialization in agriculture offers many of possibilities for students who have chosen to pursue education in this field.
Job Opportunities after BSc Agriculture
Being a specialized subject, there are arrays of job opportunities after B.Sc. agriculture such as Agriculture Officer, Agriculture Junior Engineer, Researcher, Forest Officer, Agriculture Graduate Trainee, Agriculture Field Officer etc.
There are a variety of vacancies in the Government as well as the private sector. For Government jobs after BSc Agriculture, you would be required to qualify certain competitive exams. However, most of the jobs that you will encounter during the campus placement will be for the private sector.
Central and state governments conduct separate examinations for each competitive examination for BSc Agriculture students.
Some of the highest paying jobs such as, Biochemist, Food Scientist, Environmental Engineer, Agricultural Operations Manager, Animal Geneticist, Agricultural Engineers, and Agronomy Sales Manager are prevalent in agriculture sector.
How can get government job after BSc agriculture?
You can appear for various government exams after BSc Agriculture to secure a job in the public sector and some of these exams are UPSC- IFS, SSC State Forest Exam, State civil services exam, IBPS SO exam etc.
Jobs like Agriculture Development Officer (ADO), Agriculture Extension Officer, Range Forest Officer, Assistant Manager, Field Assistant, Agriculture Officer, District/Block Horticulture Officer, Block Agriculture officer, Superintendent-Govt Garden, District Cane/Plant protection/soil conservation Officer, Assistant Conservator regularly recruited by the respective state governments.
Some of the major government and private jobs after BSc Agriculture where per annum salary ranges from 4-15 lakhs and even more are listed below. Agriculture officer, ICAR scientist, Plant & Animal breeder have most attractive salary. Agriculture sales officer also get some attractive salary.
- Agricultural Officer
- ICAR Scientist
- Agriculture Analyst
- Agriculture Sales Officer
- Marketing Executive
- JRF/SRF
- Research Assistant
- Project Associate
- Plant Breeder
- Animal Breeder
- Seed Technologist
- Agriculture Technician
Bank Jobs after BSc Agriculture
Banking and Insurance sector is also offers high paid salary jobs to BSc Agriculture graduates. These are:
- Specialist officer (Agricultural Field Officer) – A yearly entrance test for the selection of candidates for the profile of Agricultural Field Officer is done through the IBPS SO exam. Apart from the agricultural graduates, graduates from similar fields like Horticulture,Veterinary Science, Animal Husbandry, etc. are also eligible. Graduates from these fields also get preference in General banking officer and Probationary officer exams.
- Junior Agricultural Associate
- Rural Development Officer
- Agricultural Officer
- Probationary Officer (P.O)
- NABARD “Grade A & B” Exam– It is also one of the best jobs while seeking career in banking sector.
UPSC-IFS (Indian Forest Services) Exam– It is one of the major exams for the renowned job opportunities under the Indian government to graduates with a degree in Agriculture or related fields. Once you qualify for the UPSC exams, you may appoint as a Deputy Forest Inspector, Assistant Inspector, Officer, etc.
Staff Selection Commission (SSC)
The Staff Selection Commission offers a variety of job profiles to the graduates in the field of Agriculture and its allied field. Those who successfully qualify the State Forest Exam are offered prestigious jobs under ministries and departments of Government of India. Majorly the roles available after qualifying this examination are Scientific Assistant, Agriculture Officer, Foreman, Laboratory Assistant, etc.
Food Corporation of India (FCI)
FCI conducts online exams for both technical and non-technical positions. Agriculture graduates can get job like Technical Managers, Technical Officers, Assistant Officer, etc.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
ICAR is an apex organization in the field of agriculture working under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (GoI). So, this organization is one of the best places for agriculture students seeking jobs in this field. The job profiles which you can secure in ICAR are Technologists, Senior Research Fellows (Agriculture), Junior Research Fellows, etc.
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)
NABARD is an apex financial institution work towards the Rural and Agricultural Development of India. It invites application every year for Agricultural experts and offers profiles like Agricultural Officer (NABARD Grade A & Grade B officer), Office Attendant, etc.
Employment Areas
Besides various government & private jobs, major employment areas you can explore in agriculture are:
- Agribusiness and Agripreneurship
- Agriculture Economics
- Farm Management
- Quality Assurance
- Food Technology
- Food Processing Units
- Seed Technology Firms
- Agricultural Banks
Jobs after BSc Agriculture Abroad
There is an immense scope of finding jobs abroad after BSc Agriculture. Whether you want to pursue a career in Research or want to explore job opportunities at leading MNCs. Here are the leading jobs after BSc Agriculture abroad:
- Agricultural Engineer
- Agricultural Scientist
- Business Development Executive
- Agriculture Development Officers (ADO)
- Landscaping Manager
- Crop Trial Officer
Master’s degrees in Agricultures and its varied specializations:
You can also opt for a master’s degree in Agriculture or its related specializations abroad and explore numerous promising job opportunities with an international degree. MSc in various Agriculture programs is a 2-year course that can be taken up by a candidate who holds a BSc degree in agriculture/ horticulture/ forestry from a recognized university with the required qualifying marks.
Gaining a master’s degree from an Indian university or abroad will open more job avenues in agriculture sphere.
It’s possible to pursue a postgraduate degree programme in agriculture related subject which will broaden the scope through gaining specialization in agronomy, soil sciences, horticulture, plant breeding and genetics, entomology, plant pathology, animal sciences, extension education, plant biochemistry, agriculture economics, biotechnology etc. Others are:
- MBA in Agriculture
- Master’s in Agricultural Engineering
- Master’s in Environmental Agrobiology
- Master’s in Agro ecology
- MBA in Agribusiness
- Master’s in Sustainable Agriculture
Top Universities Abroad
- Royal Agricultural University
- University of Helsinki
- Ecole supérieure d’agriculture d’Angers (ESA)
- Manchester Metropolitan University
- Bangor University
- University of Tasmania
- Coventry University
- The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- The University of Western Australia
Country, best for Agriculture jobs & Education
France, Brazil, Belzium, USA, Australia Spain, Ireland, UK, Italy, Germany and Canada are some of the popular countries for agriculture jobs as well as education too in some of them.