Agriculture

India is one of the leading agricultural countries in the world and one of the biggest sources of its wealth is its produce from land. Indian Agricultural sector plays a crucial role in the economic development of the country. It contributes 29.4% of GDP.

It employs about 64% of the work force. Over the years significant strides have been made in agricultural production towards ensuring food security.

Agricultural Research and Education is being undertaken by agricultural universities, institutions and Postgraduate colleges for agricultural education and veterinary science.

Bachelors degree, Masters degree and Phd courses are available.  Bsc course is 4 years undergraduate course.

 Graduates (BSc) in Agriculture have the option to join a master's course in one of the following specialisations:

 ·      Agronomy - The science and of crop production and soil management.

·      Genetics - Study related to genes and heredity.

·      Plant Breeding - To effect desired improvements in the properties of plants.

·      Soil Science.

·      Horticulture - Science deals with cultivation and management of fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants.

·      Seed Technology.

·      Entomology - The branch of zoology deals with insects and their commercial usefulness.

·      Plant Pathology (or phytopathology) deals with the cause and the remedy of plant diseases.

·      Agriculture Economics.

·      Extension - Related to problems of out of school education for adults and youths.

·      Animal Husbandry - Deals with feeding, breeding and management practices of animals the duration of Masters course is two years.

Public, Private

1) Agricultural Research Scientists (ARS):  undertake research. The recruitment to these posts is made through combined entrance. ARS NET is conducted for lectureship and scholarship to candidates who have passed PhD.

 2) Agriculture Development Officers (ADO): The post is equivalent to that of the Block Development Officers (BDO). Recruitment to these posts is made on the basis of an entrance test.

3) Research Scientist: research scientists may work in the private sector. There your services may also be utilised in the laboratories in private labs. The desired qualification required for this purpose is at doctoral level i.e. a Ph.D.

4)scientific and technical posts: like Scientist III, Scientists II and Scientists I, Farm Technicians (after class X), Lab Technicians and Workshop Staff related to research in agriculture, biotechnology and genetics. These  are advertised by the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), New Delhi.

5) jobs in banks, finance and insurance companies. After Bachelors, you can apply for these jobs.  Nationalised banks offer openings for postgraduates in agriculture and allied areas as Field Officers, Rural Development Officers and Agricultural and Probationary Officers.

6) Other options:  farm management, land appraisal, grading, packaging and labelling. Both in the public and private sectors jobs are also offered in the field of marketing and sales, transportation, farm utilities, storage and warehousing etc.

 7)  Agro - industry: provides jobs to scientists, engineers, technologists, sales and marketing people, besides the production people. These areas of work relate to production, food processing, grain and seed processing, meat and poultry packing, dairy processing, fats and oils, textiles, fibers, machinery and equipment, fertiliser and lime, pesticides, herbicide, feed manufacturing, constructions, etc. for which people with adequate knowledge, in the respective fields are required.

 8) Service sector:In order to regulate the functions of adequate and timely supply of seeds, chemicals, fertilisers, etc. at genuine price, as also to regulate quality of the food products supplied for consumption by people, there is requirement for people to inspect, grade, quality control chemicals, plants and animal quarantine, agricultural technicians, agricultural consultants, agricultural statisticians, veterinarians, foreign agricultural service, inspection and regulation, food and feed, seed and fertiliser.

   9) Agricultural communications:  " Agricultural Communications is a wing in this sector that enables the organizations to develop and distribute designs providing communication solutions. Employees working in this department design news, brochures, books, manuals and much more for the companies. This is how they reach out to the stakeholders and address different subjects related to agriculture (Silicon India, 2015)" Job titles under this include Account manager, Market news reporter, Regional sales manager, Advertising specialist, Farm news reporter, Marketing communications manager, Public relations representative. 10) Agricultural economics: This field is a merge of business concepts, finance and farming operations in agriculture. Farm operations executives require at least a graduate degree albeit the farmers could do without formal education. The field focuses on subjects of public policy, biotech business and the environment(Siliconindia, 2015)" Job titles under this include Agricultural lender, Grain broker, Food distribution manager, Agricultural policy analyst, Farm and land appraiser, Insurance agent, Resource economist consultant.11) Agricultural education: this includes teaching career in agriculture. Job titles under this include Soil conservationist, Education specialist, Education supervisor, Extension advisor, Farm management. (Siliconindia, 2015) 12)  Animal sciences: one can undertake a degree in animal scicences. "Students aiming to enter this section of the industry can opt for academic teaching and research, in laboratory research programs with public and private sectors, corporations abroad, and in managerial jobs in  industries or institutions(Siliconindia, 2015)" Job titles under this include Farm management, Livestock production manager, Stable management, Veterinarian, Feed sales/management, Animal scientist, Ranch/farm hand, Livestock insurance representative, Livestock feedlot operator, Livestock procurement, Animal geneticist.13) Food sciences: this field will work towards improving food and bring changes to their flavour, texture etc( Siliconindia, 2015) Job titles under this include Food manufacturing, Food chemist, Food product research and development, Food microbiologist, Quality assurance, Food researcher. 14) Agricultural engineering: "These engineers make use of their degrees for problem solving and implement solutions for issues related to the industry. They work in the areas of bio products, livestock facilities, agricultural equipment, food processing, water quality and water management and much more(Siliconindia, 2015)" Job titles under this include Food engineer, Structural engineer, Bioprocessing engineer, Irrigation engineer, Machine design engineer, Sanitary/waste handling15) Agronomy:  "Agronomists are in charge of developing processes of production to improve the quality of the food produced. Their prime focus is to improve the quality and production of large amount of crops to meet the needs of the country. Their on-field work involves performing experiments to develop better crop yield which can display consistency(Siliconindia, n.d.).Job titles under this include  Plant breeder, Crop specialist, Soil surveyor, Soil conservationist, Fertilizer sales representative, Soil scientist Farm supply representative, Plant geneticist."

1) Adaptability 2) Interpersonal skills 3) time management and organisation skills 4) being updated about the technology

"UG:

For admission in to bachelor’s degree, the candidate must have passed the higher secondary school certificate (10+2) examination with science subject such as (biology, maths and chemistry).  The duration for this course is 3 years.

PG:

The eligibility criteria for pursuing a master’s degree are holding a bachelor's degree with science subjects such as (biology, maths and chemistry). The duration for this course is 2 years("Agriculture", n.d.)"

Institutions in Bihar:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 1. Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India- 813210, Phone & Fax: 0641-2452614 Email: registrar.bau.sabour@gmail.com                                                                

2. Dr. Rajendra Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Samastipur, Pusa, Bihar 848125                         

3. Patna Agricultural College, Ramkrishan Nagar, Patna, Bihar 800020                                                                                        

4. VKS College of Agriculture, Dumraon, Dumraon, Bihar 802119                                                                                               

Institutions in other places:                                                      

1. Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Agriculture Institute, Allhabad, Uttar Pradesh

2. Amar Singh College, Lakhaoty, Bulandshahar, Uttar Pradesh

3. Anand Niketan, College of Agriculture, Murtizapur Road, Krishinagar, Akola, Maharashtra

4. Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat - 785 013

5. Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi - 834 006

5. Brahmanad Mahavidyalaya, Rath, Hamirpur, U P

6. BRD College, Deoria, Uttar Pradesh

7. Central Agricultural University, Imphal - 795 001

8. Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Seven Bungalows, J.P.Road, Versova, Mumbai - 400 061

9. Ch.Chhotu Ram (PG) College, Muzzaffarnagar, UP

10. College of Agriculture, Indore, Madhya Pradesh

11. College of Agriculture, Kolhapur, Maharashtra

12. College of Agriculture, Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, Maharashtra

13. College of Agriculture, Nagpur, Maharashtra

14. College of Agriculture, Pune, Maharashtra

15. College of Agriculture, RAK, Sehore, Madhya Pradesh

16. College, Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh

17. CS Azad University of Agriculture & Tech. College of Agriculture, Kanpur, UP

18. Department of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh - 160 014

19. DR.Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola - 104

20. Dr.Y.S.Parmar University of Agriculture & Forestry, Solan - 230

21. Forestry Research Institute, Dehradun - 248 006

22. Gochar Mahavidyalaya, Rampur, Maniharam, Saharanpur, UP

23. Govt.Degree College, Jakhinio, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

24. Guru Nanak Dev University, Khalsa College, Amritsar, Punjab

25. Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan, New Delhi - 110 012

26. Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture at BHU, Varanasi - 221 005

27. Institute of Agriculture Sciences, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 

28. Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur-4

29. Janata College, Bakewar, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh

30. Janata Mahavidyalaya, Ajitmal, Etawah, Uttar Pradesh

31. Janata Vedic College, Baraut, Uttar Pradesh

32. Kisan Degree College, Simbhaoli, Gahziabad, UP

33. Kshetriya Kisan College, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, UP

34. Mohanlal Sukhadia, University of Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur, Rajasthan

35. National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal - 132 001

36. National Degree College, Barhalganj, Gorakhpur, UP

37. Palli-Siksha Bhavan, Institute of Agriculture, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan - 731 235

38. Raja Balwant Singh College, Agra, Uttar Pradesh

39.Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Shalimar Campus, Srinagar-191 121/Camp Office: Railway Road, Jammu - 180 004

40. West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, 68, Kshudiram Bose Sarani, Kolkata - 700 037

1) Siliconindia(May 6, 2015) 7 exciting careers in Indian agriculture sector  rertrieved from http://jobs.siliconindia.com/career-news/7-Exciting-Careers-in-Indian-Agriculture-Sector-nid-182334.html

2) "Agricultrure"(n.d.) retrieved from http://www.minglebox.com/science/courses/agriculture