Top Three Agriculture Courses after 12th to study in India

The rapidly growing private sector in agriculture and food processing provides opportunities for a large number of agricultural graduates as field personnel. At the same time, agricultural graduates are also looking towards creating their own ventures in the agri-start-up space, as per the researchgate study. Agriculture students have a wider variety of employment opportunities in both government and private sectors including BFSI, Forest Services, Food Industry, Research, and Education. Hence, the students planning for agriculture courses after 12th is the right time to think about it as many are in the phase of completing their secondary school education and seeking renowned higher education institutes offering agriculture courses.

India employed around 150 million employees in the agriculture industry in the financial year 2024. However, the number of employees was the highest in fiscal year 2022, at over 158 million. Considering this, there may be a huge potential for jobs in the Agriculture space in the coming years.

Explore the top three agriculture courses that help to build a career in the agriculture industry, offering technical skills, industry knowledge and more.

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

The Bachelor of Science in Agriculture course is designed for students passionate about progressing their careers in agriculture. B.Sc Agriculture is one of the well-known undergraduate courses for students who can learn the agri concepts from scratch and have a broader understanding upon course completion. This course lasts four years and focuses on several aspects of agricultural science, management and technology. The major topics covered in this agriculture course are horticulture, crop production, agronomy, plant breeding and soil science. Besides, the course contains practical exposure, encompassing field visits, hands-on training and internship programs for students to gain industry knowledge.

For instance, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, a reputed university in Tamilnadu, offers a B.Sc. (Hons) in Agriculture focusing on practical agricultural education. Students will be exposed to farming activities, internships and experiential learning courses to earn while learning.

In addition to the above, educational institutions such as VIT Vellore, Krishna College of Agriculture and Technology & College of Agriculture, Bangalore offer B.S.c course in agriculture.

Dr. Atul Pachauri, Assistant Professor (Genetics and Plant Breeding), SAGE University Bhopal says "Agricultural education plays a critical role in boosting food security in India by addressing various challenges and equipping individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills"

Bachelor of Technology in Agricultural Engineering

B.Tech Agriculture is a four-year undergraduate course focusing on the engineering field that applies engineering science and technology to agricultural processing and manufacturing. The course covers a plethora of subjects, which include farm machinery, agriculture engineering, soil mechanics, food processing, etcetera. The students aspiring to pursue this course must have a 10+2 in the science stream with 50% from a reputed board. Besides, students have to pass several entrance examinations, such as AP EAMCET, MHT CET, and JEE, to get into admission procedures for agriculture engineering courses in India. When it comes to fees, it ranges from INR 4000 to 180,000 per year.

REVA University, one of the well-known universities in Bangalore, offers a Bachelor of Technology in Agricultural Engineering course. The course helps students develop different capabilities to work with agri commodities and even turn them into self-owned entrepreneurs.

Other colleges, such as RM Institute of Science and Technology, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education and Parul University, also offer a Bachelor of Technology in Agricultural Engineering.

Dr. R.C. Agrawal, DDG(Ed) ICAR India says in a free master class conducted by Edorer Inc "You must heard many types of education but agriculture education is especially important because it is very close to committee mobilization, farmers and for the food we eat today"

Diploma in Agriculture

A diploma in Agriculture is a two-year course covering several aspects of agriculture, including agricultural chemistry, crop management, live stock and more. This short-term agriculture course is designed for students mainly fascinated by agriculture and related research domains. The course syllabus is divided into four semesters. The Diploma in Agriculture syllabus and subjects encompass plant pathology, genetic principles, and fertility management. Admission to the Diploma in Agriculture is mainly determined by the marks secured in the 10th or other equivalent intermediate examination. Nevertheless, few institutes take students according to the entrance exams such as AP Agriculture, Polytechnic Admission and other entrance exams are also offered.

For example, Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has been providing the Diploma in Agricultural Sciences, a two-year program from IAT and RARS Pattambli, on a cost-sharing basis since 2011. The student is eligible for this course only based on a common entrance exam conducted by KAU.

Besides KAU, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University, National Dairy Research Institute and Punjab Agricultural University offer diploma courses in agriculture.   

Former Vice Chancellor, MPUAT & Former DDG (Edu), ICAR says ""We have a successful story of agricultural education development in india which really helped India to become self-sufficient in food grains"

All in all, there is a usual mindset that fields like engineering, medicine, business and related fields can offer potential job opportunities. However, taking up a course related to agriculture provides great potential by offering job opportunities and, more importantly, contributing to food security and sustainable development. No matter what course you enroll in, whether a Bachelor of Technology in Agricultural Engineering or a Diploma in Agriculture, every course has its own importance, which helps students develop a base and skill set to grow in the agriculture industry.