M.Sc Agriculture is a post-graduate program that focuses mainly on the key aspects of agriculture and its broadened specialization fields that are applicable in several real-life scenarios. The course imparts knowledge on basic agronomy, soil analysis, and resource management methods that are combined with other specialized agriculture streams such as plant biochemistry, horticulture, breeding methodology, Agro Economics, Statistics in agriculture, Geoinformatics, and irrigation system management related to various types of crops and agriculture systems. The course is pursued under the sciences stream. The duration of the course is 2 years and it is equally divided into 4 semesters of study. The course provides major insights into specialized agricultural studies which helps the students to branch out according to their interests.
The minimum eligibility to pursue this course is 50% in undergraduate science course in agriculture/horticulture/forestry sciences background, from a recognized university. The curriculum is designed to equally focus equally on theoretical and practical studies that will enhance students' practical skills that are demanded by the course. The course provides more onus on practical sessions where students are taken for regular practical studies in farmlands and livestock management houses. The M.Sc Agriculture Syllabus structure is designed in such a way that students are provided with various types of practical classes and sessions for both core studies and specialization studies via semester wise practical sessions.
M.Sc Agriculture course makes way for talented individuals to work in major agro-product manufacturing and agro-business companies along with several agriculture development centers and several agricultural resource management centers in a higher job role owing to their seniority and specialized knowledge on the subjects. The job opportunities for M.Sc Agriculture graduates of this course aren't restricted to only the agricultural industry but also many private agro-machine manufacturing companies and business analytics companies and government-aided agro-products manufacturing and agriculture research centers do hire M.Sc Agriculture graduates for operations.
MSc Agriculture Course Fees in India:
M.Sc Agriculture Course fees may vary based on the university or college the student is willing to enroll in. Often, the course fee varies upon the materials and lecture timings provided by the university towards course completion. The average course fee charged by various public and private universities starts from INR 50 K-2 L per annum and also subjected to a decrease based on scholarships offered by universities.
MSc Agriculture Course Salary in India:
M.Sc Agriculture graduates are entitled to get various job scopes both in India and abroad. Owing to the increasing popularity of this domain worldwide, the graduates are often offered lucrative salary packages. The average salary package for M.Sc Agriculture graduates may start from 5 L - 10 L per annum depending upon the experience, job sector, and the role they're employed. The graduates are normally hired by a number of private organizations and students who specialize further are hired by the government sector.
M.Sc Course Details
| Degree | Masters |
| Full Form | Master of Science in Agriculture |
| Duration | Course Duration of Master of Science [M.Sc] (Agriculture) is 2 Years. |
| Age | No age limit |
| Minimum Percentage | 50% in Under Graduation |
| Subjects Required | Crop production techniques, basic horticulture |
| Average Fees Incurred | INR 50 K - 2 L per annum |
| Similar Options of Study | M.Sc (Horticulture), M.Sc (Agronomy) |
| Average Salary Offered | INR 5 L to 10 L per annum |
| Employment Roles | Plant breeder, product development officer, Agri sector manager |
| Placement Opportunities | John Deere, Jai Kisan Agro Products, Bayer group, IBEF, Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd, Rallis India, etc |
MSc Agriculture Course:
MSc Agriculture is a 2-year post-graduate science course pursued in the field of agriculture science and its applications in various fields. The course is divided into 4 semesters of study, which provides a greater emphasis on the subjects that are studied during the undergraduate agriculture/horticulture/forestry degree. Agriculture studies involve the combined theoretical and practical study of various agricultural methods for different types of crops along with resource management techniques.
The minimum eligibility criteria for the course is a minimum of 50% marks in undergraduate studies from a recognized university preferably with an agriculture/forestry/horticulture science background. The average tuition fee charged for the course in India ranges between INR 50,000 and 2 Lakhs per annum. The graduates of this course involved in the implementation of efficient agricultural techniques and models, which are used for efficient crop management along with resource management.
Graduates of this course are trained to understand various specializations under the agriculture stream such as Plant Physiology, Poultry Husbandry, Soil and agricultural chemistry, etc and implement the same in real-time scenarios. They’re also trained in analyzing various real-time agricultural problems and provide effective solutions for the same.
Agricultural studies are given more importance as they are the primary contributors towards development in the agriculture field as it is the major contributor towards the Indian Economy.M.Sc Agriculture is one of the uprising courses in the post-graduate studies field. Owing to the importance of this course, there are many government and private universities that are offering this course. There are numerous M.Sc Agriculture colleges in India which provide higher standard education. Some of the M.Sc Agriculture colleges are as follows:
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR-IIHR), Bengaluru
- Tamilnadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore
- Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri
- Lovely Professional University, Amritsar
- Annamalai University, Coimbatore
- Sir Higginbothams University of Agricultural technology and Science, Uttar Pradesh
The job scopes of the graduates of this course are unbound, as the importance of Agriculture studies in various domains is very high. Owing to the high job role and complexity, they’re often paid with lucrative pay scales in both public sector and private sector organizations.
MSc Agriculture Quick Links:
- What is MSc Agriculture?
- Why Choose MSc Agriculture?
- MSc Agriculture Course Preparation Tips
- MSc Agriculture Subjects
- MSc Agriculture Course Fees
- MSc Agriculture Eligibility
- MSc Agriculture Admissions
- MSc Agriculture Job Opportunities
- MSc Agriculture Colleges
What is MSc Agriculture?
The M.Sc Agriculture program is designed in a manner in which the subjects and the modules provide an in-depth study on efficient agricultural methods and resource management methods along with several specialized studies. Development in the agricultural sector will enhance the production rates and efficient management of existing resources. This, in turn, will have a greater impact on the economy, as agriculture is one of the major contributors to the Indian economy.
Candidates who are interested in pursuing this course will get a greater amount of exposure in both theoretical and practical aspects of agricultural science and its application in several applied studies.
The course demands high-level knowledge and proficiency in fundamental agricultural science and botany and further knowledge of applications of basic agricultural techniques. This course facilitates the students to enhance their knowledge of various types of specialized studies that are within the agricultural studies.
An agricultural product manager plays a major role in analyzing various types of crops and provide optimum production methods so as to maximize yield without any loss to external factors. They also actively involved in providing efficient management methods for poultry and domestic animals that play a direct role in improving agricultural land.
Graduates work in various domains such as government agriculture institutes, Corporate Agro-product Companies, Agricultural Research scientists, etc. The course work is designed to incorporate general agricultural studies and provide more onus in the specialization subjects that help the students to branch out and specialize in a specified domain in agriculture. The following are some of the subjects which are included in the M.Sc Agriculture syllabus:
- Crop Management
- Principles and Practices of Soil Fertility
- Principles and practices of water management
- Agricultural Development and Policies
The minimum eligibility required to pursue this course is 50% in Undergraduate studies from any recognized university with Agricultural/Horticultural/Forestry Science backgrounds. Some Universities conduct entrance examinations based on which admissions will be provided. The job scope for the graduates of this course is pretty high owing to greater aspects of improving the economy and the need for proper development in the agricultural sector.
Why Choose MSc Agriculture?
M.Sc in Agriculture is one of the most demanding career choices among the candidates as the demand for the graduates of this course is very high in an agricultural dependent country like India. During this course the students are trained for special skills so that they can occupy crucial positions in big organizations.
Agriculture science is one of the most sought career options in the current job market. The course offers adequate training and knowledge for students to gain exposure both in the theoretical and practical understanding of agricultural studies and its varied applications. The application studies are often pursued as specialized studies under the agricultural science domain.
The basic eligibility criteria to opt for this course is a minimum of 50% in undergraduate agricultural sciences studies preferably B.Sc Agriculture background. Graduates who are into specializations in agricultural studies and who have a profound interest in specializing in any of the fields can opt for this course. An MSc in any field is the most valuable course in the domain of the agricultural sciences and the graduates who hold an MSc degree are very much entitled to receive numerous job opportunities with a higher payscale.
Some of the job opportunities that are available for a graduate of M.Sc Agriculture course are:
- Senior Research scientist
- Senior Agro-product Manager
- Senior Plant Breeder
- Literature Researcher
- Agricultural operations manager
An Agriculture Science graduate’s primary task is to apply agricultural practices to assess the crop development stages and provide regular consultations to tackle harvesting scenarios of various crops. They are also trained to analyze statistical studies with regards to the agricultural sector to determine market and sales rates with greater emphasis on agro-economy.
As Agriculture development plays a major role in economic development, the job scopes are very high for the graduates of this course. Owing to a major increase in the number of industries both indigenous and MNCs across India, there are plenty of job scopes for M.Sc Agriculture in India.
MSc Agriculture Course Preparation tips:
Some of the essential course preparation tips for a candidate who wants to pursue M.Sc Agriculture are:
Get to know of the Syllabus: The syllabus of the course is one of the essential factors which a student should focus upon as this helps a student to focus during the time of the examination.
Make a Plan: Make a course plan that can help the student to plan according to the study of the work which enables them to keep both balanced.
Connect With Fellow Students and Experts: Start connecting with peers and experts who can help you with providing a clear idea of the course along with scope and knowledge exchange that might help you to excel in this course.
Keep Updated: It is required for the students to keep themselves on the latest psychological studies and analysis models adopted by popular names in the healthcare sector.
Go for Practical Training: Regular practical training and land visits will help the students to analyze various types of issues associated with the agricultural sector and will help them to think with solutions with regards to practical experience.
MSc Agriculture Subjects:
M.Sc Agriculture course structure consists of several specialization studies. The course structure is designed with adherence to all the specializations offered. The following subjects are pursued in the M.Sc Agriculture Syllabus:
| M.Sc Agriculture Syllabus | |
| Semester I | |
| SI No | Subjects |
| 1 | Principles and practices of water management |
| 2 | Principles and practices of soil fertility and nutrient management |
| 3 | Micro Economic Theory and Application |
| 4 | Agrometeorology and Crop Weather Forecasting |
| 5 | Plant Biochemistry |
| 6 | Principles of Nematology |
| 7 | Basic Plant Breeding |
| M.Sc Agriculture Syllabus | |
| Semester II | |
| SI No | Subjects |
| 1 | Plant Genetic Resources and Seed Technology |
| 2 | Modern concepts in crop production |
| 3 | Dryland farming and watershed management |
| 4 | Agricultural Statistics |
| 5 | Cropping systems and sustainable agriculture |
| 6 | Principles of Cytogenetics |
| 7 | Principles of Quantitative Genetics |
| M.Sc Agriculture Syllabus | |
| Semester III | |
| SI No | Subjects |
| 1 | Agronomy of major cereals and pulses |
| 3 | Agronomy of Fodder And Forage Crops |
| 4 | Cropping System And Sustainable Agriculture |
| 5 | Irrigation Management |
| 6 | Econometrics |
| 7 | Basic Horticulture |
| 8 | Toxicology of Insecticides |
| 9 | Integrated livestock farming system |
| 10 | Specialization-1 |
| 11 | Specialization-2 |
| M.Sc Agriculture Syllabus | |
| Semester IV | |
| SI No | Subjects |
| 1 | Agri marketing basics |
| 2 | Practical Training |
| 3 | Advances in Crop Production |
| 4 | Research Project |
| 5 | Agrostology |
| 7 | Internship |
MSc Agriculture Course Fees:
The course fees for M.Sc Agriculture courses may vary based on the University/college that is offering the course. The average course fees may range from INR 50K to 2 L per annum depending upon the facilities and infrastructure offered by the college/university.
MSc Agriculture Eligibility:
The required eligibility criteria for admission to M.Sc Agriculture is that the candidate must have completed a Graduation degree from any recognized university with a minimum of 50% marks in a relevant field of study with an agriculture science/horticulture science/ Forestry background.
For Certain Private Universities, Candidates are required to write entrance examinations conducted by the examinations body of the university and secure good ranks. Based on the scores obtained in the entrance exam combined with scores obtained in under graduation the university will release a rank list, based on which students are called for counseling sessions and admissions. Some Universities provide admissions via direct method/ management quota, which is based on skills possessed and marks obtained at the undergraduate level.
In certain Government Universities such as ICAR, students are eligible to avail scholarships based on their scores in entrance level examinations which will be provided on a stipend basis.
MSc Agriculture Admission:
The M.Sc Agriculture admission process varies from university to university based on the standard the university offers. The admissions can be done both online and offline methods. The candidates are required to register themselves on the official website of the college or provide the filled hard copy of the registration form within the deadline date.
Most institutes offering the course admit students based on performance in a relevant entrance test. Certain Universities expect good scores in national level exams such as ICAR AIEAA examinations, SHUAT AIET, etc. Most of the institutes conduct their entrance examinations based on which admission process is initiated. The candidates will be shortlisted based on scores obtained in entrance exams and their cumulative grade point acquired in an undergraduate degree and a rank list will be published based on it, upon which the students will be called for counseling sessions.
Certain Private colleges have a direct admission method where the students are called for counseling sessions based on their application form and undergraduate scores along with skills possessed.
MSc Agriculture Job Opportunities:
Agricultural development and management is one key area in the agricultural domain owing to the major role they play in bringing in several methods of agricultural science that are aimed at increasing the rates of production seasonally and annually. This is done with the utmost care and only graduates of this course are skillful enough to manage the role of high risk professionally. Hence, the job scopes for the graduates of this course are generally higher owing to the importance of the agricultural sector to the growth of the Indian economy.
Job Opportunities are available in plenty for a graduate in M.Sc Agriculture in both the public sector as well as the private sector. The Job roles offered will be of the highest level of employment owing to their knowledge and research-based experience that makes them qualified to handle job roles of higher magnitude and multiple domains. The most common roles the graduates work as are:
- Senior Research scientist
- Senior Agro-product Manager
- Senior Plant Breeder
- Literature Researcher
- Agricultural operations manage
- Crop Management Specialist
MSc Agriculture salary may vary based on the experience gained in the field and based on the skill set possessed. On average, graduates are entitled to receive INR 5L - 10 LPA in the initial stages and are subject to hikes based on the experience gained.
MSc Agriculture Colleges:
| Sl. No. | Name of the College |
| 1 | Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Bengaluru |
| 2 | Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore |
| 3 | Sam Higginbothams University of Agriculture Technology, Uttar Pradesh |
| 4 | Chandra Shekhar Azad University Of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur |
| 5 | Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri |
| 6 | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut |
| 7 | Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Jabalpur |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the duration of the M.Sc Agriculture Course?
-The course is generally pursued for 2 years, similar to that of all M.Sc stream courses.
What is the list of specializations that can be done under Agriculture?
-M.Sc Agriculture is offered along with several specialization courses in many private and government agricultural universities in India. There are around 25 specialization courses offered such as Agronomy, horticulture, Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Nematology, Nanoscience, and Technology, etc.Â
What are the current job scopes for graduates of Agriculture?
-Graduates are entitled to receive several job offers from agro products companies such as food companies, dying companies, etc in a senior planning and consultation role. Owing to their knowledge of agricultural statistics and economics, they are also recruited by business analytics companies.
What is the average salary offered for a graduate of this course?
The average salary offered for a graduate of this course depends upon his/her job role and the company he/she is hired in. On average, the graduates of this course are entitled to receive an average salary of INR 5 LPA -10 LPA.
What are the basic qualifications required for M.Sc Agriculture?
-It is mandatory that the candidate shouldn’t have any backlogs in 10+2 exams and an undergraduate degree. Candidates are expected to have at least 50% in undergraduate from Agriculture or Horticulture or forest science background from a recognized university in India
