M.Sc. in Agronomy is a 2- year long full- time course divided into 4 semesters, with each semester lasting a period of 6 months. The course is designed to offer to eligible candidates, advanced insight into the means of providing options for sustainable agriculture for both the wellness of the environment and humans who consume agricultural produce.
Students are taught the proper ways to communicate with the public, farmers and fellow scientists through a wide range of methods. With an increase in the need of new ways for improving sustainable agricultural practices, the discipline is fast gaining popularity in the country, in both government and private sectors.
The average annual course fee charged in India ranges between INR 6,000 and 1 lakh, depending upon the institute offering the course. The average annual starting salary offered in India to successful postgraduates of the course ranges between INR 3 to 8 lacs, depending upon the candidate’s expertise in the field.
M.Sc. in Agronomy: Course Highlights
Listed below are some of the major highlights of the course.
Course Level | Post Graduate |
Duration | 2 years |
Examination Type | Semester System |
Eligibility | Bachelor’s or equivalent degree in science. |
Admission Process | counselling after taking entrance examination |
Average Course Fee | INR 6,000 to 1,00,000 |
Average Starting Salary | INR 1,00,000 to 6,00,000 |
M.Sc. in Agronomy: What is it About?
The course is designed to offer training to eligible candidates on the ways to improve agricultural productivity, and hence food security, and thus assist societies with the ability to streamline more efficient food production methodologies.
Students are taught to apply such learning to real-world situations where scientific principals surrounding agronomy are put to action, by combining research with in-depth instruction in Climatology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Physiology and Plant Breeding.
Eligibility for M.Sc. in Agronomy
The minimum criterion of eligibility needed to be met for pursuing the course is a Bachelor's degree in science with Biology, Maths and Chemistry as main subjects.
M.Sc. in Agronomy: Admission Process
Admission to the course is based on the merit computed from the candidate’s score in the relevant entrance test, namely Post Graduate Entrance Test for Agriculture (PET-Ag), conducted by the Controller of Examinations, Banaras Hindu University.
Top Institutes Offering M.Sc. in Agronomy
Some of the top institutes offering the course in the country with the corresponding locations and fees charged by the respective colleges are listed below.
NAME OF INSTITUTE | CITY/STATE | AVERAGE ANNUAL FEES |
Agricultural college | Guntur | INR 6,833 |
Quantum University | Roorkee | INR 73,500 |
Agricultural college and research institute | Thoothukudi | INR 65,040 |
AKS university | Madhya Pradesh | INR 1,08,000 |
Bundelkhand university | Uttar Pradesh | INR 65,378 |
College of agriculture | Rajasthan | INR 72,000 |
M.Sc. in Agronomy: Syllabus and Course Description
A semester - wise breakup of the course’s syllabus is tabulated below.
SEMESTER I |
Micro economic theory and application |
Macro-economics and policy |
Agricultural production economics |
SEMESTER II |
Agricultural marketing and price analysis |
Research methodology for social sciences |
Econometrics |
International economics |
SEMESTER III |
Agricultural finance and project management |
Agricultural development and policies |
SEMESTER IV |
Master’s seminar |
Comprehensive |
Master’s research |
M.Sc. in Agronomy: Career Prospects
Agronomy involves the study of plant breeding and its relevance in terms of human consumption. With the commercialization of horticulture and agriculture, career opportunities in both government and private sectors in the discipline have increased.
successful postgraduates of the course are hired in capacities such as Horticulturists and Landscapers, Supervisors, Researchers, Distributors, and Engineers in fields such as resorts, hotels, health farms etc.
Some of the popular professional avenues open to such postgraduates are listed below with the corresponding salaries offered for the respective positions.
JOB POSITION | JOB DESCRIPTION | AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY |
Farm Manager | Farm Managers are responsible for budgeting and maintaining accurate financial records, organising sales and purchases of livestock, farm equipment, crops, and agricultural products. They handling paperwork and keep administrative records. They recruit, train/ instruct and supervise farm workers. Livestock on farms tends to be pigs, cows or sheep, while crops can cover cereals, oilseed, vegetables and salad. The job is varied and includes planning strategies for maximum yield, organising farm administration, working machinery, organising associated businesses and managing staff. | INR 1,11,000 |
Agronomist | Agronomists, sometimes known as Crop Scientists, specialize in producing and improving food crops through conducting experiments and developing methods of production. Agronomists divide their time between the field the laboratory. They collect samples while on the field, talk to farmers and others involved in the industry or introduce different techniques and products that could improve soil quality. | INR 5,00,000 |
Research Associate | Research Associates are responsible for monitoring progress of research projects and coordinating information between departmental sections. They perform a wide and complex variety of assays, tests, and studies. They perform highly specialized and advanced experiments, and collect, prepare, analyse, and evaluate specimens and/ or tissue cultures. | INR 3,02,000 |
Subject Matter Specialist- Agronomy | Subject Matter Specialists- Agronomy are responsible for providing training in beekeeping, mushroom rising, vermin composting, making of bio gas units, and demonstration of new technology for improving the farm productivity. Seed production, for example, helps farmers increase seed replacement rate. | INR 2,40,000 |
Lecturer | Lecturers are responsible for teaching academic and vocational subjects to undergraduate and postgraduate students. They work in universities and also pursue their own research to contribute to the wider research activities of their department or institution. | INR 3,00,000 |
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