Agricultural Engineering is the branch of engineering that involves science, technology and modern farming techniques to enhance agricultural production and sustainability.
The study areas of Agricultural Engineering cover the development of the latest farming equipment, and infrastructure to improve farming practices and rural development.
To pursue a B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering, candidates must be 12th passed with Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics/Biology subjects.
The top colleges and universities provide admission based on entrance exams like JEE Main, CUET, ICAR & other state-level agriculture entrance exams.
In this article, we will discuss in detail about career in Agricultural engineering, eligibility criteria and top colleges and job opportunities.
Agricultural Engineering Course Details
B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering is a 4-year full-time program that combines engineering principles with agricultural science.
The course curriculum in Agricultural Engineering is divided into 8 semesters and covers subjects such as farm machinery, irrigation systems, soil conservation, food processing, renewable energy, and environmental sustainability in agriculture
| Course | Details |
| Agricultural engineering | B.Tech in Agricultural engineering |
| Course Level | Undergraduate (UG) |
| Course Duration | 4 years |
| Eligibility | 10+2 (PCM or PCB) |
| Entrance Exams | JEE Main, CUET UG |
| Admission Process | JEE/CUET Exam Score + Counselling Process |
| Course fee | INR 50000 – 2.5 lakh per annum |
| Top Colleges | IARI, Punjab Agricultural University, BHU |
| Average Salary | INR 4-10 LPA (Approx) |
| Career Scope | Public and Private Sector Companies, Research, Entrepreneurship |
| Job Profiles | Food Scientist, Food Inspector, Agricultural Engineer, Horticulturist |
| Top Recruiters | ITC, Amul, HUL, NGO’s, ICAR, UPL, PI Industries |
Lear More About – Best Agriculture Courses After 12th
Agricultural Engineering Courses
One of the most popular course in Agricultural sector is B.Tech in Agricultural Engineering. For admission in B.Tech programme candidates have to appear in JEE Main exam.
Their are various other diploma, UG and PG courses in Agricultural Engineering, more details are given below:
- Polytechnic diploma course with the duration of 3 years after 10+2 examination.
- UG degree courses leading to the B.Tech with the duration of 4 years after 10+2 examination.
- PG degree courses leading to the M.Tech with the duration of 2 years after the completion of UG degree.
- Doctoral degree courses leading to the PhD with the duration of 2-3 years after the completion of PG degree.
The admission process is different for diploma, UG and PG degree programs. For admission to diploma courses candidates have to appear in the diploma entrance exams like JEECUP, JEEP etc.
For admission to UG degree programs like B.Tech or B.Sc Agriculture, candidates have to qualify JEE Main & CUET UG exam.
For admission to PG courses, GATE and CUET PG, ICAR AIEEA are taken into consideration.
Agricultural Engineering Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for admission to UG & PG Agriculture courses offered by various universities or colleges is listed below:
UG Eligibility Criteria
Students looking for admission into bachelor’s courses need to qualify the 10+2 or equivalent exam with Physics, Chemistry Biology or Mathematics subjects.
PG Eligibility Criteria
For admission to PG agriculture courses, candidates must have passed a bachelor’s degree in agriculture or related discipline from any recognized college or institution.
Agricultural Engineering Specialisations
Some of the top specializations in the field of Agricultural engineering are listed below.
- Irrigation and Drainage Systems
- Crop Production
- Agricultural Economics
- Dairy Management
- Post-Harvest Technology
- Poultry and Fish Processing
- Soil and Water Engineering
- Agricultural Waste Management
- Food Engineering
- Agricultural Machinery Design
- Process Control
Agricultural Engineering Entrance Exams
The admission in UG, PG & Diploma courses in Agriculture is based on agriculture entrance exams. Some of the common entrance exams are listed below:
| Exams | Conducted For |
| CUET | B.Sc Agriculture courses in Central Universities |
| ICAR AIEEA (PG) | PG & Doctoral degree courses in ICAR |
| JEE Main | B.Tech in Agricultural engineering |
| BCECE | Bihar State Agriculture courses |
| JCECE | Jharkhand State Agriculture courses |
| KCET | Karnataka State Agriculture courses |
| KEAM | Kerala State UG Agriculture courses |
| OUAT | Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology |
| MP PAT | Madhya Pradesh State Agriculture Courses |
For admission to diploma courses, some universities shortlist students on the basis of polytechnic entrance exams or through direct admission (board merit score).
Some Top Colleges to pursue Agricultural Engineering are listed here:
Top Agriculture Engineering Colleges in India
As per the NIRF Rankings, the top agriculture colleges in India are listed below:
| College Name | Rank | State |
| Indian Agricultural Research Institute | 1 | Delhi |
| ICAR – National Dairy Research Institute | 2 | Haryana |
| Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana | 3 | Punjab |
| Banaras Hindu University | 4 | Uttar Pradesh |
| Tamil Nadu Agricultural University | 5 | Tamil Nadu |
| Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar | 6 | Uttar Pradesh |
| Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Fishries University | 7 | Maharashtra |
| G.B. Pant Universtiy of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar | 8 | Uttarakhand |
| Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science & Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar | 9 | Jammu & Kashmir |
| Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University | 10 | Haryana |
Agricultural Engineering Jobs & Career
Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy as 70% of the country’s population is engaged in agriculture or related activities. Graduates with degrees in Agriculture have opportunities to work in both private and public sector companies.
In the private sector, they can work with companies involved in agribusiness, seed production, fertilizer manufacturing, agrochemical industries, food processing, and farm equipment.
In the public sector, graduates can pursue roles in research institutions such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Food Corporation of India (FCI), and state agricultural departments.
Agriculture is also one of the highly unorganized sectors in India, offering numerous entrepreneurial opportunities for the candidates.
Candidates aspiring to become an entrepreneur can provide solutions and bring innovation in organic farming, agribusiness, farm-to-market models, food processing and agricultural technology products.
Job Profiles
The job profiles in the field of agricultural engineering are as the following:
- Scientist
- Farm Manager
- Researcher
- Horticulturist
- Project Directors
- Head Green keeper
- Project Coordinators
- Directors of Institutes
- Product Design Engineer
Top Recruiters
Some of the top recruiters for Agricultural Engineering graduates are given below:
- Agro Tech Food
- UPL
- ITC Limited
- PepsiCo India
- Amul Dairy
- ICAR
- NABARD
- FCI
- Parle
- Perfetti India Ltd
- Britannia India Ltd
- Nestle India Pvt Ltd
- Cadbury India Ltd
- Escorts
- Nestle India
- Proagro Seed
Agricultural Engineering Salary
The salary in the Agriculture sectors are competitive and largely depends upon the organization, job profile, skills and experience.
A fresh graduate with B.Tech in Agricultural engineering can expect a starting salary ranging between ₹3 to ₹6 lakh per annum.
In the government sector the salaries are generally based on pay scales. freshers may start with a monthly salary of ₹35,000 to ₹50,000.
With 3 to 5 years of experience, agricultural engineers can earn between ₹6 to ₹10 lakh per annum.
Agricultural engineers working in large multinational companies, research institutions are paid handsomely and the salaries in international project could be higher ranging between ₹15 to 30 lakh per annum.
Books & Study Materials
The very useful books in the field of Agricultural engineering are as the following:
- Environmental Engineering : Sewage Disposal and Air Pollution Engineering (Volume – 2) 26th Edition by Santosh Kumar Garg
- Food Science, Nutrition and Safety 1st Edition by Sukhneet Suri, Anita
- Water Supply Engineering 1st Edition by Santosh Kumar Garg
- Quantity Food Production Operations And Indian Cuisine by Parvinder S Bali
- Elements Of Environmental Engineering 8th Edition by K N Duggal
- Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think by Steven Kotler, Peter H. Diamandis
- Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering 2nd Edition by P. Purushothama Raj
- Wind Energy: Theory and Practice 2nd Edition by S Ahmed
- Wind Power Plants and Project Developments by Wizelius, Earnest
Career in Agriculture Engineering FAQ’s
For any other queries related to Career in Agricultural Engineering, feel free to ask your queries in the comment section below.
Currently I am doing B.Sc from pcm subject but I want to go into the field of agriculture. Please provide me with the correct details of how to enter into that field
For you B.Tech in Agricultural engineering is a good option. You can get admission after qualifying JEE Main exam. The other UG course is B.Sc in Agriculture, which requires you to clear CUET UG exam.
I’m in 12th Science grade right now and interested in the field of agriculture, but I haven’t taken the biology subject so if I want to take agricultural English which course should I pursue and when like after my 12th std or after my graduation….
It’s fine, you can still pursue B.Sc Agriculture or B.Tech Agriculture, the minimum eligibility is to have PCB or PCM subject combination in 10+2.
Really nice
What is the best subject to choose in agricultural and irrigation engineering Anna University Chennai
agricultural engineering is a good option.
Sir I am finised 12th science In2015 and l am join agri engg so may i apply in agri engg in 2017
Sir my son has got 750 marks in inter bpc how to join him agriculture ingneerin course what is fee? Is hostel facility is awialable?
Sir with tenth certificate can he apply for diploma in agriculture engineering course pl reply
addmission prosses for 12th paas student-how can we apply??