India contributes a major portion of its economy through agriculture. That is why agriculture engineering plays a significant role in understanding the development and sustainability of agricultural practices. In recent times, the global focus has shifted towards organic and sustainable agriculture practices; thus, agriculture engineering has gained recognition with utmost importance.
After completing B-Tech Agriculture, students can get various government jobs. These career paths will provide better stability, growth, and the chance to contribute to changes in national agricultural policies and practices. This article provides detailed information about various government job opportunities for B-Tech Agricultural Engineering graduates. It also includes aspects like job roles, recruitment processes, eligibility criteria, and career prospects.
Benefits of Agriculture Engineering in India:
Here are some of the major government colleges that offer agriculture engineering, which is recognized all over the country.
Indian Agricultural Research Institute:
It is short-known as IARI. The institute is located in New Delhi and is affiliated with ICAR. It offers B-Tech in Agricultural Engineering, M-Tech, and PhD programs with respective specializations. To get admission, students must take entrance through ICAR AIEEA.
Punjab Agricultural University (PAU)
Punjab Agricultural University is located in Ludhiana, Punjab. The prominent program in PAU is agriculture engineering. The other programs are M-Tech and Ph.D. programs. The admission criteria will depend on the entrance exam conducted by the university, called PAU CET. The admission process can be checked by visiting the university's official website.
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU)
Coimbatore city in Tamil Nadu state has a popular university for agriculture engineering, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. To qualify for B-Tech Agriculture Engineering, applicants must have passed board exams, followed by JEE Main scores and counselling results. Eligible candidates can submit their applications online by visiting the university website.
Kerala Agricultural University (KAU)
Kerala Agricultural University is located in Thrissur. Candidates can opt for a four-year B-Tech engineering program. To get into admissions at KAU, applicants must have completed their board exams followed by KEAM or JEE Main counselling results. Applications will be accepted online by visiting the KAU official website.
University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS)
Bangalore in Karnataka has a popular agriculture university called the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS). UAS offers a four-year B-Tech program in agriculture. To seek admission to UAS, candidates must have passed board exams, followed by valid KCET or JEE Main scores and counselling results.
Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV)
PDKV is located in Akola, Maharashtra. Students willing to join the B-Tech program must have passed 10+2 board exams in the science stream with a minimum of 50% marks, followed by MHT CET scores, counselling results or JEE Main scores with valid cut-off marks. B-Tech Agriculture Engineering is for the duration of 4 years.
Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology
GBPUAT is established in Patnagar, Uttarakhand. Its flagship engineering program is a four-year program in the agriculture stream. As eligibility criteria, applicants must have completed their board exams with a minimum of 50% in science subjects. For selections, the university considers JEE Main or PUEE with valid scores.
Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU)
CCSHAU is one of the well-established universities in Hisar, Haryana. Along with the B-Tech program, the university also offers M-Tech and PhD programs in respective specializations. For admission to the Agriculture Engineering B-Tech program, students must have appeared for the entrance test through HSTES or JEE Main scores along with counselling results.
Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU)
ANGRAU is established in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. It is a state university. It has various UG and PG programs. The prominent program in B-Tech. Students opting for the Agriculture Engineering stream can get admissions based on their academic board exams followed by TS EAMCET or JEE Main scores and counselling results.
Anand Agricultural University (AAU)
Anand Agricultural University is one of the popular colleges in Gujarat. It is a state university with various UG and PG programs. The B-Tech course in agriculture engineering is for four years, and the fee structure is nominal. Admissions are based on state-level entrance exams, i.e., GUJCET or JEE Main scores and valid counselling results.
There are many other government universities offering agriculture engineering with well-equipped infrastructure facilities. Students are trained here in various fields of agriculture, such as arm machinery, irrigation systems, soil conservation, agricultural processing, etc.
Here are some of the B-Tech agriculture government job career designations that candidates can aim for after completing their UG degree. These are the career options after B-Tech Agriculture Engineering:
Agricultural Officer:
Here, the officers will be responsible for implementing government policies at the beginning level. The officer will offer technical help to farmers and increase sustainable practices. As an agricultural officer, they further look for a district agricultural officer or positions like Deputy Director in the agricultural department. Depending on the experience level, the salary will range from 40,000 to 70,0000 per month, i.e. 4.8 to 8.4 lakhs per annum.
Irrigation Engineer:
The responsibility of an irrigation engineer is to prepare designs and develop irrigation systems. They will help optimize the use of water in agriculture. As engineers, their roles will involve planning, maintenance, and execution of irrigation projects. They can further pursue roles like senior Engineer, Chief Engineer, or project manager in water resource departments from the government. The salary ranges from 550,000 to 750,000 per month, i.e. 6 to 9 lakhs per annum.
Farm Machinery Expert:
As a Farm Machinery Expert, one's responsibilities involve designing, developing, and testing agricultural machinery. The expert also works towards improving the efficiency of farm operations through mechanization. As for career prospects, experts can become senior engineers or head government research departments. The salary ranges from 45000 to 75000 per month, i.e. 5.4 to 9 lakhs per annum.
Soil and Water Conservation Officer:
The officer is responsible for implementing and planning soil and water conservation projects. They are responsible for controlling soil erosion, removal of water retention, and encouraging sustainable land use practices. In terms of career intention, officers can opt for an advanced senior position based on their work experience in soil conversation in the state or central departments. The monthly salary ranges from 40000 to 70000, i.e. 4.8 to 8.4 lakhs per annum.
Distribution and Food Storage Manager:
The main role of an FSD manager is to check food storage, processing, and distribution of food grains. They will also ensure the maintenance of food quality standards and check the efficiency of supply chain management. Along with their work experience, managers can rise to positions like regional manager or zonal head in organizations like FCI. The salary ranges from 40000 to 65000 per month, i.e. 4.8 to 7.8 lakhs per annum.
Research Scientist:
The role of the research scientist is to do experiments and conduct detailed studies to develop new agricultural technologies and practices. Their main focus is on aspects like irrigation techniques, machinery development, and crop improvement. As a career progresses, the scientists will approach senior research positions, HODs, or even directors of research institutes. As a career progresses, the scientists will approach senior research positions, HODs, or even directors of research institutes. The salary ranges from 50000 to 80000 per month, i.e. 6 to 9.6 lakhs per annum.
Graduates from the B-Tech Agricultural Engineering stream must carefully evaluate several factors before choosing a job. It must be aligned with their interests, aspirations, and preferences. Below are the important factors to be considered:
The curriculum of B-Tech Agricultural Engineering offers both theoretical and practical knowledge that is required in the agriculture sector. Below are the key skills that are required for B-Tech Agriculture jobs after graduation.
1. Management of Soil and Crop: During the course, students must learn the skills needed to become proficient in and use techniques in soil analysis, irrigation systems, nutrient management, and crop selection.
2. Farm Machinery and Equipment: Students must be aware of how to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot agricultural machinery and equipment.
3. Techniques for Agro-Processing: Students will also gain a better understanding of how to handle harvest, storage, and processing techniques used in the food and crop industries.
4. Environment Sustainability: Students must address the environmental concerns in the agriculture sector. After gaining knowledge about these concerns and conservation practices, students will learn about sustainable farming methods, waste minimization, and how to encourage biodiversity conservation.
5. Applications of Biotechnology: The agriculture engineering course offers knowledge about various concepts. Understanding genetic engineering, techniques to improve crops, and bioremediation as biotechnology applications is important.
6. Quality Assurance and Food Safety: In this concept, students will learn about regulations for food safety, quality control standards, and hygiene practices in agribusiness and food processing.
7. Innovation and Research: By the end of the program, students must know how to do detailed research and experiments and also bring innovation to agricultural practices.
The areas of recruitment were graduates from Agriculture Engineering. In the agriculture industry, there are diverse options available from government agencies. Some of the sectors and the job roles are listed in the table below:
|
Recruitment sectors |
Job roles |
|
Agricultural Sector |
Crop Processing Engineer, Agricultural Engineer, Agricultural Consultant, Irrigation Engineer |
|
Research and Development |
Agricultural Surveyors, Research Assistants, Agricultural Research Scientists |
|
Government Agencies |
Consultant, Research and Development Scientist, Food Safety Auditor, Agricultural Officer, Food Safety Officer |
|
Agro-Processing Industries |
Food Safety Officer, Supply Chain Manager, Seed Engineer, Food and Crop Processing Engineer. |
|
International Organizations |
Agricultural Export Manager, Agricultural Engineer, Agricultural Consultant, Quality Assurance Specialist |
|
Educational Institutes |
Research Scientists, Agricultural Engineers and Professors |
|
Agri-Tech Industries |
Farm Equipment Engineer, Innovation Expert and Agricultural Technology Specialist |
1. Written Examination:
To get into government jobs, candidates must clear a written examination. This will check their technical skills, general knowledge, and aptitude tests. Some of the exams are the ICAR ASRB exam, PSU exams, and state Public Service Commission exams.
2. Personal Interview:
The interview process analyzes the candidate's technical skills, ability to solve issues, and suitability for the role.
3. Document Authentication:
After the interview, candidates should submit documents proving their education, age, caste (if needed), and any other necessary information.
4. Medical Exam:
In the end, medical tests are mandatory for certain jobs that involve fieldwork, etc., to ensure that the candidate is suitable for the job.
Students, after finishing their graduation degree in Agriculture Engineering, can choose to take up a job and make a career path. Otherwise, they can also opt for higher studies to enhance their skills, advance in their careers, and pursue advanced research. Some of the courses that can be pursued after graduation are:
• ME
• MBA
• ME
• M.Sc.
