Agricultural Engineering - Careers, Salary, Jobs, Scope

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Brief Summary

Course Name Agricultural Engineering
Duration 4 years
Level -Degree/Diploma UG & PG Degree
Mode Full Time
Eligibility Graduation with at least 45-50%
Expected fee Rs 80,000- Rs 12,00,000
Average Starting Salary Rs 30,000
Tests Accepted JEE Main/JEE Advanced/APEAMCET/MH-CET/LPUNEST/TNEA/COMEDK UGET/KCET
Top recruiting companies ITC, Nestle India, Pradhan, Mother Dairy, Food Corporation of India, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, National Seeds Corporation

Why AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING?

Agricultural Engineering is a branch of engineering which specializes in application of engineering ideologies, science, and technology for agricultural production and processes. An agricultural engineers job is to design and develop equipment’s which help agricultural structures, Management of resources, surveying and creating reports related to the production and processes, and come up with ideas to control and decrease erosion.

Agricultural Engineers work with Department of Agriculture, Development organizations, Universities/Institutions/Labs, Agricultural co-operatives, agricultural equipment manufacturers, Fertilizers and irrigation companies, farming companies, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO).

They work both indoor and outdoor. Indoor work involves planning and managing projects, work in laboratories and classrooms. Whereas outdoor job involves inspecting sites, monitoring equipment’s and projects.

An agricultural engineer usually works office hours. Though, under high work pressure, they may have to work extra overtime hours. On weekly basis, an agricultural engineer works  40 hours to 50 hours as per their work schedule and routine.

Students can also check out our Biomedical Engineering Article. 

AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING: Jobs and Career Opportunities

Agricultural Engineers have a variety of Job roles and career opportunities, few of them are listed below:

  • Agricultural and Food Scientist

The role of an agricultural and food scientist is to ensure that the food produced is high in quality and safe to consume. They usually work in food manufacturing and producing companies, farm etc. On average an agricultural and food scientist is offered a salary of Rs.3.5 lakh to Rs.5 lakh per annum.

  • Plant Physiologist

A plant physiology studies the functions of living plants.  They usually work as a consultant to industrial and agricultural organizations or at educational institutions where they teach and conduct researches. They are offered an average salary of Rs.3 lakh to Rs.6 lakh per annum.

  • Microbiologist

Microbiologist is a scientist who studies microscopic organisms and their process. They work in Laboratories, Research firms, manufacturing and production organizations etc. A degree in microbiology or any other similar specialization is required for this job. The average salary offered to a microbiologist is around Rs.2 lakh to Rs.4 lakh per annum.

  • Soil Scientist

The soil scientist studies the soil surface of the Earth including its classification, mapping, physical, chemical, biological properties etc. They monitor and conduct the research according to the soil samples. They work in the commercial or industrial organization, environmental consultancy, food production and manufacturing company, forensic lab, government bodies, University or educational institutions etc. They are offered an average salary around Rs.4 lakh to Rs.5 lakh per annum.

  • Agronomist

An agronomist is also known as crop scientist; they produce and improve food crops by developing the methods of production. They work at agricultural consultancies, educational institutions, agricultural labs or mills. Any person having an agricultural engineering degree or any similar specialization can work as an agronomist. The average salary offered to them around Rs.2.5 lakh to Rs.3 lakh per annum.

Other Roles include-

  • Agricultural engineer
  • Researchers
  • Survey research agricultural engineer
  • Farm shop manager
  • Crop engineer

AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING: Salary

On average an agricultural engineer can earn up to Rs 4.8 lakh per annum. A fresher can earn between rupees 15,000 to Rs 50,000 per month depending on his skills and company. By gaining more skills and experience and agricultural engineer can increase his salary package.

The pay of an agricultural engineer depends upon their efficiency and capability towards their job. Experienced professionals in this field earn up to 10 lacs per annum or more.

AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING: Recruiters

Agricultural engineers have a variety of recruiters ranging from domestic companies to International giants. Top companies which recruit agricultural engineers are listed below:

  • NABARD
  • AMUL
  • Escorts
  • ITC
  • Nestle India
  • Pradhan
  • Mother Dairy
  • Food Corporation of India
  • Indian Council of Agricultural Research
  • National Seeds Corporation

Specializations

Agricultural engineers can specialize/engaged in below-listed areas and much more:

  • Designing Agricultural Machinery

This specialization deals with designing the machines or the equipment’s that are used in the farming industry. A candidate interested in this specialization should have skills such as critical thinking, complex problem solving techniques, decision making, system analysis and evaluation, time management. They are offered an average salary of Rs.4 lakh to Rs.5 lakh per annum.

  • Agricultural production

Agricultural production is the management and administration of the farm, human resources, agricultural finance, marketing and much more. Candidates pursuing this specialization basically collaborate and coordinate the project. They are offered an average salary of Rs.3 lakh to Rs.5 lakh per annum.

  • Water conservation and management

Water conservation and management deals with efficient water allocation, efficient water usage etc. A candidate pursuing this specialization can work as a water conservation specialist; their role is to calculate the possible water amount for usage in the project and recommends the best ways agricultural systems can save water. The average salary offered to them is around Rs.4 lakh to Rs.7 lakh per annum.

  • Waste management

Waste management involves removal of waste from the site of the project after its completion. It involves removal of waste without further damaging the environment. Candidates applying for this specialization provide methods to reduce waste during a project. They are offered an average salary package of Rs.2 lakh to Rs.3 lakh per annum.

  • Bio-resources engineering

Bio-resource engineering means to enhance and sustain the natural resources in the best possible way. It deals with designing, construction, maintenance and upgrading the biological components in the environment. Candidates applying for this specialization should have a vast knowledge of complex working systems, industrial method and inherit the skills like good communication skill, critical thinking and analysis etc. The average salary offered to a Bio-resource engineer is around Rs.4 lakh to Rs.5 lakh per annum.

AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING: Syllabus

B.Tech Agricultural Engineering is the basic degree to enter in this field; this is a 4-year degree course divide into 8 semesters. The detailed syllabus as per various Universities and colleges is given below:

Year Topics
Year I
  • Language
  • Engineering Chemistry
  • Engineering Physics
  • Mathematics
  • Engineering Mechanics
  • Basic electrical engineering
  • Chemistry physics lab (Practical/ Drawing/ Design)
  • Engineering mechanics electrical laboratory (Practical/ Drawing/ Design)
  • Engineering Graphics I (Practical/ Drawing/ Design)
  • Introduction to computing
  • Environment and ecology
  • Engineering Physics II
  • Mathematics II
  • Engineering Thermodynamics
  • Basic electronics
  • Basic electronics lab (Practical/ Drawing/ Design)
Year II
  • Numerical analysis and computer programming
  • Material science
  • Strength of materials (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Fluid Mechanics (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Soil science (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Mathematics III
  • Computer programming
  • Hydrology (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Soil mechanics
  • I.C. Engines (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Kinematics and dynamics (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Electrical machines (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Crop production
Year III
  • Management science
  • Surveying and levelling (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Agricultural engineering structures and rural engineering (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Post-harvest engineering (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Soil and water conservation engineering
  • Building materials and structural design (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Pumps engineering and Hydraulic control (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Groundwater and well engineering (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Irrigation engineering (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Farm machinery (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Refrigeration and air conditioning (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Machine design
Year IV
  • Agriculture and environment engineering (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Tractors and power units (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Dairy and food processing operations (Theory and Practical/Drawing/Design)
  • Open Elective I
  • Profession Elective I
  • Project I
  • Drainage engineering (Theory)
  • Food products and process technology (Theory)
  • Instrumentation and control engineering in agriculture (Theory)
  • Professional Elective II
  • Professional Elective III

 

Popular Colleges offering AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

Some of the top colleges offering Agricultural Engineering are:

College Eligibility Criteria Fee
Rai University, Ahmedabad A candidate must qualify 12th with minimum 45%, with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics (PCM) as mandatory subjects. Rs 3.64 lakhs
Department of Agriculture and Food Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur
  • A candidate/student should pass 12th with minimum of 75%, and must have studied Mathematics and physics.
  • Valid JEE-Advanced Rank
Rs 8.44 lakh
Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar
  • Atleast 60% in class 12th
  • Valid LPUNEST Score
Rs 7.16 lakh
Integral University, Lucknow A candidate must obtain minimum 50% in 12th; a candidate must study PCM (physics, Chemistry, Mathematics)/ PCMB (physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology)/agriculture. Rs 3.20 lakh
College of Technology and Engineering, Udaipur Minimum 45% marks in 12th (5% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC) Rs 3.25 lakh

Requirements for AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

To apply for B.tech Agricultural Engineering the candidate must pass 12th or any diploma examination. The candidate should have a mathematical background.

For Post Graduation in Agricultural Engineering which is a 2 year course, the candidate must qualify B.Sc /B.Tech or any other similar course with minimum 60% or equivalent CGPA to apply for it.

A typical entry-level job qualification for environmental engineers is a bachelor’s degree.

Apart from the educational qualification as stated above a candidate applying for this specialization must have certain skills such as knowledge about agricultural field, usage of mechanical equipment’s, analytical and technical skill, problem solving, computer usage, decision making, good communication skills, good planning and organizing skill.

Why should you choose AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING?

Agricultural engineering provides knowledge of a mix of traditional and modern technique which helps in the growth of agriculture.  It provides the candidates applied career prospects and opportunities in any country around the globe across various sectors. Agricultural engineering also offers the candidates a decent amount of salary package which may increase with their efforts and experience.

It is said that the agricultural engineer’s employment is going to grow 4% through 2024. With new projects and the demand to reduce environmental damage and expanded view range of Agricultural Engineering.

In India where 70% of the population is dependent on agriculture, the demand for engineering professionals in agriculture field is already high and increasing.

The job scope of agricultural Engineers is in a variety of streams from private to government, teaching, researching, managing and much more.

 

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