A diploma in agriculture is a course that is two years long. The course imparts knowledge about various forms of agriculture, livestock and crop management, agricultural extension, agricultural chemistry and so forth. The admission to this full-time agriculture science programme takes place based on both entrance examination and merit. To be eligible for the course, the candidate must be a 10th pass from a recognised board. Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics are compulsory subjects that a student must have in his or her 10th and 10+2.
Particulars | Values |
Degree Name | Diploma in Agriculture |
Degree Type | Diploma |
Degree Duration | 2 Years |
Entrance Exams | |
Eligibility Criteria | 10th from a recognised board |
Admission process | Entrance/ Merit |
Cutoff | - |
Fees for the entire duration | Rs. 7000 to Rs. 200,000 |
Average Salary | Rs. 200,000 pa to Rs. 10,00,000 pa. |
Job profiles | Agronomist, Agricultural Inspector, Agricultural, Agricultural Officer |
Top recruiters | Agricultural Plantations, Government Agricultural Firms, Food Production Firms, Fertilizer Manufacturing firms, Government agricultural boards |
In order to pursue a diploma course in Agriculture, one must go through the eligibility criteria beforehand. A student who has finished a 10th with an aggregate of 50 per cent marks from a recognised board is eligible to opt for the course. However, some colleges also conduct common entrance exams to grant admission. In such cases, the eligibility criteria differ slightly. Students with a minimum of 35 per cent aggregate marks are also eligible to pursue the course.
After a student has decided that they want to pursue a diploma course in Agriculture, the next is the admission process that is of utmost concern. Below we have mentioned the admission process for your ease:
The primary step in the admission process is to thoroughly go through the eligibility criteria. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can get admission to the colleges offering admission on a cut off basis.
However, if the colleges that you desire offer admission on an examination basis, then you are required to register for the entrance examinations. A few important examinations to pursue a diploma in Agriculture are TS POLYCET, AP POLYCET, ICAR AIEEA.
If you clear the examination and are shortlisted, you can get admission to the college that you desire.
ICAR AIEEA
ICAR's All India Entrance Examination for Admission is the full name for ICAR AIEEA. The examination is conducted by the National Testing Agency, once every year. The registration for the examination takes place online.
TS POLYCET
TS POLYCET is short for Telangana State Polytechnic Common Entrance Test. The exam is conducted by the State Board of Technical Education and Training Telangana once every year. The students opting for the examination have to prepare for 3 sections that are Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
AP POLYCET
AP POLYCET also known as Andhra Pradesh Polytechnic Common Entrance Test, the exam is conducted by the State Board of Technical Education and Training Andhra Pradesh. It is a state-level exam that takes place once a year.
Many colleges/universities offer admissions on a cut-off basis. If a student falls under the cut-off as released by the colleges/universities, he/she is then eligible to get admission. It is important to keep a regular check on the cut-offs when you are looking for admission. One can find detailed information on the official college websites.
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In order to successfully complete a diploma in agriculture, it is necessary to possess some specific skills. Having a keen interest in the subject is one of them. Below we have listed a few skill requirements for pursuing a diploma in agriculture.
Adaptability | Time management and organisation |
Interpersonal Skills | Versed with technology |
Learning ability | Attention to detail |
The course covers subjects like Fundamentals of Entomology, Fundamentals of Soil Science, Plant Pathology, Green House Technology, Agricultural Microbiology and various others. The syllabus for the diploma course is different in every college. However, a few common subjects are being studied in all the colleges/universities.
Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
Biomathematics Principles of Horticulture Economic Botany Fundamentals of Entomology Fundamentals of Soil Science Field Crop Production Principles of Agronomy Introduction to Agriculture | Agricultural Meteorology Principles of Agricultural Economics Basics of Agricultural Engineering Livestock and Poultry Production Plant Pathology Principles of Insect Control Soil Chemistry Crop Production |
Semester 3 | Semester 4 |
Water Management Production Technology of Fruit Crops Dairy Cattle and Buffalo Production Diseases of Field Crops Pests and Pest Control Principles of Genetics Plant Nutrition, Manures and Fertilizers Organic Farming and Sustainable Agriculture | Seed Production Technology Green House Technology Agricultural Microbiology Plant Breeding Agricultural Statistics Weed Management Post-Harvest Technology |
The fee of the colleges depends on their ownership. If you are looking forward to pursuing the diploma course from a government university, the tuition fees to be paid is going to be relatively less than the tuition fees as charged by the private universities. The average fee for pursuing the course ranges from Rs. 7000 to Rs. 2 lakh.
After completion of a diploma in agriculture, students can opt for further education. They can choose to pursue a PGD or a B.Sc. in Agriculture. Some of the other popular degree programmes in agriculture science are B.Tech. in Agriculture Engineering and B.Tech. in Agriculture Information Technology.
Pursuing a diploma in agriculture offers a vast future scope to the students. They can work as Agricultural officer, Agricultural Engineer, Agricultural Inspector and positions alike. They earn good salaries and can find work opportunities in various fields.
Opting for a course like a diploma in Agriculture opens up a multitude of opportunities for the candidates. They can work in different agricultural sectors like pisciculture, horticulture and others. An individual can opt for a job profile as per their choice. Some of the prospective career options are Agronomist, Agriculture Inspector, and Agricultural Officer. When it is about finding career opportunities, a candidate after completing a diploma can work in both private as well as government sectors. It might be possible that he/she has to sit for various competitive exams to find an opportunity in the government sector but the door is open for them.
List of popular career options after completing Diploma in Agriculture
Career | Description |
Agronomist | An Agronomist is responsible for increasing the productivity of the soil. He/She studies plants and soil for the better productivity of the soil. They also suggest better harvesting techniques, solve harvest problems, help in better cultivation. |
The responsibilities of an Agricultural Officer involves taking care of the rules and regulations in the agricultural activities taking place in state and local areas. They need to make sure that the activities comply with the rules and regulations. | |
An Agricultural Engineer is responsible for solving problems related to agriculture like types of equipment and their efficiency, any environmental issues, storage-related hindrances and others. | |
The role of an Agricultural Inspector is to keep a check on the quality of production and ensure that all activities are in accordance with rules and regulations. They are additionally responsible for providing the necessary equipment for the production. |
List of Top Companies
Agricultural Plantations
Government Agricultural Firms
Food Production Firms
Fertilizer Manufacturing firms
Government agricultural boards
Agriculture contributes to a huge part of India’s economy. There are several benefits for the students who pursue a diploma in Agriculture. Here are some of the perks of the course listed for you:
Students can opt for further education. They can pursue PGD or Bachelors in the same field. This further increases the work opportunities for the candidates and can help them earn a much better amount of money.
Pursuing a diploma in agriculture helps the students in earning a handsome salary. They get work opportunities in several sectors of agriculture like horticulture, agronomy, pisciculture and numerous others.
Many reputed MNCs are always on the lookout for talented individuals to work with them. A diploma holder gets a chance to work with big MNCs like ITC and Britannia.
The salary of an individual is determined by the skills that he/she possesses in the field. The average salary of a student post completion of the course ranges from Rs. 200,000 per annum to Rs. 10,00,000 per annum.
Both public and private universities offer a course like a diploma in Agriculture. Before making an application to any such course, it is important to go through the eligibility criteria of the colleges/universities. A few top-ranked universities are listed below:
Colleges | Fee |
Rs. 7800 | |
Rs. 20000 | |
Rs. 38,690 | |
Rs. 69,26 | |
Rs. 66,530 | |
- | |
- | |
Rs. 40,000 | |
Rs 20,000 |
There are a number of private universities offering a diploma course in agriculture. The tuition fee of these universities is usually higher than that charged by the public universities. Some of the private universities offering the course are listed below in the table:
Singhania University, Jhunjhunu | Rs. 40,000 |
Swami Vivekanand University, Sagar | Rs. 20,000 |
Rs. 81,000 | |
Rs. 99,000 | |
Rs. 100,000 |
To pursue the course from a government-owned university, there are numerous options available. A few top-ranked government universities are listed below:
IGNOU Delhi | Rs. 7,800 |
BHU Varanasi | Rs. 20,000 |
Gandhigram Rural Institute, Dindigul | Rs. 38,690 |
Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar | Rs. 69,260 |
PAU Ludhiana | Rs. 66,530 |
A diploma in Agriculture is a 2 years long full-time diploma course for students who wish to make their career in agriculture. The course teaches students agriculture, livestock and crop management, agricultural extension, agricultural chemistry with various other subjects.
The admission to a diploma course in agriculture takes place on the basis of both entrance examination and cut off.
To be eligible for admission, a student must have finished 10th from a recognised board with an aggregate of 50% marks.
The skills required to pursue the course include:
Adaptability | Time management and organisation |
Interpersonal Skills | Versed with technology |
Learning ability | Attention to detail |
Yes, students can find an ample number of opportunities after completing Agriculture. They can work in various fields and earn a handsome salary.
Agricultural Plantations, Government Agricultural Firms, Food Production Firms, Fertilizer Manufacturing firms, Government agricultural boards are some of the top recruiters after completing a diploma in Agriculture.
Several job profiles are available. Some of the profiles are Agronomist, Agricultural officer, Agricultural Engineer and Agricultural Inspector.
Some of the top entrance examinations for the diploma course are TS POLYCET, AP POLYCET, ICAR AIEEA.
Application Date:05 September,2024 - 25 November,2024
Application Date:15 October,2024 - 15 January,2025
Application Date:10 November,2024 - 08 April,2025