Agricultural engineering, like all other branches of engineering uses scientific principles and technology to solve problems relating to sustainable agricultural production. Agricultural Engineers may perform tasks such as planning, supervising and managing the building of dairy effluent schemes, irrigation, drainage, flood and water control systems, perform environmental impact assessments and interpret research results and implement relevant practices.
Agricultural engineers also specialize in other aspects like power system and machinery design; structures and environmental science; and food and bioprocess engineering. They discover the ways to conserve soil and water and to improve the processing of agricultural products.
For making a bright career in agricultural engineering one should have enough logic and practical thinking ability for inventiveness and innovation. The career is interesting, challenging as well as rewarding.
A candidate aspiring for career in agricultural engineering must complete his/her +2 Science with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and/or Biology. Most agricultural institutes/universities conduct entrance examination for admission to BE/BTech program in agricultural engineering. Some may consider the marks obtained in + 2 qualifying examination for selection.
For doing ME/M.Tech programs in agricultural engineering one should have completed BE/B.Tech in the same discipline. For this purpose, one needs to qualify the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) examination.
There are excellent career opportunities in Agricultural sector for engineering graduates in India. The profession is now far from the traditional perception of the people towards agriculture. Agricultural engineering graduates have ample options in their hand. Apart from joining manufacturing industries they can also opt for water resource management, forestry, mining and rehabilitation, food processing, peri-urban and rural development, machine development and many more. Agricultural engineers can also work in NGOs under various schemes and projects.
They are now working as specialists in private consultancies, large corporations, government and non-government organisations, and some have become engineering managers of large farms or estates.
Sectors where agricultural engineers find employment :
Public Sector :
Department of Agriculture (State as well as central government)
Development organizations
Universities/Institutions/Labs
Private Sector :
Agricultural co-operatives
Manufacturers of agricultural equipment
Fertiliser and irrigation companies
Farming companies
Industry service organisations such as the sugar industry
Remuneration of agricultural engineers is not less than engineers of other branches. A fresh graduate of agricultural engineering can expect a salary of between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 per month at the entry level. After three or four years’ experience on good projects, one can earn up to Rs 30,000 per month. There is no limitation for the right candidates to progress in this field.
India has as many as 43 agricultural universities under the status of central, state and deemed universities. These universities offer regular full time programs in agricultural engineering both at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Apart from these universities few other universities and technological institutions like the IITs also offer programs in agricultural engineering.
Here is a list of agricultural universities in various states which are offering BE/B.Tech and ME/M.Tech programs in agricultural engineering.
The contents are informative in nature. Candidates are advised to refer to the notice published on Official Websites of the organization(s) administering the particular Courses/Test(s) / Examination(s).
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