Agricultural Engineering, similar to other branches of engineering uses scientific principles and technology to solve problems relating to sustainable agricultural production.
Planning, supervising and managing the building of dairy effluent schemes, irrigation, drainage, flood and water control systems, performing environmental impact assessments and interpreting research results and implementing relevant practices are some of the roles and responsibilities involved in Agricultural Engineering.
There are other specializations in Agricultural Engineering like designing the power system and machinery; structures and environmental science; and food and bio-process engineering. Discovering ways to conserve soil and water and to improve the processing of agricultural products are also some of the responsibilities of Agriculture Engineers. Universities like SRM also offer M.Tech programs in Food and Nutritional Biotechnology and Food Safety and Quality Management.
A career in Agricultural Engineering is challenging and rewarding, and interesting at the same time.
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 organizations, and some have become engineering managers of large farms or estates.
- Department of Agriculture (State as well as central government)
- Development organizations
- Universities/Institutions/Labs
- Agricultural co-operatives
- Manufacturers of agricultural equipment
- Fertilizer and irrigation companies
- Farming companies
- Industry service organizations such as the sugar industry
- NGOs
An Agricultural Engineering graduate gets an average salary between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 per month at the entry level. It also depends on the university you graduate from. Top universities like SRM will give their graduates higher salary packages than other universities.
After a couple of years of experience an individual can earn up to Rs 30,000 per month or more depending on the skill set, experience and performance.
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.
- Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
- Ch. Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University Hisar, Haryana
- Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh
- Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences And Technology, Srinagar
- Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana – Punjab
- Maharana Pratap University of Agrilcuture & Technology, Udaipur
- Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner
- Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agricluture & Technology, Distt Udham Singh Nagar Uttaranchal
- Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar Hyderabad – 500 030 Andhra Pradesh
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
- Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka
- Kerala Agricultural Univesity, Kerala
- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Tamil Nadu
- Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar
- West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences
- Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Orissa
- Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal
- Gujarat Agricultural Uiversity, Gujarat
- Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Seminary Hills Nagpur Maharashtra
- Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Distt. Ahmednagar Maharashtra
- Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani Maharashtra
- Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Chhattisgarh
- Birsa Agricultural University, Jharkhand
- Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Raipur, Madhya Pradesh
- Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Krishi Nagar Adhartal, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh
- Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Uttar Pradesh
- Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Uttar Pradesh
- Assam Agricultural University
- Central Agricultural University, Manipur