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.
Courses & Eligibility
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.
Career Prospects
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
• NGOs
Pay-Package
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.
Institutes/Universities
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.
1. Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
2. Ch. Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University Hisar, Haryana
3. Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Palampur, Himachal Pradesh
4. Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences And Technology, Srinagar
5. Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana - Punjab
6. Maharana Pratap University of Agrilcuture & Technology, Udaipur
7. Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner
8. Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agricluture & Technology, Distt Udham Singh Nagar Uttaranchal
9. Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar Hyderabad - 500 030 Andhra Pradesh
10. University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
11. Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai
12. University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka
13. Kerala Agricultural Univesity, Kerala
14. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Tamil Nadu
15. Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar
16. West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences
17. Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Orissa
18. Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal
19. Gujarat Agricultural Uiversity, Gujarat
20. Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Seminary Hills Nagpur Maharashtra
21. Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Distt. Ahmednagar Maharashtra
22. Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani Maharashtra
23. Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Chhattisgarh
24. Birsa Agricultural University, Jharkhand
25. Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Raipur, Madhya Pradesh
26. Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Krishi Nagar Adhartal, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh
27. Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Uttar Pradesh
28. Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Uttar Pradesh
29. Assam Agricultural University
30. Central Agricultural University, Manipur