Education and employment avenues in Horticulture

Horticulture is the science which is associated with the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices, plantation crops, tuber crops, medicinal and aromatic plants and post harvest technology their of. It plays an important role in agricultural economy in India. Horticultural crops being more producive, man-days generative and protective to health, in recent years, the marketing demand for them has risen tremendously. Horticulture has developed as a powerful venture in agri-economic scenario of the country. To make this venture, more sound in time scale, in view of generating man power well versed in the field of horticulture, education avenues have been opened and so also the employment avenues. Education avenues The postgraduation and Ph.D degree programmes in horticulture are offered in almost all agri-varsities of the country (Table1). However, some agri-varsities also offer undergraduate degree programme in horticulture. Table1: University/Institution offering degree in Horticulture S. No. Name of the University/Institution 1. Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi-110 012 2. Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Naini, Allahabad-211 007 (UP) 3. Assam Agricultural university, Jorhat- 785 013 ( Assam) 4. Anand Agricultural University, Anand – 388 001 (Guj.) 5. Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendra Nagar, Hyderabad- 500 030 (AP) 6. Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke, Ranchi- 834 006 ( Jharkhand) 7. Bidhan Chand Krishi Vishwavidyalay, Mohanpur, Nadia- 741 246 (WB)* 8. Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi- 221 005 (UP) 9. Central Agricultural University, Iroisemba, Imphal- 795 001 (Manipur) * 10. CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar- 125 004 ( Har.). 11. Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculre and Trechnology, Kanpur- 208 002 (UP) 12. Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University, Palampur- 176 062 (HP) 13. Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli- 415 712 (MS) * 14. Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola- 444 104 (MS) * 15. Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan- 173 230 (HP) * 16. Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, US Nagar- 263 145 ( Uttarakhand) * 17. Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur- 492 012 (MP) 18. Junagarh Agricultural University, Junagarh- 362 001 (Guj.) 19. Jawahar Lal Nehru Agricultural University, Jabalpur- 482 004 (MP) * 20. Kerala Agricultural University, Trichur- 680 654 ( Kerala) 21. Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani- 431 402 (MS) * 22. Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Ahmednagar- 413 722 (MS) 23. Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur- 313 001 (Raj.) * 24. Nagaland University, Medziphema- 797 106 (Nagaland) 25. Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari- 396 450 ( Guj.) 26. Narendra Deo University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad- 224 229 ( UP) * 27. Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneshwar- 751 001 (Orissa) * 28. Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana- 141 004 (Pb.) 29. SK Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner- 334 006 (Raj.) 30. Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur – 848 125 ( Bihar) * 31. Sardar Krishi Nagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Sardar Kkrishi Nagar, Banaskantha- 385 506 (Guj.) 32. Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture and Technology, Jammu- 180 004 ( J&K) 33. Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture and Technology, Srinagar- 180 004 ( J&K) * 34. Sardar Ballabh Bhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Modipuram, Meerut- 250 110 (UP0 35. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore- 641 003 ( TN) * 36. University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore- 560 065 (KN) * 37. University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad- 580 065 (KN) * 38. Uttarbanga Agricultural University, Koochbihar- 736 165 (WB*) 39. Andhra Pradesh University of Horticulture, Venkatramanguddam, P.O.Box. 7, Todapaliguddam, West Godawari- 534 101 (AP) * 40. University of Horticultural Sciences, Sector No. 60, Navanagar, Bagalkot- 587 102 (KN) * *Undergraduate degree in Horticulture too. Each and every state agricultural university (SAU) has its own pattern of admission to various degree programmes based either on merit, entrance exammination, payment, counselling or all. Alongwith, for admission to 15 % of total intake capacity in undergraduate degree programme and for 25 % of total intake capacity in PG programme in SAUs, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Pusa, New Delhi-110 012, organizes separate entrance examintion in the name of AIEEA-UG and AIEEA-PG everey year. The suuccessful candidates are recommended for admission to UG and PG programmes to various SAUs as per their merit and choice. Eligibility for admission and syllabus for competitive examination Undergraduate degree programme- Any Indian citizenl of 17-23 years age is consideed eligible for admission. Candidate should have passed 10+2 (Intermediate/ Senior secondary examination) with physics, chemistry, biology/ mathematics/ agriculture/ home science subjects combination. Candidates belonging to general category should have minimum 50 % marks and those belonging to scheduled caste/ scheduled tribe, physically handicapped catefory 40 % to be considered eligible for the AIEEA-UG examination conducted by ICAR, Pusa, New Delhi. In this exmination questions are asked from two streams; Stream A and Stream B. Under Stream A questions from physics, chemistry and agriculture/biology subjects are asked, whereas, under Steeam B questions from physics, chemistry and mathematics subjects are asked. The examination is of 2.30 hrs duration consisting of multiple choice type 60 questions from physics, 60 questions from chemistry and 60 questions from agriculture/ biology/ mathematics. In all 180 questions are to be attempted. Each question carries 4 marks. There is provision of negative marking in examination. For each correct answer 4 marks is awarded and for each incorrect answer one mark is deducted from total score. Candidates opting A stream in examination are considered eligible for admission to UG degree programme in SAUs in Horticulture, Agriculture, Forestry, Fishery science, Home science, Sericulture , Biotechnology and Food science and technology. Those opting B stream in examination are considered eligible for admission to Agriculture engineering, Dairy technology, Food Science, and Agricultural marketing, banking & cooperation. To be Continued…….. Dr. Jitendra Singh The author is serving as Associate Professor, Fruit Science at the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Under Maharana Pratap University and Technology at Jhalarapatan Campus, Jhalawar- 326 023 (Raj.).