B.Sc Agriculture, Bachelor of science in Agriculture

From the earlier days of human civilization to this date and even in the future, the role of agriculture is noteworthy. For any society, it is a source of food and raw materials. The agricultural sector has evolved from its earliest days to the modern day where different new techniques and technologies are being used.

A Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSc AG) is an undergraduate education that covers these topics. It is an extremely important degree if we want to enhance the agricultural process in the future.

Overview

Nepal is an agro-based country. Most of the citizens based their livelihood and source of income on their own agro-based productions. The rich natural environment and farmlands in the terrains of Nepal are the foundations of agro-based products that go to the common kitchen of households, local markets, suppliers and distributors, and finally the consumers.

The Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Agriculture is a full-time undergraduate study that covers a wide range of knowledge in the field of agriculture science in Nepal and other various challenges in this area and possible solutions and techniques to boost the agriculture sector of Nepal.

This program intends to train agricultural development personnel in areas such as teaching, research, and management. It also provides its students with knowledge about the application of contemporary agricultural equipment and technology.

BSc Agriculture Course in Nepal

It is a known fact to every individual that Nepal is an agricultural country. The recent census shows that more than 7 million of the total population are engaged in agro occupation, forestry, or fishery.

Provided below is the graph byMPDI that showcases the Contribution of agriculture, and other various sectors to the gross domestic product (GDP). It proves that this sector plays an important role in contributing to the economy of the country.

If we consider this fact, the importance of the BSc Agriculture course in the context of Nepal is evident. Agriculture contributes 26.5 percent to our national GDP. Sixty percent of the Population in Nepal consider agriculture as their primary income source. In 1957, the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS) was established. It started providing Intermediate Agricultural Science (I.Sc.Ag.) and eventually an undergraduate degree, BSc AG.

A separate institution by the name of Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) was established back in 2010 AD.

Currently, there are seven Universities that provides BSc Agriculture courses, namely Tribhuvan University (TU), Agriculture and Forestry University(AFU), Kathmandu University (KU), Purbanchal University (PU), Madesh Agriculture University (MAU), Far-west University (FWU) and Mid Western University (MWU) of Nepal.

General Information

It largely focuses on agricultural science research and practice. There are a total of 8 semesters in the degree.

7 universities in Nepal provide BSc Agriculture courses through their affiliated colleges, which is more than 30.

More than 2,000 seats are allocated by these universities for those students who are interested in studying for a BSc AG degree.

Now let us look at the table below. It provides a comparative insight into the number of seats affiliated to respective universities and the seats available. The credit hours of the BSc AG degree in the respective institution are also included.

Universities/Institutions	No. of Seats	No. of Colleges	Credit Hours
AFU	1040	17	165
TU	506	9	167
PU	242	3	166
FWU	100	1	166
MU	48	1	~165
KU	30	1	~165
MAU	50	1	~165

The curriculum of the BSc Agriculture in all the universities is vast covering different aspects required in the sector. Some of the areas that this course covers are listed below:

• Agronomy
• Agricultural Microbiology
• Soil Science
• Agro-ecology
• Entomology
• Aquaculture
• Horticulture
• Crop Disease and their Management
• Dairy Science

Besides these, some of the other areas that this program covers are: Agrobiodiversity, Farming systems, Agribusiness, and Pest Management. The BSc AG program comprises these subjects and also includes work experience programs, lab work, field visits, and internships in some cases.

Graduates of the BSc Agriculture program are well informed and equipped with skills and techniques in areas of agriculture like soil testing, crop science, horticulture, food and non-food systems, biodiversity, consumers, and relatable branches of agricultural field and management.

Objective of BSc Agriculture

The main objective of the study of the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture program offered by Agriculture and Animal Science institutions in Nepal is to produce competent and practical-oriented agriculturists with modern technicalities to manage this industry in Nepal. It focuses on nurturing those individuals throughout its duration.

Some other purposes of the BSc Agriculture course are:-

• To provide students with the knowledge of agricultural science.
• To expose them to the modern technology and techniques required in agro-industry.
• To equip them with hands-on experience through lab work, field visits, and even internships in some cases.
• To produce a capable person in the related field who can identify the problems and solve them with a positive attitude.
• To provide an individual with the agricultural history and prospects.
• To be able to provide information for media and communication about agro-business and its developmental areas

Eligibility for BSc Agriculture

Agriculture and Forestry University: Must have passed SEE or equivalent exam, and have passed ISc/Plus2 Science with 50 percent aggregate and studied English, Chemistry, and Biology. Should appear and pass the entrance exam for BSc Agriculture with a 50 percent score and should be a citizen of Nepal.

Madhesh Agricultural University: Should have passed ISc in Agriculture Science or Plus 2 in Science with English, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, with 50 percent marks and CGPA 2.0 with C in aggregate scores.

Mid-Western University: Should have passed I.Sc Agriculture or Veterinary Science, Plus2 in Bio, Physics and take part in defense and give their verdict to be screened and selected from Mid Western University in BSc Agriculture program.

Kathmandu University: Should have passed Plus2 or equivalent with a minimum GPA of 2.4 or C+ in PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) or (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) with C+ and rest C grades each in other subjects.

Tribhuvan University: Should have studied ISc Basic Science or ISc in Agriculture with English, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology and have 50 percent marks minimum from TU or a recognized University. Should appear and pass the entrance exam conducted by Tribhuvan University on a merit basis.

Purbanchal University: Should have passed Plus 2, A level with Biology and Mathematics, or three years Diploma in Forestry with 50 percent marks or GPA 2.4 aggregate. Go through and pass the entrance exam of Purbanchal University on a merit basis.

Scope of BSc Agriculture

BSc AG graduates have ample job opportunities across different agricultural related fields. They can work for the government, private firms or NGOs and INGOs.

Some of the scopes are listed below:-

• Farming: The BSc Agriculture course graduates are exposed to modern farming technology and techniques. Using those, they can be farmers. They are responsible for developing techniques to grow crops and maintain their health.
• Researcher: To find out about developing new crop varieties based on research and experiments.
• Crop Scientists: Who can work to elevate the quality of crops and maximize the yield from their findings? They develop practices for these purposes which are both affordable and efficient. This can be one of the career choices for a BSc Agriculture degree holder.
• Academics: The BSc Agriculture course passouts can choose to study further to receive a master’s degree in different related subjects. They can also provide the knowledge they received by teaching in the colleges.
• Work for Government: The governments seek capable BSc Agriculture course graduates to improve the overall agricultural aspects of the country. This can be the perfect career for the scholars as they will be responsible for providing training and fundamentals of farming to the farmers at the local level.
• Work for Private Agriculture Organizations: Many private agrochemical, and agricultural biotechnology corporations and agribusinesses seek capable individuals with a BSc Agriculture course certificate in their company. An individual can work for such a private organization after graduating.

Besides these, there are some other job prospects for the BSc Agriculture pass-out students. They are:-

• Plant breeder
• Agriculture engineer
• Horticulturist
• Sericulturists
• Livestock farming
• Agronomist
• Field officer
• Crop quality inspector

Admission Requirement for BSc Agriculture

For admissions, every University has its own entrance exams and some have defense verdicts to screen and select the deserving candidates in their new intakes of BSc Agriculture studies:-

Some key details about the entrance examination

• The type of questions asked is objective.
• Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, English, Zoology, Botany, Agriculture, and general knowledge are the areas from where questions will be asked.
• The total marks are 100 or 120 depending on the university.
• Students have to secure at least 50 percentile to secure the seat.
• The score obtained in the test will be taken into consideration while preparing the merit list for the scholarship.

If you are selected for a BSc Agriculture course you might have to submit the following documents for the admission procedure.

• Marksheet, character, and proof certificate of S.E.E/S.L.C
• Transcript, mark sheet and migration, and character certificate of 10+2 or any equivalent course
• Copy of citizenship

Fee Structure

The fee structure for the BSc Agriculture can vary depending on the university and the type of college.

Generally, private colleges are more expensive than the government-funded colleges. Agriculture Forestry University and Tribhuvan University are comparatively cheaper than the expensive Kathmandu University for BSc Agriculture studies in Nepal.

However, the table below provides an approximate fee for different universities.

Universities	Approximate fee structure (IN NPR)
	Minimum	Maximum
AFU	2,50,000	8,00,00
TU	2,50,000	9,00,000
KU	8,00,000	9,00,000
MU	3,50,000	5,00,000
PU	3,00,000	11,00,000
FWU	3,00,000	5,00,000
MAU	3,00,000	5,00,000

Please note that the fee for studying a BSc Agriculture course in Nepal can fluctuate depending upon the college and the cost aforementioned is just an approximate value. 

Scholarships

Out of more than 2000 seats available for the BSc Agriculture course, 741 are allocated for the scholarships.

The scholarships are provided according to the government and the college’s policies. Its two types are, open and quota (reservation).

There is also provision for full and partial scholarships. All the tuition fees of the students will be waived in the first one while in the later one they might have to pay a certain amount.

Let us look at the table below to determine how the scholarships are distributed across different universities in Nepal.

Type of Seats	AFU	TU	PU	FWU	MU	KU	MAU
Total Available	1040	506	242	100	48	30	50
Total Scholarship	497	168	25	25	6	1	19
Open Scholarship	312	116	13	0	1	1	10
Quota Scholarship	185	52	12	25	5	0	9
Paying	543	338	217	75	42	29	31

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The above table is converted into the chart below.