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“India is poised to become the world food basket riding on a number of government initiatives and investment opportunities across various areas of agriculture. Employment opportunities for Agricultural professionals look very bright.”

The young graduates of Agriculture, Horticulture and Veterinary are going to shape the future of the agriculturally dependent Indian economy. Sixty two per cent of Indian population still depends on agriculture. Twenty two per cent of GDP contribution comes from Agriculture. Modern Agriculture is technology-driven and competitive, which demands hi-tech agricultural graduates.

In view of market liberalization particularly in agriculture development and in the extent of growing public concern about globalization, household food security, regional imbalances and wide variety of eco-systems, there is need to provide new directions in planning and transfer of new technologies through well equipped Agricos.

Acharya N.G.Ranga Agriculture University has emerged as one of the top ranking State Agriculture University of India. From 2006 onwards University is functioning as two separate entities University of Agriculture and Veterinary, yet admission are being taken up jointly.

Acharya N.G.RAnga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) has 9 colleges and 10 polytechnics with 58 Research Stations spread over the entire State. Similarly Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU) is operating for the entire State with its headquarters from Tirupati with three Veterinary Colleges, one each at Tirupati, Hyderabad and Gannavaram and one Fisheries College at Nellore and a Dairy Technology Programme at Tirupati.

Acharya N.G.Ranga Agricultural University and Sri Venkatesware Veterinary University

jointly admits students into Bachelor’s degree programmes based on the ranks obtained in the Engineering Agricultural and Medical Common Entrance Test (EAMCET) conducted by Andhra Pradesh Government. However, ANGRAU admits its Home Science graduates for its Home Science programme at

Hyderabad directly based on marks obtained at Intermediate level itself without linking to EAMCET.

The admissions to different degree programmes are also governed by the State Government policies for admission in colleges of higher education. Students are also admitted from the Departments etc., under in-service quota. Additionally 15% and 2 5% of the under graduate and post-graduate seats respectively are reserved for candidates from outside the State selected through a National level entrance examination conducted by ICAR. The data on annual intake of the students in 2006 is given below:

Students admitted in different degree programmes in ANGRAU and SVVU:

Admissions to foreign students ANGRAU:

The University also admits foreign students in its under graduate and post graduate degree programmes. Duly filled-in applications submitted by candidates either through ICAR or Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) for admissions will be scrutinized by the Heads of Department concerned to determine the eligibility of the candidate for admission in the University. A valid visa from Government of India is a must for admissions into the Ph.D programme of ANGRAU. The students admitted either in under graduate or post graduate programmes have to pay US $4000 annually in addition to the normal fees payable by the Indian students.

Careers opportunities of Agricultural, Horticultural and Veterinary Graduates:

Great employment opportunities are projected for Agricultural professionals as Agricultural Scientists, Agricultural Engineers, Agricultural Science Teachers, Plant Geneticists. There is a great scope for doctors of Veterinary Medicine. Agricultural and Horticultural graduates are being placed in Government departments as Agricultural Officers, Extension Officers and as Scientists/ Extensionists in several NGOs spread over the country. There are ample opportunities for agricultural and horticultural graduates as Financial Officers. Field Officers and Trainee Managers specially in banking sector.

Agricultural and Horticultural graduates can work as technical as well as marketing experts in agricultural product centres such as :

State /National Seed Companies

Private Seed Sector

Cotton/Jute/Tobacco Companies

Agricultural and Food Product related industries.

Pesticide companies

Fertiliser Companies

Retail Sector.

Opportunities are available in Government Sector viz., pest Control of India, Cotton Corporation of India etc. employment opportunities will continue to increase for these graduates with an expanding array of food, forest and veterinary medical consumer products and services to a g rowing population.

Continued globalization of the food, agriculture and horticultural system will increase opportunities for graduates, who understand the socio-economic factors that define international markets. The graduates who know how to satisfy the diverse consumer needs and who have good communication skills will have the best opportunities to be employed by the growing number of multinational business.

Agricultural/Horticultural Production Specialists :

Wider opportunities are available for agricultural / horticulture/ veterinary graduateas :

• Farm Managers
• Agricultural/Horticultural Production specialists
• Forest managers
• Horticultural crop producers
• Landscape nursery operators
• Cattle/ Swine/ Poultry production managers.

Business Opportunities:

The Indian agricultural sector is the largest sector in the Indian economy contributing 25%tothe GDP of the country as well as accounting for 13% of India’s exports.

In the initial in India, agriculture activity was limited to the production of food grains and few cash crops but recent years has seen a remarkable shift in the agriculture scene by including Horticultural crops.

India is largest product of milk, grains, pulses, cashew nuts, coconuts and tea in the world, second largest producer of rice and wheat in the world and fourth largest in coarse grains. It is also one of the largest producers of cotton, sugarcane, jute and spices. India is poised to become the world food basket riding on a number of government initiatives and investment opportunities across various areas of agriculture.