It can be a bit of a headache for any student pursuing a BSc in agriculture about what to do next. Two options are usually available for BSc agriculture students upon completing their course. These are MSc in Agriculture and MBA in Agriculture. Now the hard part about this is choosing the best option for you and on what basis. We will attempt to solve that dilemma in this post.
MSc agriculture stands for Master of science in agriculture and it mainly deals with the advanced techniques and scientific study of farming and other agricultural processes. Whereas, MBA in agriculture deals with the application of management techniques and principles to businesses in the agriculture industry.
Eligibility
To take admission in an MSc Agriculture in some of the top universities in Bhopal, you need a BSc in Agriculture, Bsc in Horticulture, or a BSc in Forestry with at least 50% marks in graduation.
However, MBA in Agriculture takes students from any stream as long as they have a minimum of 50% upon graduation.
Admission Process
Some universities have entrance examinations for allotting seats in MSc in Agriculture courses. A private agriculture college in MP, like the Mansarovar Global University does not bother with conducting its own entrances and accepts students based on their scores in graduation.
To get a seat in any of the colleges that offer an MBA in agriculture, you will have to sit for a national-level examination like CAT or GMAT. Seats are allotted on the basis of rank in the examination. Some institutions also take their own entrance examinations. Of course, there are also some private colleges that do not require any entrance examination and accept students purely on the basis of their marks in their graduate degrees.
Fee Structure
The average fee for admission in a BSc in Agriculture course will set you back about INR 50 thousand to around INR 1.5 Lakhs per annum. Whereas, the MBA in Agriculture course fee runs much higher, from around INR 85 thousand to about INR 7 Lakhs per annum.
Syllabus
The syllabus for an MSc agriculture college in MP and the syllabus of an MBA agriculture course differ quite a bit. While the first one focuses on imparting technical skills to the students, the latter includes subjects that impart administration knowledge. Here is a comparison of some of the common subjects taught in the two courses:
| MSc in Agriculture Syllabi | MBA in Agriculture Syllabi |
| Agronomy | Management Principles & Values |
| Agricultural Economics & Farm Management | Accounting & Financial Analysis Financial Management for Agri-Business |
| Entomology | Quantitative Techniques |
| Horticulture | Managerial Economics |
| Plant Pathology | Business Law and Ethics |
| Forestry | Entrepreneurship & Project Management Computer Application and MIS |
| Biotechnology | Organizational Behaviour & Ethos |
| Plant Physiology | Financial Management for Agri-Business |
| Extension Education | Agribusiness & Rural Marketing |
| Plant Breeding & Genetics | Research Methods in Agri-Business Management |
| Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry | Production & Operations Management |
| Food Science & Technology | Human Resource Management |
Future Prospects
Mansarovar Global University, often considered the best university in Madhya Pradesh, offers many specializations in the MSc Agriculture course. These specializations play a part in deciding the expected salary structure of graduates too. Some of these specializations are Agronomy, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Horticulture, and Forestry. An MSc agriculture graduate specializing in Agronomy can earn an average salary of 1-4 Lakh per annum whereas, a graduate specializing in Genetics and Plant Breeding can bag an average salary around 1-10 Lakhs per annum. Msc agriculture students can further go on to do PhD in agriculture if they want to go into the research field.
MBA in Agriculture graduates are always in high demand in the industry and often land jobs quickly. Common sectors include banking, finance, and management in agricultural firms. Their salary can vary from post to post and company to company too, but it averages around 3-3.5 Lakhs per annum.
Comparison of Some Common Jobs
We have attempted to list some of the common job profiles and their expected salaries for both MSc and MBA agriculture graduates:
| MSc In Agriculture | MBA in Agriculture | ||
| Job Profile and Description | Average Salary | Job Profile and Description | Average Salary |
| Field Officer – works closely with farmers and handles backward integration | 3 LPA | Agriculture Policy Analyst – Develops agricultural policies and analyzes them | 3-4 LPA |
| Breeder – breeds superior quality seeds for planting or storage | 3 LPA | Quality Controller – improves the quality and output of products from a farm | 5 LPA |
| Farm Manager – manages and maintains all aspects of a farm, from irrigation systems to workers | 3.5 LPA | Relationship manager – deals with individual clients like SME’s or large corporations and advises them on banking and finance | 4-10 LPA |
| Research Scientist – develops new technology to improve farming | 5 LPA | Financer – provides financial assistance in the agriculture business | 6 LPA |
| Corporate Sales Manager – handles the sales of farm equipment, fertilizers, seeds, etc. | 6.3 LPA | Marketing Head – leads the marketing strategy of a company | 7 LPA |
| Lecturer – professor for future agriculture students | 4.9 LPA | Operations Manager – manages the operation of a company and strives to optimize and improve it | 4-5 LPA |
As we can see from the above comparisons, both MSc in agriculture and MBA in agriculture offer much scope to BSc Agriculture graduates. While the syllabus and fee for admission can vary a lot for both courses, the final outcome does not. Both courses are highly in demand in the market and offer starting jobs with similar pay scales. The pay scale only increases as more and more experience is gathered.
MSc agriculture college in Bhopal, like Mansarovar Global University, offers a world-class BSc in the agriculture program. With a focus on creating the next generation of geniuses in the agricultural industry, it is one of the top universities in Bhopal, offering state-of-the-art laboratories and giving in-hand experience to fresh graduates.
