Employment opportunities for Agricultural Graduates

Agriculture and it's allied sectors play a key role in the economy of our country, with a contribution of 18.3% to India's GDP, and is considered the backbone of economic system. The 4 year Undergraduate course in the field of Agriculture can provide ample prospects in both public and private sector.

Through this article I've tried to cover the job opportunities in public or government sector after completing graduation. Though not all jobs mentioned below offer recruitment on a regular basis, yet these are the Government or Public sector jobs eligible for Agricultural graduates to go for. 

Furthermore,  I've added the official website of each institution where vacancy related notifications are posted. Read along to know more!

JOBS on CENTRAL LEVEL

1) UPSC - IFoS

Union Public Service Commission conducts Indian forest service exam yearly to recruit officers at all India Level. Whereas civil services require a bachelor's degree of any subject and college IFos exam requires science or engineering bachelor's degree from UPSC recognized institution.

Moreover, among 4 optional papers in mains, the subjects specified are especially convenient to Agriculture and allied subject graduates than others.

Click here to go to official website

Youtube video: Click here to know more

2) NABARD - Assistant Manager (Grade A and Grade B)

NABARD (National Bank for agriculture and rural development) is a development bank that provides and regulates credit for development of agriculture and other allied economic activity in rural areas.

Grade A(RDBS- Rural development banking service)

Age limit: 21 to 30

1) General: Requires Bachelor's degree in any subject from recognized university.

2) Specialized eg, Land development( requires Bachelors degree in agriculture/ Agriculture(Agronomy/ Soil science), Plantation( requires bachelor's degree in horticulture) 

There are three phases for selection along with interview.

Grade B Assistant Manager

The minimum educational qualification is Post Graduate degree from any specified university and minimum three years experience in related sectors i.e., Banking, Finance, Agriculture, is necessary. 

Age limit: 25- 32 yrs

For more info: Click here ( The official website of NABARD)

3) RRB - SO (Specialist officer) AO (Agriculture officer)

Regional rural banks are government owned commercial banks operating at regional level in different states of India. 

For RRB-SO-AO, 

The eligiblity is Bachelor's degree in Agriculture or any allied science with a must 2 year valid experience certificate after graduation in relevant field( Banking and finance, Private agri company, FPO and related work, or agri institute experience). 

Age limit: 21-32 yrs

Official website of IBPS - RRB

4) FCI(Food Corporation of India)

AGT III T ( Assistant Grade 3 Technical)

The educational requirement is bachelors in agriculture or a science degree in botany, zoology, biotechnology, biochemistry, microbiology, or B. Tech in food science, Agricultural engineering, from any recognized University, and proficiency in use of computers. 

The exam is conducted in two phases. 

Official website of FCI recruitment - Click here

5) CWC(Central Warehousing Corporation) 

Central warehousing corporation provide logistic support to the agriculture sector, they facilitate services such as scientific storage, import & export warehousing, and storage facilities. It is operating 432 warehouses across the country. 

The Jobs for agri graduates are:

Junior technical assistant

A degree in Agriculture, zoology, Chemistry or Bio chemistry is the basic educational qualification. 

Online test and document verification is the selection criteria. 

The Age limit is 28 years

Junior Suprintendent

Any bachelor's degree is sufficient. But the recruitments are not yearly rather need based, whenever there is any vacancies it will be posted in the official website.

Click here (Official website)

6) IFFCO (Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited)

It is a multi state cooperative society involving the manufacturing and marketing of fertilizer in large scale. 

IFFCO- AGT(Agriculture Graduate Trainee) 

The minimum educational qualification is a 4 year full time regular B.Sc. (Agriculture) degree, from a UGC recognized University. Only agri graduates are eligible. Generally the notification comes in March or April of every year. 

Upper age limit : 30 years

The exam is conducted in three phases: Prelims, Mains and Interview  

The official site of IFFCO; Careers IFFCO

7) IBPS( Indian Banking Personnel Selection) AFO( Agriculture field officer)

IBPS conducts recruitment drives for commercial and rural banks across India. 

IBPS-AFO

It is the most promising opportunity for agriculture graduates as every year thousands of vacancies are released by IBPS for public sector banks. Moreover, the pay scale is also attractive with less work load compared to Probationary officer(PO).

Every year in and around October the forms are available for applying this year forms were released by April, and prelims will be conducted around december followed by Mains and Interview after qualifying prelims. 

Age limit: 20-30 yrs

Click here - Official notification - 2023

8) KRIBHCO (Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited) 

It is a central government cooperative under the ownership of ministry of Cooperation, GOI, that manufactures fertilizers. 

KRIBHCO ( Field representative trainee)

Only agricultural graduates can apply. 

Age limit: 25 years(maximum)

The job openings will be notified on this website- KRIBHCO

9) SSC( Staff selection commission) 

Staff selection commission is an organisation under government of India, to recruit staff for various posts in different department including agriculture and ministries of GOI.

The posts released are-

Agriculture assistant, technical officer, assistant technical officer, farm manager, senior technical assistant etc.,

One has to regularly check SSC official site for vacancies.

Official site: SSC

10) National Seed Corporation(NSC)

It was established in 1963, to undertake production of certified and foundation seeds and thus provide high quality seeds to farmers. 

The posts are:

i) Management trainee ( Marketing)

This is particularly for Post graduates in ABM or any other related field

ii) Trainee Agriculture

iii) Trainee Marketing

iv) Trainee Quality control

v)Trainee (Agri stores) 

Age limit: 27 years

This year(2023) a total of 76 vacant posts are released by NSC, where Agri graduates alone are eligible. In most of these posts a knowledge of Computers MS office is mandatory. 

For info regarding vacancies: Click here

11) FSSAI( Food safety and standards authority of India) 

FSSAI sets up standards for regulating the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import of foods for our consumption. It comes under the ministry of Health and Family welfare.

Central Food safety officer and Technical Officer 

Degree in the disciplines in Food technology or Agricultural science is the basic educational qualification.The exam will be conducted in two phases, CBT(Computer based test) stage I and stage II.

Age limit: 30 years

Official site: FSSAI

12) Delhi Development Authority(DDA)

DDA is an autonomous body controlled by central government under the Ministry of Housing and Urban affairs.

DDA ( Assistant section officer) or any other agriculture related posts

Only in 2-3 years vacancies are released not regularly. 

So it is required to check on official websites for latest updates. DDA official website

13) APEDA(Agricultural And Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) 

It is a statutory body under Ministry of commerce and industry, GOI, and is the apex institute engaged in the work related to development of export trade of agricultural products and processed food from India. 

APEDA -Assistant Manager 

Bachelor's degree in Agriculture or allied fields from recognised University is necessary. 

Age level:30 yrs

The selection is made written test consisting of single paper of 2½ hours duration

APEDA- Assistant General Manager

For applying this post along with graduation 5 year experience is necessary. The candidates are selected through a written test consisting of two papers, followed by interview of selected candidates.

Official site: APEDA

14) Agriculture Insurance Company(AIC) - Administrative Officer(AO)

Agricultural Insurance Company is the relevant mechanism to manage risks and help farmers avoid financial losses and keep their business running, it comes under the administrative control of Ministry of Finance, GOI.

AIC- Management Trainee

This year nearly 50 posts were released. An online exam is conducted for selecting candidates. The scale of pay is good here nearly equivalent to that offered by NABARD.

Age limit: 30 years

Official site: AIC

STATE GOVERNMENT - AGRICULTURE RELATED JOBS

There may be different selection criteria, age limit, salary differences and recruitment process laid out by different states of our country. I've tried to list out the Agriculture related jobs usully given by different state government:

• Agriculture Officer
• Agriculture Extension Officer
• Forest Range Officer
• Section Officer
• Seed officer 
• State Warehousing corporation (Procuring inspector, Marketing Inspector, Assistant Supply Officer)
• ATM(Area Technical Manager)
• BTM(Block technical Manager) - Post graduate degree in Agriculture required
• Marketing inspector
• State PCS(Public commission service)

Besides these other career options may include:

• Jobs in private sector- companies, in sales, marketing, research and development.
• Research in reputed Universities(JRF or SRF) (Not as a student but as a researcher, now and then universities recruit  for research work)
• Going for Higher education
• Becoming an entreprenuer
• Going abroad for studies or for Job 

Some Youtube channels where you may find latest update regarding notification released by the above institutions, which I found informative are: 

Agriculture Adda

Agri Bee

Hope this article is helpful. Have a bright future ahead!