Horticulture Courses: Admission 2024, Fees, Syllabus, Entrance Exam, Career Scope

Botany is the study of the Anatomy and Chemical activities of plants. Horticultural Science is the study, research, and practice of plant cultivation, propagation, breeding, crop production, and plant physiology. 

Many individuals consider these two occupations to be nearly identical. Many times, the two disciplines of Science collaborate closely to improve agriculture. There may be significant overlap between the two categories.

These plant-based Science research, however, have numerous key peculiarities. Horticulture is the applied Science of gardening, whereas botanists study plant theory. 

Given that both jobs provide a diverse range of positions, the best method to determine how much candidates will earn is to decide what they want to accomplish with their knowledge. It may be simpler to consider the exact job they desire before deciding on a degree.

After enrolling for a Horticulture degree, there will be numerous job options accessible. Following this, one can work as a Horticulture, floriculturist, pomologist, and so on. One might also become a scientist in this sector through research study. Jobs in production and sales, public gardens, marketing, research and development, landscape design, agricultural engineering, pest management, and other fields are available to graduates of this program.

Horticulture's scope and business are expanding daily. Floriculture is a subset of horticulture and is the cultivation of flowering plants for use as raw material in the pharmaceutical industry to make perfumes and cosmetics. Growing vegetables is a critical component of Horticulture, which is in high demand in India.

Students who have passed their Class 12 in the Arts stream cannot apply for Horticulture courses however, students who have earned their Class 12 in the Commerce stream can apply for Agriculture courses in very limited cases.

The capacity of a candidate to pursue Agricultural studies after the 12th grade is determined by their final test result in merit-based admission. When using entry-level admissions, students must achieve high marks in both their 12th grade and the entrance exam. Students must first complete the qualifying prerequisites before applying for admission to Agriculture programs. 

Actually, because it frequently has a connection to your surroundings, it is one of the subjects that you will love studying. Throughout the Horticulture course's numerous semesters, a variety of fascinating topics are covered. Agriculture is one of the better possibilities you may choose if you have a Biology background and are a Mathematics student who is not very strong in the subject. Agriculture is also an excellent alternative to engineering and other similarly challenging courses.

One of the most fascinating and comparably simple majors is Agriculture. In the practical classes, you will not only learn theories but also get to work in the field.

For a BSc Horticulture degree course, you must complete Class 12 in Science with Biology. The minimum required percentage varies from college to college, but you have to get at least 50% aggregate in Class 12 boards to be eligible for this program.

Many horticulturists study Horticulture, Botany, or Biology as a major. A horticulturist's career path typically covers Botany, Plant Biology, Soil Science, Pest Control, and Genetics. To become a horticulturist, one must meet the basic academic requirements as well as have relevant experience.

Upon successful completion of Class 12 from a recognised educational Board with a minimum aggregate score of 80%, with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics/ Biology/ Agriculture as the main subjects, one is eligible to apply for enrolment in the course.

The age criteria for a PhD in horticulture varies by exam and program:

• ICAR AICE PhD (JRF/SRF) Exam: The minimum age to apply for this exam is 20 years old for Indian nationals. 
• UGC NET exam: The age limit for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) is 31 years old as of January 1st of the exam year. There are age relaxations for reserved category candidates.

The admission process for a PhD in Horticulture varies by university, but generally includes an entrance exam, an interview, and a thesis defense:
Entrance exam: Some universities require a national-level or university-level entrance exam. Examples of entrance exams include UGC NET, CSIR NET, ICAR AICE JRF/SRF, and GATE.
Interview: Candidates may need to present their research proposal during a personal interview.
Thesis defense: Students must complete a final oral examination and defend their thesis.
Written comprehensive exam: A major professor may require a written comprehensive exam in addition to the oral preliminary exam.

The horticulture counselling process typically involves the following steps:

Application: Submit an application and register for admission.

Entrance exam: Take the entrance exam.

Cut-off: A cut-off is announced based on the candidates' performance.

Counselling: Candidates who score within the cut-off participate in the counselling.

Seat selection: Freeze a seat and pay the admission fee.

Documentation: Complete all the required documentation.

The Horticulture course fee varies depending on the college and course level. However, the average course fee ranges:

For UG Courses: INR 3,000 - INR 8 Lakh

For PG Courses: INR 1,800 - INR 6.7 Lakh

For PhD Courses: INR 1 Lacs - 3 Lakh

The NTA score is a percentile score of the candidate in the test in which he/she appeared. It indicates the candidate's position visà-vis others who appeared in it. It is not mark.

It is an indicator of the relative position of the candidates amongst those who appeared in the ICAR AIEEA PG test. 

No, CUET syllabus is not based on CBSE syllabus as claimed by Education Ministry in Rajya Sabha on August 02, 2023. The CUET exam is designed to assess the general understandig of the candidate in subjects he/she has opted for. CUET UG is on of the biggest UG entrance exam carnival conducted for admission in cebtral, state, private and deemed universities.

Candidates preparing for CUET UG exam must check the detailed CUET syllabus and CUET question paper to become familiar with the important topics and type of questions asked in the exam. 

The following table brings the structure of the expected CUET PG question paper.

Candidates must note that the Language Comprehension/Verbal Ability section is compulsory. The General Test also has to be taken by candidates opting for all test papers except Education (PGQP01).

The UGC NET exam is taken for the candidates who are interested in PhD research and teaching as Assistant professor in colleges and univeristies of India. However, there are other career opportunities other than being Assisatnt Professor or a Research Scholar. The candidates who qualified for the UGC NET exam can apploy for the PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings) such as Indian Oil Corporlation limited (IOCL), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC), Oil and Natural Gas Corportaion (ONGC), etc. 

The candidates who do not want to join any PSU can take up other options like online tutor, open their own coaching centres, guest faculty, consultant, Lab Trainer, IP lead, Author, Editor, Transmission Executive, Program Executive, etc. 

For conclusion we can say that the candidates qualifying for the UGC NET exam can take up any job they want or start their ow business after clearing one of the most the toughest exams in India.

Some core subjects in the Horticulture field include:

• Plant cultivation, management, and production Includes plant biology, genetics, breeding, propagation, cultivation techniques, pest and disease management, soil science, irrigation, and crop management.
• Post-harvest technology Deals with the practices and principles of harvesting, packaging, handling, and processing, to improve availability and storage life.
• Business practices, people management, health and safety, and the environment These skills are increasingly necessary for the successful running of a public garden.

The Horticulture industry is a synthesis of scientific, technological, and production activities aimed at ensuring consumer satisfaction. There are various types of Horticulture techniques. Here let us discuss a few of the important branches of Horticulture. 

• Arboriculture
• Turf Management
• Floriculture 
• Landscape Horticulture 
• Olericulture
• Pomology
• Viticulture
• Oenology
• Postharvest Physiology 

The core, lab, and elective BSc Horticulture subjects make up the three components of BSc Horticulture subjects, which come together to form the entire programme. A few of the roughly core BSc Horticulture course subjects are listed below:

• Remote sensing
• Entrepreneurship Growth
• Production of Medical and Aromatic Plants' Seeds
• Crop processing for horticulture
• Management of the horticulture business

BSc Horticulture Optional Subjects

The following are a few horticulture-related elective BSc Horticulture courses:

• Plant Physiology's Fundamental Concepts
• Principles of Geology
• Elementary Plant, Biochemistry, and Technology in Soil Science

Common University Entrance Test (CUET) will be introduced for admission into UG/ PG programmes in Central and participating Universities for academic session 2025-26. The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) will
provide a common platform and equal opportunities to candidates across the country, especially those from NorthEast and from rural and other remote areas and help to establish better connect with the Universities. 

The CUET PG 2025 examination will be conducted by the examination authority i.e., NTA (National Testing Agency) in the various CUET PG examination centres across the nation and also to short listed foreign countries. The Syllabus for the master's courses for which the examination will be conducted is set by the exam conducting authority, which is National Testing Agency here. The subject experts after taking all the probable suggestions from all the participating universities, will set the syllabus for the master's degree programmes on the basis of what students have studied in their under graduate courses.

Here are some top Horticulture colleges in India offering great learning and placement opportunities  :

Yes, a few colleges are offering Horticulture courses in distance mode. Here are some of them:

Note: The information is sourced from the official body and may vary.

Here are some of the top Horticulture college options offering the best placement opportunities in India:

Note: The information is sourced from the official/counselling body and may vary.

There are numerous options and career paths available in the Horticulture profession. Horticulture grads have a variety of possibilities. There are lucrative positions available in both the public and private sectors. Candidates can apply for the position of District Horticulture Officer/District Agriculture Officer by taking the State Public Service Commission examination.

In addition, they can apply for Technical Assistant/Technical Officer positions at Agricultural Universities such as ICAR, DRDO, IARI, and CSIR. They can also work as a designer or contractor for landscaping projects, or in companies that deal with seeds, fertilisers, sprays, and other horticultural-related products. Horticulture can also pursue a career in academia as a professor.

Those with a PhD can apply for the Agriculture Scientist Recruitment Board, ICAR, New Delhi test. This examination is for the position of a scientist.

Before beginning with the horticulture Science course, candidates should possess some of the prerequisites. These skills are
required so that one can pursue the course easily and gain maximum knowledge. Some of the skills are listed below

• Excellent management skills
• Ability to organize everything systematically
• Project management skills
• Ability to work in a team
• Financial awareness
• Business awareness and management skills

These skills may seem very unnoticeable, but they are very much required to develop advanced skills that will be taught in the
course. The student must also be very eager to study and learn new things. Horticulture Science also requires patience as a
trait, candidates must keep a check on that.

BAMS focuses more on medical Science and care. Comparatively speaking, BSc Agriculture is more job-oriented than BAMS both now and in the future. Both of the aforementioned courses are excellent, have a wide range of applications, and each has its own significance, however, it largely relies on your interests and goals.

A career in Horticulture will equip candidates for a wide range of jobs. Whether they want to work in a lab, a field, a floral shop, an arboretum, a botanical garden, on a golf course or something completely different, there is a job for them. The options are limitless. Plant Science and food systems majors both begin their careers with a mandatory internship and are told of numerous other internship opportunities throughout the year.

Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery Bachelor's degree lets candidates have a Dr. before their names and be addressed as such which leads to a lot of respect. Along with respect, it provides candidates with experience. Ayurveda is also in its golden age at the moment. People are becoming more aware of Ayurvedic treatments and practices.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the nation's total production of food grains is expected to reach a record high of 303.34 million tons in 2020–21, an increase of 5.84 million tons over the production of food grains of 297.50 million tons realized in 2019–20. It is simple to assert that India produces enough food grains on its own.

There is currently a need for improvements, and our nation has enormous potential in this area. Numerous ideas fall under the umbrella of horticulture, including monoculture and permaculture, to name a couple. In addition to degree programs, there are numerous organizations where students from various backgrounds are actively involved in raising awareness about the field.