What is the course of study, eligibility and career prospects for soil science in India?

What is the course of study, eligibility and career prospects for soil science in India?

What is the course of study for soil science? Is it a good choice of career in India? I am a student of B.Sc and would like to opt for a master’s degree in soil science hereafter. What are the job prospects in this field and which are the best institutes offering this program?

For a developing country like India, where agriculture is one of the major occupation followed in rural areas along with the support and emphasis for agricultural growth from the government, soil science is indeed a prosperous career to pursue at various levels. At Bachelor degree you will study soil ecology, soil and plant interactions, contaminated soil cleanup and retrieval, soil conservation, how soils affect water quality, and commonly what makes soils jiffy. After these initial soils studies at the bachelor’s level, you may opt to continue your education through Master’s and Doctoral studies. Key areas of study include soil chemistry, biology, microbiology, physics, mineralogy, fertility, pollution, nutrition, bio-fertilisers, waste utilisation, pesticide compatibility, soil processes and soil health analysis.

There is a vast array of choices for career in soil science including environmental consultants, environmental farm planner ecologists, foresters, land planners, organic farm managers, laboratory technicians, conservation officers, and educators. There are good opportunities in all sectors of government, private consulting, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions.

These are some of the best institutes offering a master’s in soil science:

• Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana

• Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa

• Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

• Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore

• University of Calcutta, Kolkata