UPCATET Agriculture Courses: B.Sc Agriculture and Allied Course Options

UPCATET provides various courses. Though it specialises in agriculture, there are other allied course options that help to build a diverse career. Here, get to learn about the different other options other than agriculture, the exam pattern, eligibility criteria. Read about the career scope that the allied courses provide for the future.

UPCATET Agriculture Courses: BSc Agriculture and Allied Course Options

Agriculture is still one of the biggest employers in India, and more students are now looking at it as a serious professional degree rather than a fallback. If the candidate is from Uttar Pradesh, the most direct route into this field is the Uttar Pradesh Combined Agriculture and Technology Entrance Test, better known as UPCATET.
UPCATET is a single state-level entrance test that opens the door to undergraduate, postgraduate, Ph.D. and MBA (Agri-Business) programmes at the state's agriculture universities. UPCATET agriculture courses provide a wide variety of career scope for the future. This article walks through the UG courses to get through UPCATET, who can apply, how the paper is structured, and what the admission process looks like. It also covers what you can do after the degree.

Details of UPCATET Agriculture Courses

Below are the details of the UPCATET agriculture Courses.

Note: Seats in five state universities are filled through one rank list and joint counselling: BUAT (Banda), ANDUAT (Kumarganj, Ayodhya), CSAUAT (Kanpur), SVPUAT (Meerut) and MBUAT (Kushinagar).

UG Courses You Can Get Through UPCATET

BSc (Hons) Agriculture is the flagship programme, but UPCATET covers a much wider set of options. Which ones a candidate can apply for depends on the Intermediate subjects. Not every course is offered at every university, so check each college's offerings during counselling.

Also read: UPCATET Preparation 2026

BSc (Hons) Agriculture

This is a four-year undergraduate degree (eight semesters) that covers the science and practice of growing crops and managing farms. Students typically study agronomy, soil science, plant breeding and genetics, entomology, plant pathology, agriculture economics, agriculture extension and agriculture engineering, along with practical work in fields and labs. It is the most popular choice among UPCATET applicants and the base for MSc Agriculture and agri-business careers.

Eligibility Criteria

• Domicile: Only candidates who are Uttar Pradesh domiciles can apply. This generally means having passed the qualifying exam in UP and living in the state for the last five years, or the father's home being in UP.
• Qualification: Intermediate (Class 12) in the subject group required for your chosen course. Candidates appearing in the qualifying exam can also apply.
• Age limit (UG, except B.V.Sc. & A.H.): A candidate must be of age16 to 22 years as on 31 December of the admission year.
• Age limit (B.V.Sc. & A.H.): A student must be of 17 to 25 years as on 31 December of the admission year.
• Relaxation: SC, ST and OBC candidates and candidates with disabilities get five years' relaxation in the upper age limit.
• Sports weightage: Candidates who have represented their university or state at junior or senior level get 2% weightage on the entrance score for all courses except B.V.Sc. & A.H.

BSc (Hons) Horticulture

Horticulture deals with fruits, vegetables, flowers, plantation crops and landscaping. Core areas include fruit science, vegetable science, floriculture and landscaping, and post-harvest technology. It suits students interested in nurseries, orchards, protected cultivation and the food-processing chain.

Eligibility Criteria

• Domicile: Only candidates who are Uttar Pradesh domiciles can apply. This generally means having passed the qualifying exam in UP and living in the state for the last five years, or the father's home being in UP.
• Qualification: Intermediate (Class 12) in the subject group required for your chosen course. Candidates appearing in the qualifying exam can also apply.
• Age limit (UG, except B.V.Sc. & A.H.): A candidate must be of age16 to 22 years as on 31 December of the admission year.
• Age limit (B.V.Sc. & A.H.): A student must be of 17 to 25 years as on 31 December of the admission year.
• Relaxation: SC, ST and OBC candidates and candidates with disabilities get five years' relaxation in the upper age limit.
• Sports weightage: Candidates who have represented their university or state at junior or senior level get 2% weightage on the entrance score for all courses except B.V.Sc. & A.H.

BSc (Hons) Forestry

Forestry focuses on forests, tree crops, wildlife and natural resource management. It is a good fit for students who want to work in forest management, agroforestry, environmental consulting or conservation.

Eligibility Criteria

• Domicile: Only candidates who are Uttar Pradesh domiciles can apply. This generally means having passed the qualifying exam in UP and living in the state for the last five years, or the father's home being in UP.
• Qualification: Intermediate (Class 12) in the subject group required for your chosen course. Candidates appearing in the qualifying exam can also apply.
• Age limit (UG, except B.V.Sc. & A.H.): A candidate must be of age16 to 22 years as on 31 December of the admission year.
• Age limit (B.V.Sc. & A.H.): A student must be of 17 to 25 years as on 31 December of the admission year.
• Relaxation: SC, ST and OBC candidates and candidates with disabilities get five years' relaxation in the upper age limit.
• Sports weightage: Candidates who have represented their university or state at junior or senior level get 2% weightage on the entrance score for all courses except B.V.Sc. & A.H.

B.F.Sc. (Fisheries Science)

This programme covers fish farming, aquaculture, fish processing and fisheries management. It is relevant given the growth of inland aquaculture in the state.

Eligibility Criteria

• Domicile: Only candidates who are Uttar Pradesh domiciles can apply. This generally means having passed the qualifying exam in UP and living in the state for the last five years, or the father's home being in UP.
• Qualification: Intermediate (Class 12) in the subject group required for your chosen course. Candidates appearing in the qualifying exam can also apply.
• Age limit (UG, except B.V.Sc. & A.H.): A candidate must be of age16 to 22 years as on 31 December of the admission year.
• Age limit (B.V.Sc. & A.H.): A student must be of 17 to 25 years as on 31 December of the admission year.
• Relaxation: SC, ST and OBC candidates and candidates with disabilities get five years' relaxation in the upper age limit.
• Sports weightage: Candidates who have represented their university or state at junior or senior level get 2% weightage on the entrance score for all courses except B.V.Sc. & A.H.

B.V.Sc. & A.H.

The veterinary degree trains students in animal health, livestock management and dairy-related fields. It has its own, stricter eligibility conditions and a higher upper age limit.

Eligibility Criteria

• Domicile: Only candidates who are Uttar Pradesh domiciles can apply. This generally means having passed the qualifying exam in UP and living in the state for the last five years, or the father's home being in UP.
• Qualification: Intermediate (Class 12) in the subject group required for your chosen course. Candidates appearing in the qualifying exam can also apply.
• Age limit (UG, except B.V.Sc. & A.H.): A candidate must be of age16 to 22 years as on 31 December of the admission year.
• Age limit (B.V.Sc. & A.H.): The student must be17 to 25 years as on 31 December of the admission year.
• Relaxation: SC, ST and OBC candidates and candidates with disabilities get five years' relaxation in the upper age limit.
• Sports weightage: Candidates who have represented their university or state at junior or senior level get 2% weightage on the entrance score for all courses except B.V.Sc. & A.H.

BSc (Hons) Community Science and Food Nutrition and Dietetics

These are Home Science-based programmes in areas such as nutrition, family resource management and extension. They are open to students from Arts (with Home Science) as well as science and agriculture streams.

Eligibility Criteria

• Domicile: Only candidates who are Uttar Pradesh domiciles can apply. This generally means having passed the qualifying exam in UP and living in the state for the last five years, or the father's home being in UP.
• Qualification: Intermediate (Class 12) in the subject group required for your chosen course. Candidates appearing in the qualifying exam can also apply.
• Age limit (UG, except B.V.Sc. & A.H.): A candidate must be of age16 to 22 years as on 31 December of the admission year.
• Age limit (B.V.Sc. & A.H.): The student must be17 to 25 years as on 31 December of the admission year.
• Relaxation: SC, ST and OBC candidates and candidates with disabilities get five years' relaxation in the upper age limit.
• Sports weightage: Candidates who have represented their university or state at junior or senior level get 2% weightage on the entrance score for all courses except B.V.Sc. & A.H.

B.Tech options

UPCATET also leads to B.Tech programmes in Biotechnology, Dairy Technology, Food Technology, Sugarcane Science and Technology, and agriculture Engineering. These are technology-oriented alternatives for students who prefer an engineering route within agriculture.

UPCATET Exam Pattern

The UG paper is a 200-question multiple-choice test worth 800 marks, to be completed in three hours. Each correct answer earns 4 marks, and each wrong answer costs 1 mark. Camdidates attempt the paper group that matches their Intermediate subjects. The questions are based on the Class 11 and 12 level syllabus of the relevant subjects.

How to Apply for the UPCATET agriculture Courses?

Applications are online only, at upcatetexam.org. One form covers admission to all participating universities.

• Register with your own mobile number and email ID and verify the OTP.
• Log in with your registration number and date of birth.
• Fill in personal and qualification details, category, programme, paper group and two preferred exam cities.
• Upload your photograph, signature and right index finger impression, plus any certificate required (for example, a sports certificate).
• Pay the fee online and print at least two copies of the submitted form.

Application fee (2026): Rs 1,350 for General, OBC and EWS male candidates; Rs 1,100 for SC and ST male candidates and for all female candidates. Bank charges are extra.

Important Dates (UPCATET 2027)

For 2027, dates have not been announced. Going by the 2026 pattern, applications are expected around March 2027 and the exam around June 2027.

Counselling and Admission Process for UPCATET agriculture Courses

Admission for UPCATET agriculture courses are based purely on UPCATET rank. After the result, qualified candidates register for counselling, fill in their course and college choices, and are allotted seats according to rank, category, preferences and seat availability. Once a seat is allotted, you download the provisional allotment letter, pay the fee and report with your documents before the deadline. Missing the deadline can cost the seat.for the candidate Counselling runs in multiple rounds, and a special offline round may follow for vacant seats.
Keep these documents ready: UPCATET scorecard, Class 10 and 12 marksheets, domicile and category certificates (where applicable), photographs, ID proof and the allotment letter.

Career Scope After BSc Agriculture and Allied Courses

UPCATET is the single gateway to a wide range of agriculture and allied degrees in Uttar Pradesh. If the candidate has the right Intermediate subjects, spend time understanding the course options first, because the difference between agronomy, horticulture, forestry and fisheries is bigger than it looks from the outside. Then prepare for the paper group, keep the brochure at hand and apply on time. Salary and recruitment depend on the employer, the post and the institution, so it is better not to quote one fixed figure.

A degree in agriculture or an allied field opens several paths:

• Government roles: Agriculture officer, horticulture officer, forest and fisheries department posts, and extension roles in state departments.
• Banking and finance: Agri-focused roles in banks and rural finance institutions.
• Private sector: Seed, fertiliser, agrochemical, food-processing and agri-tech companies.
• Farming and entrepreneurship: Commercial farming, nurseries, aquaculture, dairy and agri-business ventures.
• Higher studies and research: MSc in a specialisation, then Ph.D., or an MBA in Agri-Business (also admitted through UPCATET).