B.Tech. in Agricultural Engineering 

at Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth (VNMKV), formerly Marathwada Agricultural University (MAU), Parbhani

The BTech Agricultural Engineering syllabus is not similar for all colleges and universities in India. Every institution has a certain set of curriculum guidelines that they follow and set the syllabus in that manner. But, the general topics covered in Agricultural Engineering classes are usually the same.
Some important concepts include agricultural processes in industries, farm machinery, surveying methods, soil investigation, tools and control of machinery, horticulture and field crops. You will get a good hang of the field after you pursue a BTech degree course in this field that covers both theoretical as well technical aspects.

Both B.Tech Agricultural Engineering and B.Tech Food Technology are promising courses with excellent career opportunities. However, the scope and career opportunities for each course may vary based on various factors. B.Tech Agricultural Engineering deals with the design, development, and maintenance of agricultural equipment, irrigation systems, and other farm-related technologies.

Agricultural engineers work on improving agricultural productivity, sustainability, and the quality of agricultural products. The scope of this course includes areas such as agricultural machinery, soil and water conservation, food processing, and post-harvest management. Graduates of this programme can work in various sectors such as agriculture, food processing industries, machinery manufacturing, irrigation, and environmental engineering. B.Tech Food Technology deals with the study of food processing, preservation, and quality control.

Food technologists work on developing new food products, improving existing products, and ensuring the safety and quality of food products. The scope of this course includes areas such as food processing, food Chemistry food microbiology, and food safety. Graduates of this programme can work in various sectors such as food processing industries, food packaging industries, research and development, quality control, and food safety. Both courses have excellent career opportunities and growth prospects. However, the choice between B.Tech Agricultural Engineering and B.Tech Food Technology depends on your interests, skills, and career goals.

If you are interested in agriculture, machinery, and sustainability, B.Tech Agricultural Engineering can be a good choice for you. On the other hand, if you are interested in food processing, product development, and quality control, B.Tech Food Technology can be a good choice for you.

Well, this is a subjective question. Both the fields have their own pros and cons. Information Technology has a wide scope and career opportunities, given the technological advancements and digital revolution that the world is heading towards. If you are passionate and have skills you can get amazing opportunities in abroad as well with lucrative salary. 

Further, Food technology is rather a growing field with increasing demand for the food technologists across the country with rasing concerns around food safety and nutrition in India. So, you need to think about your interest areas and then decide for yourself. Best of luck!

If we look at the market demand, no doubt there is huge demand for BTech (Full Form: Bachelor of Technology) graduates among top recruiters who are constantly looking for skilled and knowledgeable students with fresh ideas to enhance their business growth and profitability.

Having said that, a few previous-year employment reports published by the Business Standard and Times of India suggest that students found it a struggle to land a high-paying job after completing BTech because of a lack of industry-specific skills and knowledge and cut-throat competition between Lacs of engineering students hunting for a job.

Hence, it is very important for students to focus on enhancing their skill set according to industrial demands and technological advancements, stay updated regarding all industry trends, build good networks and, most importantly, take up internships to gain experience and stand out in front of the employer.

Read more: B Tech Jobs in India

Below are some of the general subjects that you can pick during your BTech studies, as these course will advance your technical and practical knowledge:

Mathematics: A mathematical background includes understanding of Calculus, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations and Statistic Stamina.
Physics: Mechanics, electricity & magnetism, kinetics & dynamics, thermodynamics and wave & optics.
Chemistry: This common general chemistry course involves sub-topics such as organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry among others.
Programming: C+,  Python,  Java
Engineering fundamentals: Statistics, dynamics, fluids and their action, heat and its work, properties of matter
Engineering design: Aesthetics, reasoning process, design tools and methods, using of computer-aided design (CAD).

Rest, the subjects taught in the BTech courses would be specialization-specific, based on your chosen field.

The salary of an engineer depends on various factors like specialization, role, organization, and work. The average starting salary in India for a fresh engineering graduate can range from INR 3-5 Lacs per annum. The salaries vary according to the number of years of experience as well as location. Many companies offer greater salary packages in metropolitan cities which are hub for IT companies as well as other reputed MNCs. The salary also varies as per the entry level of the candidate. After gaining experience of 2-5 years, candidates can expect a salary of INR 8-12 Lacs per annum and subsequently shift from technical to managerial positions.

The Food Technology syllabus taught in the BTech classes is not same across all the colleges but the common concepts covered in the course curriculum are more or less similar as they provide the basic foundation of the fast evolving field.

Every college follows their own syllabus pattern that is a mix of core and elective subjects along with practical lab work, workshops, and a final research project in the final year.

After you have completed your BTech Food Technology course at a decent college in India, you can get some amazing earning opportunities in the business world. The average starting salary for fresh graduates like you is usually around INR 4 LPA.
As you move forward in the work sector and gain some years of experience, you will start to earn more as recruiters will be ready to offer you a higher salary package because of your technical expertise. For mid-senior level positions, the salary package is mostly between INR 5 LPA and INR 8 LPA. For senior level positions, the salary package is above INR 8 LPA.

Engineering job profiles vary across the industry as well as the domain where the person is recruited. Since the popular industries include petrochemicals, civil engineering, construction and other allied industries, the following job profiles are very popular and offer promising career opportunities:

Note- The above salary has been taken from external sources, and hence may vary.

Agricultural engineers are usually involved in a plethora of tasks that revolve around the overall management of the agricultural production process. They look after product processing, drainage and irrigation systems, soil health, up keeping of agricultural machinery, forecasting of weather to ensure the crop is rightly produced, etc. They also have to plan and come up with cost-effective strategies to ensure best output.

Agriculture and Farming Engineering is a fusion of technology and agriculture. It includes deep knowledge of agricultural activities, alternatives for farming, food production, food process, and food marketing. It also combines other related areas such as plant biology, animal biology, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, and chemical engineering.