Your roadmap · आपका रोडमैप
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Admission & first meetingप्रवेश और पहली मुलाकातEnquire at your nearest NDSS centre, meet the teacher, fix the batch time and get your study material.
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Semester 1 — subject classesसेमेस्टर 1 — विषयवार कक्षाएँEvery theory subject of the term, unit by unit, with notes, numericals and doubt classes.
Fundamentals of HorticultureFundamentals of Plant Biochemistry and BiotechnologyFundamentals of Soil ScienceIntroduction to ForestryComprehension and Communication Skills in EnglishFundamentals of AgronomyAgricultural HeritageRural Sociology and Educational PsychologyHuman Values and Ethics
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Unit tests & mid-termयूनिट टेस्ट और मिड-टर्मA test after every unit and a mid-term in the university / board pattern.
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Semester 1 mock testमॉक टेस्टA full mock test of all subjects before the exam, with analysis.
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Semester 1 exam (university / board)सेमेस्टर / वार्षिक परीक्षाPrevious papers, important questions and full revision.
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Online tests & resultऑनलाइन टेस्ट और रिज़ल्टTake the tests online; your marks and result show in your student login and at the centre.
Syllabus · पाठ्यक्रम
9 subjects · 45 chapters · 194 topics
Fundamentals of Horticulture5 chapters · 6 Months
Subject page →+
01Unit 1: Horticulture and Classification of Crops
5 topics+
- Definition and branches: pomology, olericulture, floriculture, landscaping
- Importance and scope of horticulture in India
- Horticultural zones of India
- Classification of fruit and vegetable crops
- Climate and soil for horticultural crops
02Unit 2: Plant Propagation
6 topics+
- Sexual propagation: merits and demerits
- Cuttings and layering (air layering / gootee)
- Budding: T-budding, patch budding
- Grafting: veneer, softwood, stone and wedge grafting
- Rootstock and scion, stock-scion relationship
- Propagation structures: mist chamber, polyhouse
03Unit 3: Nursery and Orchard Planning
5 topics+
- Nursery management
- Site selection for an orchard
- Layout systems: square, rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, quincunx, contour
- Planting density and high density planting
- Fencing, wind break and filler crops
04Unit 4: Training and Pruning
5 topics+
- Objectives and principles of training and pruning
- Open centre, central leader and modified leader systems
- Bower, kniffin and telephone systems for grapes
- Thinning out and heading back
- Time and severity of pruning
05Unit 5: Flowering, Fruit Set and Growth Regulators
5 topics+
- Flowering, pollination and fertilisation
- Fruit set, fruit drop and parthenocarpy
- Unfruitfulness and alternate bearing
- Plant growth regulators in horticulture
- Climacteric and non-climacteric fruits
Fundamentals of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology5 chapters · 6 Months
Subject page →+
01Unit 1: Biomolecules
5 topics+
- Importance of biochemistry in agriculture
- Carbohydrates: mono, di and polysaccharides
- Lipids and fatty acids
- Amino acids and proteins: structure and peptide bond
- Nucleic acids: DNA and RNA
02Unit 2: Enzymes
5 topics+
- Nature and classification of enzymes
- Cofactors and coenzymes
- Enzyme kinetics: Michaelis-Menten equation, Km and Vmax
- Factors affecting enzyme activity
- Enzyme inhibition
03Unit 3: Plant Metabolism
5 topics+
- Glycolysis
- TCA cycle
- Electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation
- Beta-oxidation of fatty acids
- Secondary metabolites: alkaloids, phenolics, terpenoids
04Unit 4: Plant Tissue Culture
5 topics+
- Concept of totipotency
- Culture media (MS medium) and sterilisation
- Callus, organ and meristem culture
- Micropropagation and somatic embryogenesis
- Anther culture, haploids and protoplast fusion
05Unit 5: Genetic Engineering and Molecular Tools
5 topics+
- Restriction enzymes, ligase and vectors
- Recombinant DNA technology
- Agrobacterium-mediated and particle gun gene transfer
- Transgenic crops (Bt cotton) and biosafety
- PCR and molecular markers (RFLP, RAPD, SSR)
Fundamentals of Soil Science5 chapters · 6 Months
Subject page →+
01Unit 1: Soil Formation
5 topics+
- Soil as a natural body; pedology and edaphology
- Rocks and minerals
- Physical, chemical and biological weathering
- Soil forming factors and processes
- Soil profile and horizons
02Unit 2: Soil Physical Properties
5 topics+
- Soil texture and textural classes
- Soil structure
- Particle density, bulk density and porosity
- Soil colour and consistence
- Soil water, air and temperature
03Unit 3: Soil Chemical Properties
4 topics+
- Soil colloids: clay minerals and humus
- Ion exchange and CEC
- Soil reaction (pH) and buffering
- Acid, saline and sodic soils and their reclamation
04Unit 4: Soil Organic Matter and Biology
3 topics+
- Sources and decomposition of organic matter
- Humus and C:N ratio
- Soil organisms and their role
05Unit 5: Soil Classification
4 topics+
- Historical classifications
- USDA Soil Taxonomy: soil orders
- Soils of India: alluvial, black, red, laterite
- Soil survey basics
Introduction to Forestry5 chapters · 6 Months
Subject page →+
01Unit 1: Forests and Forest Types of India
5 topics+
- Definition of forest and forestry; branches of forestry
- Role of forests: productive, protective and ameliorative
- Forest cover of India
- Champion and Seth classification of forest types
- Important timber trees of India
02Unit 2: Silviculture
5 topics+
- Definition and objects of silviculture
- Site factors: climatic, edaphic, biotic
- Natural regeneration: seed and coppice
- Artificial regeneration: nursery and plantation
- Tending operations: weeding, cleaning, thinning, pruning
03Unit 3: Agroforestry and Social Forestry
5 topics+
- Definition and scope of agroforestry
- Agrisilviculture, silvopastoral and agrosilvopastoral systems
- Taungya system
- Multipurpose tree species (MPTS)
- Social and farm forestry
04Unit 4: Forest Mensuration and Management
4 topics+
- Measurement of diameter (DBH) and height
- Basal area and volume of trees
- Forest management and working plans
- Joint forest management
05Unit 5: Forest Policy and Legislation
4 topics+
- Indian Forest Act, 1927
- Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
- National Forest Policy, 1988
- Forest Rights Act, 2006 (basics)
Comprehension and Communication Skills in English5 chapters · 6 Months
Subject page →+
01Unit 1: Reading Comprehension
4 topics+
- Reading skills: skimming and scanning
- Comprehension of agricultural and general passages
- Note making and summarising
- Precis writing
02Unit 2: Vocabulary
4 topics+
- Synonyms and antonyms
- One-word substitution
- Idioms and phrases
- Commonly confused words and spellings
03Unit 3: Grammar
5 topics+
- Tenses
- Active and passive voice
- Direct and indirect speech
- Articles and prepositions
- Subject-verb agreement
04Unit 4: Writing Skills
4 topics+
- Formal and informal letters
- Report and memo writing
- Notice and circular
- CV and job application
05Unit 5: Spoken English and Soft Skills
4 topics+
- Sounds of English and pronunciation
- Presentation skills
- Group discussion
- Interview skills
Fundamentals of Agronomy5 chapters · 6 Months
Subject page →+
01Unit 1: Agronomy and Agro-climatic Zones
4 topics+
- Meaning and scope of agronomy
- Principles of agronomy
- Agro-climatic zones of India
- Crop growth factors: genetic and environmental
02Unit 2: Crop Seasons and Cropping Systems
4 topics+
- Kharif, rabi and zaid seasons
- Classification of crops
- Monocropping, multiple, inter, mixed and relay cropping
- Cropping intensity and crop rotation
03Unit 3: Tillage, Sowing and Plant Population
4 topics+
- Tillage: objectives, primary and secondary tillage
- Tillage implements
- Sowing methods and seed rate
- Plant population and geometry
04Unit 4: Crop Nutrition and Irrigation
4 topics+
- Essential plant nutrients
- Manures and fertilisers; fertiliser calculation
- Soil-water constants: field capacity, wilting point
- Irrigation methods and scheduling, critical stages
05Unit 5: Weeds and Weed Control
4 topics+
- Weeds: characteristics and classification
- Crop-weed competition
- Cultural, mechanical and biological control
- Herbicides: classification and selectivity
Agricultural Heritage5 chapters · 6 Months
Subject page →+
01Unit 1: Agriculture in Ancient India
4 topics+
- Origin of agriculture; Neolithic sites (Mehrgarh, Lahuradewa)
- Agriculture in the Indus Valley civilisation
- Agriculture in the Vedic period
- Crops and animals in ancient India
02Unit 2: Ancient Agricultural Literature
4 topics+
- Krishi Parashara
- Kautilya's Arthashastra
- Vrikshayurveda of Surapala
- Kashyapiya Krishisukti and other texts
03Unit 3: Indigenous Technical Knowledge
4 topics+
- Meaning and importance of ITK
- Traditional seed storage and pest control
- Traditional manures: kunapajala, panchagavya
- Weather forecasting by farmers
04Unit 4: Traditional Water Management
4 topics+
- Tanks and ponds
- Kuhls of Himachal Pradesh
- Ahar-pyne of Bihar
- Zabo of Nagaland and bamboo drip of Meghalaya
05Unit 5: Indian Agriculture after Independence
3 topics+
- Agriculture in the colonial period
- Green Revolution and its pioneers
- Present status and sustainability of Indian agriculture
Rural Sociology and Educational Psychology5 chapters · 6 Months
Subject page →+
01Unit 1: Sociology and Rural Sociology
4 topics+
- Meaning, scope and importance of sociology and rural sociology
- Relationship with extension education
- Characteristics of rural society
- Rural-urban differences
02Unit 2: Social Groups and Stratification
3 topics+
- Social groups: primary and secondary, in-group and out-group
- Social stratification: caste and class
- Social interaction processes
03Unit 3: Social Institutions, Culture and Change
4 topics+
- Family, marriage, religion, education and economic institutions
- Culture: material and non-material
- Social values and attitudes
- Social control and social change
04Unit 4: Leadership
4 topics+
- Meaning and types of leaders
- Opinion leaders in villages
- Methods of identifying leaders
- Role of local leaders in extension
05Unit 5: Educational Psychology
5 topics+
- Meaning and scope of educational psychology
- Learning: principles and theories
- Motivation and Maslow's hierarchy
- Perception, intelligence and personality
- Teaching-learning situation and Dale's cone of experience
Human Values and Ethics5 chapters · 6 Months
Subject page →+
01Unit 1: Introduction to Values and Ethics
4 topics+
- Meaning of values, morals and ethics
- Need for value education
- Value crisis in society
- Self-exploration and happiness
02Unit 2: Human Values
4 topics+
- Truth, non-violence, love and compassion
- Righteousness, peace and service
- Respect, empathy and cooperation
- Gandhian values
03Unit 3: Value Development and Moral Reasoning
4 topics+
- Role of family, school and society
- Terminal and instrumental values
- Stages of moral development
- Indian thought: Bhagavad Gita and nishkama karma
04Unit 4: Professional Ethics
4 topics+
- Integrity, honesty and accountability
- Conflict of interest
- Plagiarism and research ethics
- Whistle-blowing
05Unit 5: Ethics in Agriculture and Society
3 topics+
- Ethics in use of pesticides, GM crops and animals
- Environmental ethics and sustainable development
- Social responsibility of agricultural graduates
About this course
You will be able to
- Complete Fundamentals of Horticulture syllabus with regular tests
- Complete Fundamentals of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology syllabus with regular tests
- Complete Fundamentals of Soil Science syllabus with regular tests
- Complete Introduction to Forestry syllabus with regular tests
- Complete Comprehension and Communication Skills in English syllabus with regular tests
- Complete Fundamentals of Agronomy syllabus with regular tests
- Complete Agricultural Heritage syllabus with regular tests
- Complete Rural Sociology and Educational Psychology syllabus with regular tests
Who it is for
- B.Sc (Hons.) Agriculture students of Semester 1 (ICAR 5th Deans' Committee syllabus)
- Students of UP agriculture colleges preparing for semester exams or back papers
- Aspirants revising basics for ICAR / state agriculture exams
What you need
- 10+2 with Biology / Agriculture
- Interest in fruit, vegetable and flower crops; practical notebook
Online tests & result
Practice and unit tests online; marks and result show in your student login and at the centre.
Student login →
Questions
Which syllabus does this course follow?
It follows the ICAR 5th Deans' Committee syllabus of B.Sc (Hons.) Agriculture, Semester 1, used by UP agricultural universities and agriculture colleges.
What if my university syllabus is different?
The centre follows your own university's syllabus and previous papers; units missing here are added for your batch.
Does it help for competitive exams?
Yes - the same topics are asked in ICAR AIEEA PG, JRF, state agriculture officer and banking AFO exams.
I am weak in English. Can I join?
Yes - classes start from basic grammar and are explained in simple English and Hindi.
Is this a graded subject?
Under the ICAR syllabus it is a non-gradial (satisfactory / not satisfactory) course, but it still has an exam and assignments.