Sericulture
Sericulture is the art and science of growing silkworms in order to produce silk. The term Sericulture is derived from the Greek words ‘Sericos’. Seri means silk and cos means culture.
China ranks first in the production of silk and India is the second largest producer and largest consumer too. There are different varieties of silk namely tasar, muga, mulberry and eri silk. The art of silk production comprises cultivation of mulberry, silkworm rearing, post cocoon activities, production of silk yarn. The present global silk production is around 70000- 90000 million tonnes. The demand for silk is increasing annually by 5% and this in turn increases the scope of building a career in sericulture.
The sericulture sector plays a major role in the development of the rural economy. Sericulture being a cottage industry offers a wide range of employment opportunities for women belonging to rural areas.
Courses
There are multiple levels of courses available in the field of Sericulture and some important graduate, post-graduate programs offered are given below
BSc in Sericulture: An undergraduate Agricultural Science and Technology course which is of 3 or 4 year duration depending on the institution.
The curriculum includes Silkworm rearing technology, Silk Reeling, Mulberry production and management, Silkworm rearing and management, Fundamentals of nanotechnology, Silk Marketing, Trade and Prices, Planning and Management of Silk Reeling Industry, Silk throwing, dyeing and weaving, Planning and Management of Silk Reeling Industry etc.
MSc in Sericulture: A 2 year post graduation program which will be completed in 4 semesters.
The course covers a variety of topics such as Silkworm Biology & Egg Production, Mulberry Biology & Production, Cocoon Production and Silk Reeling Technology etc. The course covers both theoretical, practical and economical aspects of the silk industry.
MPhil or Master of Philosophy in Sericulture postgraduate academic research programme that is of two years duration.
PhD or Doctor of Philosophy in Sericulture is a 3 year doctorate course.
Required Skills and Aptitude
The skills and aptitudes required for a career in the Sericulture field include the following:
- Ability to bring theory to practice
- Ability to learn continuously to improve knowledge and skills
- Ability to take roles and responsibilities effectively
- Ability to work and lead as a team
- Adaptability to new techniques and changes
- Develop entrepreneurial skills
- Good communication skills
- Management and organizational skills
- Problem solving skills
Eligibility Criteria
It is required for a science background to pursue a course in Sericulture.
BSc in Sericulture: Aspirants should have passed their 10+2 Board Examination with Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Biology (PCMB) from a recognized board of education 50% aggregate. The admission process for B.Sc Sericulture course is either merit-based or entrance test based at national or state or institution level.
MSc in Sericulture: Candidates who have passed a B.Sc degree in Sericulture/ Agriculture/ Horticulture are eligible for admission. The admission process is based on either merit-based or entrance tests.
MPhil: Candidates seeking admission to the M.Phil. programme shall have a Master’s degree or a professional degree declared equivalent to the Master’s Degree, with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade ‘B’ in the UGC 7-point scale. A relaxation of 5% of marks, from 55% to 50%, or an equivalent relaxation of grade, shall be allowed for those belonging to reserved categories (SC/ST/VJNT/ OBC) and differently-abled candidates as per policies of the Government.
PhD: Admissions to Ph.D are done through entrance exams and interviews conducted by individual universities.
Candidates those who have qualified their postgraduate program in Sericulture or qualified an M.Phil. degree or any equivalent examination with minimum aggregate marks of 50% and above are eligible for admission to the program.
Entrance Examination
BSc in Sericulture: Major entrance exams for B.Sc Sericulture are:
- ICAR- AIEEA UG.
- CET (Common Entrance Test) conducted by KEA (Karnataka Examinations Authority)
MSc in Sericulture: Candidates aspiring for admission in M.Sc Sericulture course will have to clear a national-level entrance exam, i.e., ICAR AIEEA PG. The candidates must note that the entrance exam score is accepted by some of the universities in India. Some state-level universities even conduct their own entrance exam for admission in M.Sc Sericulture.
Mphil: Admission is based on the Institute’s entrance exams.
PhD: Admission is based on the Institute’s entrance exams or the score of AICE-JRF/SRF(PhD) conducted by ICAR.
Job Profiles
Some of the job profiles in the field of Sericulturist are as follows:
- Entrepreneurship
- Farm manager
- Manager in Agricultural Banks
- Marketing Manager
- Professors and lecturers at notable colleges and universities.
- Self employed
- Sericulture Assistant
- Sericulture Consultant
- Sericulture Instructor
- Sericulture Researcher
- Sericulturist
- Silk weaver
- Technical field assistants
Top Recruiters
Talented and knowledgeable Sericultural experts have opportunities in silk rearing farms, silk weaving, spinning, dyeing, and printing mills etc. A Sericulturist can also start his own business in retailing and exporting. Followings are some of the firms where jobs for Sericulturists are available.
- Agriculture sector banks
- Central Silk Board
- Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
- Krishi Vigyan Kendra
- NABARD
- Sericulture Units
- Silk Export Promotion Council
Institutions
BSc in Sericulture
- Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam
- Central Agricultural University, Imphal, Manipur
- Dinabandhu Andrews College, Kolkata
- S.S. College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Mysore
- Shivaji University, Kolhapur
- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
- University of Delhi (DU), Delhi
- University of Mysore
- Subbi Reddy Memorial College, Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh
MSc in Sericulture
- Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam
- Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
- Kakatiya University, Warangal, Andhra Pradesh
- Krishnath College, Murshidabad, West Bengal
- Shivaji University, Kolhapur
- Sri Krishnadevaraya University, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
- Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
- University of Agricultural Sciences, KrishiNagar, Dharwad
- University of Mysore
M.Phil
Ph.D
Questions & Answers
Q) What are the best career options after BSc Sericulture?
A) Sericulturist. Farm manager, Silk weaver, Exporter, Sericulture vocational trainer, Field assistant, Technical Assistant, Sericulture inspector etc are some career options after B.Sc Sericulture.
Q) Do all colleges make admissions to B.Sc Sericulture based on the ICAR AIEEA UG exam?
No, 15% of seats are admitted on the basis of ICAR ranking. Some state agricultural universities conduct their entrance exams for the rest of the seats. There are colleges /universities which admit on the basis of marks obtained for the qualifying exams.