Which programmes require Agriculture?

35 programmes at 23 universities name Agriculture outright in their CUET requirement. No combination of the other papers reaches them, so a candidate who does not sit Agriculture cannot apply to any of them.

Which universities accept Agriculture?

414 programmes across 72 universities can use Agriculture in their CUET requirement, counted from the admission documents we have read line by line. That figure includes the programmes that merely allow the paper as one option alongside others.

What is the CUET subject code for Agriculture?

Agriculture carries NTA subject code 302. It is a domain paper in the CUET (UG) subject list.

Which papers are most often taken with Agriculture?

Counting the programme rules that accept Agriculture, the papers those same rules accept most often are Biology / Biological Science / Biotechnology / Biochemistry, Mathematics / Applied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science / Information Practices. This is a count of rules, not of what candidates choose.

Are past answer keys available for Agriculture?

NTA has published a final answer key covering Agriculture for 2026, 2025, 2024. Each link opens NTA's own PDF at the page where this paper starts. NTA does not publish the question paper itself.

Agriculture

Subject code 302 · domain paperWhere this paper leads

programmes strictly require Agriculture

universities among them

Each of those rules names Agriculture outright — no combination of the other papers reaches them. That is the whole case for spending one of five slots on it.

The paper at a glance

Agriculture carries the subject code 302. The syllabus described here is the one published for 2026-27.

Only four units, but they are dense: each unit is a numbered list of themes, and most themes are then broken into lettered sub-points. Unit 3 on crop production is by far the longest, running across two pages of the PDF.

How the syllabus is organised

The document is laid out in four units, Unit-1 to Unit-4. Unit 1 is the underlying science (weather, genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, seeds), Unit 2 is animals, Unit 3 is field crops and Unit 4 is horticulture.

The syllabus itself is a list of topics only. It does not print question counts, marks, negative marking or timing, and it does not say how the four units are weighted. Read it alongside the exam pattern.

Unit 1: The science behind farming

This unit borrows from biology and chemistry. Genetics and plant breeding is the longest theme, with eight lettered sub-points.

Unit	What it covers
Unit-1: Agrometeorology, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Biochemistry and Microbiology	Agrometeorology — elements of weather (rainfall, temperature, humidity, wind velocity, sunshine), weather forecasting, climate change in relation to crop production, climate classification, monsoon in India; genetics and plant breeding — cell and its structure, mitosis and meiosis, organization of genetic material in chromosomes, DNA and RNA, Mendel's laws of inheritance and the reasons for his success, quantitative inheritance, continuous and discontinuous variation, monogenic and polygenic inheritance, role of genetics in plant breeding, self- and cross-pollinated crops, breeding methods (introduction, selection, hybridization, mutation, polyploidy, tissue and cell culture), history, importance and objectives of plant breeding, plant biotechnology — definition and scope; biochemistry — pH and buffers, classification and nomenclature of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, enzymes and nucleic acids; microbiology — microbial cell structure, algae, bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, protozoa and viruses, role of micro-organisms in respiration, fermentation and organic matter decomposition, soil flora and fauna; seed science — seed structure of monocots and dicots, mode of reproduction, pollination, fertilization, seed dormancy, types of seeds

Unit

What it covers

Unit-1: Agrometeorology, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Biochemistry and Microbiology

Agrometeorology — elements of weather (rainfall, temperature, humidity, wind velocity, sunshine), weather forecasting, climate change in relation to crop production, climate classification, monsoon in India; genetics and plant breeding — cell and its structure, mitosis and meiosis, organization of genetic material in chromosomes, DNA and RNA, Mendel's laws of inheritance and the reasons for his success, quantitative inheritance, continuous and discontinuous variation, monogenic and polygenic inheritance, role of genetics in plant breeding, self- and cross-pollinated crops, breeding methods (introduction, selection, hybridization, mutation, polyploidy, tissue and cell culture), history, importance and objectives of plant breeding, plant biotechnology — definition and scope; biochemistry — pH and buffers, classification and nomenclature of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, enzymes and nucleic acids; microbiology — microbial cell structure, algae, bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, protozoa and viruses, role of micro-organisms in respiration, fermentation and organic matter decomposition, soil flora and fauna; seed science — seed structure of monocots and dicots, mode of reproduction, pollination, fertilization, seed dormancy, types of seeds

Unit 2: Livestock production

Cattle and poultry dominate, but the unit closes with a short theme on fisheries. The disease list is specific and worth learning by name.

Unit	What it covers
Unit-2: Livestock Production	Scope and importance — importance of livestock in agriculture and industry, White Revolution in India, important Indian and exotic breeds, distribution of cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep and poultry in India; care and management — systems of cattle and poultry housing, principles of feeding and feeding practices, balanced ration (definition and ingredients), management of calves, bullocks, pregnant and milch animals, chicks, cockerels and layers, signs of sick animals and symptoms of common diseases (rinderpest, black quarter, foot and mouth, mastitis, haemorrhagic septicaemia, coccidiosis, fowl pox and Ranikhet disease) with their prevention and control; artificial insemination — reproductive organs, collection, dilution and preservation of semen, role of artificial insemination in cattle improvement; livestock products — processing and marketing of milk and milk products; fisheries — definition of fish, fisheries and aquaculture, general characteristics and types of fishes

Unit

What it covers

Unit-2: Livestock Production

Scope and importance — importance of livestock in agriculture and industry, White Revolution in India, important Indian and exotic breeds, distribution of cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep and poultry in India; care and management — systems of cattle and poultry housing, principles of feeding and feeding practices, balanced ration (definition and ingredients), management of calves, bullocks, pregnant and milch animals, chicks, cockerels and layers, signs of sick animals and symptoms of common diseases (rinderpest, black quarter, foot and mouth, mastitis, haemorrhagic septicaemia, coccidiosis, fowl pox and Ranikhet disease) with their prevention and control; artificial insemination — reproductive organs, collection, dilution and preservation of semen, role of artificial insemination in cattle improvement; livestock products — processing and marketing of milk and milk products; fisheries — definition of fish, fisheries and aquaculture, general characteristics and types of fishes

Unit 3: Crop production

The heart of the paper. It names twelve field crops for which the full package of practices is expected, from seedbed to marketing, and ends with a theme on modern agriculture that includes natural farming and remote sensing.

Unit	What it covers
Unit-3: Crop Production	Introduction — targets and achievements in foodgrain production in India since independence and future projections, sustainable crop production, commercialization of agriculture and its scope in India, classification of field crops by utility (cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fibre, sugar and forage crops); soil, soil fertility, fertilizers and manures — soil pH, texture, structure, organisms, tilth, fertility and health, essential plant nutrients with functions and deficiency symptoms, soil types of India, organic manure, straight, complex and mixed fertilizers, biofertilizers, integrated nutrient management, problem soils, soil erosion and pollution, soil analysis for nutrient availability; irrigation and drainage — sources of irrigation, scheduling by critical growth stages, time interval, soil moisture and weather, water requirement of crops, methods of irrigation and drainage, watershed management, irrigation water quality; weed control — classification and characteristics of weeds, principles and methods of weed control (cultural, mechanical, chemical, biological and integrated); crops — seedbed preparation, seed treatment, sowing, seed rate, fertilizer application, irrigation, intercultural operations, common pests and diseases (bacterial, fungal, viral and nematode) and their control, integrated pest management, harvesting, threshing and post-harvest technology for rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, pearl millet, groundnut, mustard, pigeon-pea, gram, sugarcane, cotton and berseem, millets and their importance; modern agriculture — challenges, conservation agriculture, precision agriculture, natural farming, organic farming, remote sensing in agriculture

Unit

What it covers

Unit-3: Crop Production

Introduction — targets and achievements in foodgrain production in India since independence and future projections, sustainable crop production, commercialization of agriculture and its scope in India, classification of field crops by utility (cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fibre, sugar and forage crops); soil, soil fertility, fertilizers and manures — soil pH, texture, structure, organisms, tilth, fertility and health, essential plant nutrients with functions and deficiency symptoms, soil types of India, organic manure, straight, complex and mixed fertilizers, biofertilizers, integrated nutrient management, problem soils, soil erosion and pollution, soil analysis for nutrient availability; irrigation and drainage — sources of irrigation, scheduling by critical growth stages, time interval, soil moisture and weather, water requirement of crops, methods of irrigation and drainage, watershed management, irrigation water quality; weed control — classification and characteristics of weeds, principles and methods of weed control (cultural, mechanical, chemical, biological and integrated); crops — seedbed preparation, seed treatment, sowing, seed rate, fertilizer application, irrigation, intercultural operations, common pests and diseases (bacterial, fungal, viral and nematode) and their control, integrated pest management, harvesting, threshing and post-harvest technology for rice, wheat, maize, sorghum, pearl millet, groundnut, mustard, pigeon-pea, gram, sugarcane, cotton and berseem, millets and their importance; modern agriculture — challenges, conservation agriculture, precision agriculture, natural farming, organic farming, remote sensing in agriculture

Unit 4: Horticulture

Fruits, vegetables and flowers, each with a named list of crops, plus propagation methods and preservation.

Unit	What it covers
Unit-4: Horticulture	Importance of fruits and vegetables in the human diet, crop diversification and the processing industry; orchard location and layout, ornamental gardening and kitchen garden; planting systems, training, pruning, intercropping, protection from frost and sunburn; trees, shrubs, climbers, annuals and perennials with examples; propagation by seed, cutting, budding, layering and grafting; cultivation practices, processing and marketing of fruits (mango, papaya, banana, guava, citrus, grapes), vegetables (radish, carrot, potato, onion, cauliflower, brinjal, tomato, spinach, cabbage) and flowers (gladiolus, canna, chrysanthemums, roses, marigold); principles and methods of fruit and vegetable preservation; preparation of jellies, jams, ketchup and chips and their packing

Unit

What it covers

Unit-4: Horticulture

Importance of fruits and vegetables in the human diet, crop diversification and the processing industry; orchard location and layout, ornamental gardening and kitchen garden; planting systems, training, pruning, intercropping, protection from frost and sunburn; trees, shrubs, climbers, annuals and perennials with examples; propagation by seed, cutting, budding, layering and grafting; cultivation practices, processing and marketing of fruits (mango, papaya, banana, guava, citrus, grapes), vegetables (radish, carrot, potato, onion, cauliflower, brinjal, tomato, spinach, cabbage) and flowers (gladiolus, canna, chrysanthemums, roses, marigold); principles and methods of fruit and vegetable preservation; preparation of jellies, jams, ketchup and chips and their packing

What this syllabus does not tell you

The document is a topic list and nothing more. From it you cannot learn:

how many questions come from each unit, or the marks, negative marking and duration — those are on the exam pattern;
the weightage of any unit; Unit 3 is longest on the page, but the syllabus does not say it carries more questions;
how difficult the questions will be, or whether they will be recall of named breeds, crops and diseases or applied reasoning;
which books to use; the syllabus names no textbook;
how much weight a university gives this paper once you qualify — the programmes that accept it are listed below, but the marks or ranking rule each one applies sits in its own admission bulletin.

One small oddity: the PDF's own printed page numbers run one behind the PDF page count, because the cover page is unnumbered. The page references on this site use the PDF page.

For anything about attempt rules or numbers of questions, go to the NTA information bulletin and the exam pattern rather than to this list.

Where this paper can take you

Programmes whose rule can use Agriculture, from the 72 universities whose documents we have read. 35 of them cannot be reached any other way.

Agriculture is the only way inAgriculture is one route

See all 414 against my paper setShowing the 12 universities with the most Agriculture programmes, of 72.

Questions

Which programmes require Agriculture?: 35 programmes at 23 universities name Agriculture outright in their CUET requirement. No combination of the other papers reaches them, so a candidate who does not sit Agriculture cannot apply to any of them.
Which universities accept Agriculture?: 414 programmes across 72 universities can use Agriculture in their CUET requirement, counted from the admission documents we have read line by line. That figure includes the programmes that merely allow the paper as one option alongside others.
What is the CUET subject code for Agriculture?: Agriculture carries NTA subject code 302. It is a domain paper in the CUET (UG) subject list.
Which papers are most often taken with Agriculture?: Counting the programme rules that accept Agriculture, the papers those same rules accept most often are Biology / Biological Science / Biotechnology / Biochemistry, Mathematics / Applied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science / Information Practices. This is a count of rules, not of what candidates choose.
Are past answer keys available for Agriculture?: NTA has published a final answer key covering Agriculture for 2026, 2025, 2024. Each link opens NTA's own PDF at the page where this paper starts. NTA does not publish the question paper itself.