The UPSSSC Agriculture Technical Assistant (AGTA) exam is unique — unlike most UPSSSC exams which test general aptitude, this one is heavily agriculture-focused. Agriculture Science alone carries 65 out of 100 marks. If you have a B.Sc Agriculture background, you're already ahead. If not, you'll need serious subject preparation.
Exam Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|
| Exam | UPSSSC AGTA Mains (06-Exam/2026) |
| Pre-requisite | UPSSSC PET 2025 Score Card |
| Total Questions | 100 MCQs |
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Duration | 2 Hours |
| Negative Marking | -0.25 per wrong answer |
Subject-wise Marks
| Subject | Marks | Questions (Approx) |
|---|
| Agriculture Science (कृषि विज्ञान) | 65 | 65 |
| General Hindi (सामान्य हिंदी) | 20 | 20 |
| Computer & IT Knowledge | 15 | 15 |
| Total | 100 | 100 |
Agriculture Science — 65 Marks (The Decider)
- Agronomy: Cropping systems, crop rotation, irrigation methods, soil & water conservation, weed management, organic farming
- Soil Science: Soil types in UP, soil testing, fertilizers (NPK), manures, soil health card scheme
- Horticulture: Fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices — cultivation techniques, post-harvest management
- Plant Protection: Major crop diseases, insect pests, integrated pest management (IPM), bio-pesticides
- Agricultural Economics: MSP, APMC, e-NAM, PM-KISAN, crop insurance, agricultural marketing
- Agricultural Engineering: Farm machinery, irrigation systems (drip, sprinkler), post-harvest technology
- Animal Husbandry: Dairy farming basics, poultry, livestock management, veterinary first aid
- Government Schemes: PM-KISAN, Soil Health Card, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, RKVY, UP state agriculture schemes
Focus: UP-specific agriculture — major crops of UP (sugarcane, wheat, rice, potato), state agriculture policies, and Kisan schemes are very important.
General Hindi — 20 Marks
- विलोम, पर्यायवाची, मुहावरे, लोकोक्तियाँ
- संधि, समास, वाक्य शुद्धि, वर्तनी
- अपठित गद्यांश, रिक्त स्थान
Computer & IT — 15 Marks
- Hardware/software basics, MS Office (Word, Excel)
- Internet, email, web browsing
- Data entry, spreadsheet operations
- Government IT initiatives — Digital India, e-governance
Preparation Strategy
- Agriculture (65 marks) is everything. Without strong agriculture preparation, you cannot crack this exam.
- B.Sc Agriculture NCERT + state textbooks — cover fundamentals thoroughly
- UP-specific: UP agriculture statistics, major crops, state schemes — 10-15 questions come from here
- Hindi and Computer: Easy 35 marks combined. Don't spend more than 1 week on these.
- Negative marking (0.25): Mild — attempt if 40-50% sure.
👉 Salary: UPSSSC Technical Assistant Salary — Level 4, ₹35K-42K In-Hand
👉 Apply: UPSSSC Technical Assistant 2026 — 2,759 Posts
Agriculture Science — Detailed Topic Breakdown (65 Marks)
Since 65% of your paper is agriculture, let's break down exactly what to study:
Agronomy (15-20 questions)
- Kharif crops: Rice, maize, sugarcane, cotton — cultivation, irrigation, fertilizer schedule
- Rabi crops: Wheat, mustard, gram, pea — sowing time, seed rate, harvesting
- Zaid crops: Watermelon, cucumber, moong — summer cultivation practices
- Cropping systems of UP: Rice-wheat, sugarcane-wheat, rice-mustard — most important for exam
- Organic farming: Composting, vermicomposting, green manuring, biofertilizers — trending topic
Soil Science (10-12 questions)
- Soil types in UP: Alluvial (Gangetic plain), laterite, black soil — know which crops grow best in which
- Soil Health Card Scheme: How it works, what parameters it tests — government scheme questions
- NPK + micronutrients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium — deficiency symptoms in crops
- Soil testing methods: pH testing, EC, organic carbon — basic laboratory procedures
Plant Protection (10-12 questions)
- Major crop diseases: Rice blast, wheat rust, sugarcane smut — symptoms and control
- Major pests: Stem borer, bollworm, aphids — identification and management
- IPM (Integrated Pest Management): Biological control, pheromone traps, crop rotation — exam favourite
Government Schemes (8-10 questions — Easy Marks!)
- PM-KISAN: ₹6,000/year to farmers — installments, eligibility, Aadhaar linking
- PM Fasal Bima Yojana: Crop insurance — premium rates, claim process
- Soil Health Card Scheme: Free soil testing for farmers
- e-NAM: National Agriculture Market — online trading of farm produce
- UP state schemes: Kisan Samman Nidhi, Paramparagat Krishi, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana
Pro tip: Government schemes are the easiest 8-10 marks in the paper. They're factual — no calculation, no analysis. Just memorize scheme names, objectives, and key features. These can be prepared in 2-3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is agriculture graduation mandatory for this exam?
Yes. The post requires B.Sc Agriculture or equivalent agricultural degree. General B.Sc (Physics/Chemistry/Biology) without agriculture specialization may not qualify.
Are questions based on ICAR syllabus?
Partially. The exam follows a broader agriculture syllabus that overlaps with ICAR university curriculum but also includes UP-specific agriculture topics, government schemes, and practical field knowledge.
Is PET score needed for this exam?
Yes. UPSSSC PET 2025 score card is mandatory to apply. Without PET, you cannot fill the AGTA application form.
How important is Hindi section (20 marks)?
Very important for scoring. Hindi grammar (sandhi, samas, muhavare) questions are fixed marks if you've practiced. Don't ignore this — 15+ out of 20 is easily achievable.
What is the expected cut-off?
For General category, expect 65-75 out of 100. SC/ST may qualify at 50-60. The agriculture-heavy paper means candidates without proper agri background struggle significantly.
Horticulture Section — Deep Dive
This section carries significant weightage in UPSSSC AGTA and is where most candidates lose marks because they ignore state-specific content. Here's what you need to know about UP's horticulture landscape.
Major Fruits of Uttar Pradesh
| Fruit | Major Production Area | Key Varieties |
|---|
| Mango | Lucknow, Malihabad (largest mango belt in India) | Dasheri, Langra, Chausa, Safeda |
| Guava | Prayagraj (Allahabad) — known as guava capital | Allahabad Safeda, Lalit, Shweta |
| Litchi | Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur (Western UP) | Early Bedana, Rose Scented, Calcuttia |
| Banana | Bahraich, Maharajganj (Eastern UP) | Grand Naine, Robusta, Poovan |
Major Vegetables and Spices
Vegetables: Potato is the biggest — Agra and Farrukhabad are the top producing districts. UP is India's #1 potato producer. Other important vegetables include onion, tomato, pea (Hardoi, Lucknow), cauliflower, and bottle gourd. Spices: Turmeric (Bundelkhand region), ginger (Terai belt), and green chili (various districts). Floriculture: Growing demand in UP — marigold (used in religious ceremonies, extracted for natural dye), rose (Kannauj is famous for rose water and attar), jasmine (Mogra variety for garlands). Floriculture is an emerging sector with high returns on small land.
Animal Husbandry Questions — What to Expect
This is another high-scoring section if you know the basics. Here are the topics that appear most frequently.
| Topic | Key Points |
|---|
| Dairy Farming | Crossbred cows: HF (Holstein Friesian — highest milk), Jersey (high fat content). Indigenous breeds: Sahiwal (best Indian milch breed), Gir (from Gujarat, gaining popularity in UP), Tharparkar. UP is India's #1 milk producer — know this fact. |
| Poultry Farming | Broiler = meat purpose (ready in 6-8 weeks). Layer = egg purpose (starts laying at 18-20 weeks, lays 250-300 eggs/year). White Leghorn is most common layer breed. BV 380 is popular broiler. |
| Goat Farming | Called "poor man's cow." Low investment, high return. Important breeds: Jamunapari (largest Indian breed, dual purpose), Barbari (Agra-Mathura belt, good for milk), Black Bengal (best for meat). Goats can survive on marginal land. |
| Fish Farming | Composite fish culture system: Catla (upper feeder), Rohu (middle feeder), Mrigal (bottom feeder) — raised together for maximum yield. Also know: Jhinga (prawn farming growing in UP), Pangasius (commercial farming). |
Soil Types of UP — Expected Questions
Soil questions are almost guaranteed. UP's agricultural productivity is directly linked to its soil types.
| Soil Type | Location in UP | Characteristics | Suitable Crops |
|---|
| Gangetic Alluvial | Most of UP (Indo-Gangetic plain) | Very fertile, rich in potash, deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus | Rice, wheat, sugarcane — best for all-season farming |
| Bhangar | Higher ground, away from rivers | Older alluvium, contains kankar (calcium nodules), less fertile than Khadar | Wheat, pulses, oilseeds |
| Khadar | Near river banks, flood plains | Newer alluvium, renewed every flood season, extremely fertile | Rice, jute, sugarcane, vegetables |
| Usar/Alkaline | Parts of Etawah, Kanpur, Lucknow | Problem soil — high pH, white salt deposits on surface, poor drainage | Needs reclamation: gypsum treatment (most effective), organic manure, growing salt-tolerant crops (rice, berseem) initially |
Computer Section Quick Revision
The computer section is the easiest to score in — it covers basic office applications and internet concepts. Here's a rapid-fire revision.
MS Word: Formatting (bold, italic, underline, font size, alignment), Mail Merge (used for sending same letter to multiple recipients with personalized names), Headers & Footers (page numbers, date, document title), Find & Replace (Ctrl+H), Track Changes (used for collaborative editing).
MS Excel: Essential formulas — SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, MIN, VLOOKUP (vertical lookup across tables), IF (conditional logic). Pivot Tables (summarize large data into meaningful reports), Charts (bar, pie, line — when to use which), Cell referencing (relative vs absolute — the $ sign difference).
MS PowerPoint: Slide Transitions (how one slide moves to the next), Animations (how objects appear within a slide — entrance, emphasis, exit), Master Slide (template that controls all slides' layout), Slide Show shortcuts (F5 to start, Esc to end).
Internet & Networking: HTTP (web browsing protocol), FTP (file transfer), SMTP (email sending), POP3/IMAP (email receiving). Browser (Chrome, Firefox — software to access websites), Search Engine (Google, Bing — service that finds websites), Email (composed of: To, CC, BCC, Subject, Body, Attachments).
Previous Year Paper Pattern Analysis
UPSSSC AGTA (Agriculture Technical Assistant) is a relatively new exam with this exact pattern, but similar technical posts (Horticulture Inspector, Agriculture Supervisor) conducted by UPSSSC followed this distribution:
| Section | Expected Weightage | Questions (approx.) |
|---|
| Agriculture & Allied Sciences | 60-65% | 90-97 out of 150 |
| Hindi (General Hindi) | 15-20% | 22-30 out of 150 |
| Computer Knowledge | 15-20% | 22-30 out of 150 |
Important: Agriculture section is clearly the decider. If you're strong in Agriculture, you will clear this exam. Hindi and Computer are support sections — score decently and focus maximum energy on the technical part.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is B.Sc Agriculture mandatory for UPSSSC AGTA, or can B.Sc Horticulture/Forestry candidates apply?
B.Sc Agriculture, B.Sc Horticulture, and related agricultural degrees are all accepted. Check the official notification for the exact list of qualifying degrees, as UPSSSC sometimes includes Forestry and Fisheries too.
Will UPSSSC AGTA have negative marking?
Based on previous UPSSSC exams, there is typically 1/4th negative marking (0.25 marks deducted for each wrong answer). This is standard for UPSSSC PET-linked exams. Don't guess blindly — only attempt questions you're reasonably sure about.
Is UPSSSC PET score required for AGTA recruitment?
Yes, for most Group C posts under UPSSSC (including AGTA), you need a valid PET (Preliminary Eligibility Test) score. PET is a qualifying exam — you must clear it first, then apply for AGTA when the vacancy comes out.
