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M-F-SC in Fishery Science at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology
Khordha, Odisha
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About the Specialization
What is Fishery Science at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology Khordha?
This Fishery Science (M.F.Sc) program at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology focuses on advanced studies in various facets of aquaculture, aquatic resource management, and fish processing. It addresses the growing needs of India''''s blue revolution by developing skilled professionals and researchers, integrating modern science with sustainable practices relevant to both marine and inland fisheries.
Who Should Apply?
This program is ideal for Bachelor of Fishery Science graduates seeking specialized knowledge and research skills in fisheries. It attracts individuals passionate about marine biology, aquaculture production, and sustainable resource management. Working professionals in government fisheries departments or private aquaculture farms can also upskill, enhancing their expertise for career advancement in the Indian fisheries sector.
Why Choose This Course?
Graduates of this program can expect diverse career paths in government agencies, research institutions like ICAR, academic roles, and private sector aquaculture firms across India. Entry-level salaries typically range from INR 3-6 lakhs annually, with experienced professionals earning significantly more. Growth trajectories often lead to managerial, scientific, or entrepreneurial roles, contributing to India''''s food security and economic growth.
Student Success Practices
Foundation Stage
Master Core Fishery Statistics and IT Skills- (undefined)
Dedicate time to understanding statistical methods in fisheries and computer applications. Utilize software like R or SPSS for data analysis early on. This foundation is crucial for research and data-driven decision making in the Indian fisheries context.
Tools & Resources
R statistical software, Microsoft Excel, Online tutorials on statistical analysis for biologists
Career Connection
Strong analytical and IT skills are highly sought after for research positions in ICAR institutes and data analysis roles in aquaculture companies, enhancing your employability.
Engage in Departmental Seminars and Discussions- (undefined)
Actively participate in departmental seminars, journal clubs, and group discussions. This improves scientific communication, critical thinking, and broadens understanding of diverse fishery science topics beyond your immediate specialization. Network with faculty and senior students.
Tools & Resources
Departmental seminar schedules, Peer study groups, Research papers on relevant topics
Career Connection
Develops presentation and communication skills vital for academic, research, and extension officer roles, often involving interaction with local communities and stakeholders.
Explore Diverse Specialization Electives- (undefined)
In the first two semesters, strategically choose elective courses from various disciplines like Aquaculture, Resource Management, or Fish Processing. This broad exposure helps identify your true passion and build a versatile skill set relevant to the multifaceted Indian fisheries industry.
Tools & Resources
Academic advisor consultations, Curriculum handbook, Industry reports on different fishery sectors
Career Connection
A broad understanding enhances flexibility in career choices, making you eligible for varied roles in government, private, and non-profit organizations working across the fisheries value chain.
Intermediate Stage
Undertake Mini-Projects and Field Visits- (undefined)
Seek opportunities for mini-research projects under faculty guidance or participate in organized field visits to aquaculture farms, hatcheries, and fish landing centers. Gaining practical experience is invaluable for understanding real-world challenges in Indian fisheries.
Tools & Resources
Departmental lab facilities, Local fish farms and markets, Industry contacts through faculty
Career Connection
Practical exposure is critical for roles in farm management, extension services, and quality control, preparing you for immediate industry challenges and problem-solving.
Network with Industry Professionals and Researchers- (undefined)
Attend national and regional fisheries conferences, workshops, and expos (e.g., Aqua Aquaria India, Seafood Show). Engage with professionals from ICAR, state fisheries, and private companies. This builds crucial contacts for internships and future job prospects.
Tools & Resources
LinkedIn, Professional fishery associations (e.g., AFI, SFCI), Conference schedules
Career Connection
Networking opens doors to internships, mentorships, and direct placement opportunities, significantly boosting your visibility in the competitive Indian job market.
Start Early on Master''''s Research Topic Selection- (undefined)
Begin identifying potential research areas and faculty mentors well before Semester III. A focused and relevant research topic, particularly addressing local challenges or innovative solutions in Indian fisheries, enhances the impact of your thesis.
Tools & Resources
Faculty research profiles, Previous theses in departmental library, Current issues in Indian fisheries literature
Career Connection
A strong, relevant thesis topic and well-executed research can lead to publications, which are highly valued for academic careers and advanced research positions in India.
Advanced Stage
Focus on Thesis Excellence and Publication- (undefined)
Dedicate significant effort to writing a high-quality Master''''s thesis. Aim to publish your research findings in peer-reviewed national or international journals. This adds significant weight to your academic profile and showcases your research capabilities.
Tools & Resources
OUAT Thesis Guidelines, Journal Impact Factor lists (e.g., Scopus, Web of Science), Mendeley/Zotero for referencing
Career Connection
Publication enhances your credentials for PhD programs, research scientist positions, and is often a prerequisite for faculty roles in agricultural universities across India.
Prepare for Competitive Examinations and Interviews- (undefined)
Alongside your research, prepare for national-level competitive exams like ICAR-NET, ARS, or state PSC exams for fisheries officers. Practice interview skills, focusing on subject matter expertise and practical applications in the Indian context.
Tools & Resources
Previous year question papers, Mock interview sessions, Current affairs knowledge related to agriculture/fisheries policies
Career Connection
Success in these exams directly leads to coveted government jobs and research positions, offering stability and impact in the Indian public sector.
Develop Entrepreneurial and Project Management Skills- (undefined)
Explore entrepreneurial opportunities in fisheries by understanding business plans, financial management, and market analysis. Consider participating in startup workshops or pitch competitions, as India''''s ''''startup India'''' initiative offers support for agri-tech and aquaculture ventures.
Tools & Resources
NIESBUD programs, Agri-business incubators, Government schemes for fisheries startups
Career Connection
Cultivating entrepreneurial skills allows you to create your own ventures, contributing to job creation and innovation within the Indian fisheries sector, moving beyond traditional employment.
Program Structure and Curriculum
Eligibility:
- B.F.Sc. or an equivalent examination recognized by the University with a minimum OGPA of 6.00 out of 10.00 or 55% marks in traditional system for general candidate and 5.50 out of 10.00 or 50% for SC/ST/Ph.D. candidates.
Duration: 4 semesters / 2 years
Credits: 57 (graded) + 2 (non-graded) Credits
Assessment: Internal: 40%, External: 60%
Semester-wise Curriculum Table
Semester 1
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FST 501 | Statistical Methods in Fisheries | Core | 3 | Statistical Concepts and Data Presentation, Probability Theory and Distributions, Sampling Methods and Hypothesis Testing, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Correlation and Regression Analysis, Design of Experiments |
| FST 502 | Computer Application in Fisheries | Core | 2 | Operating Systems and Office Automation, Statistical Software and Spreadsheets, Internet and Database Management, Data Presentation and Graphics, Fisheries Specific Software Tools |
| GRN 501 | Technical Writing and Communication Skills | Non-Credit Compulsory | 0 | Principles of Technical Writing, Scientific Report and Thesis Writing, Oral Presentation Techniques, Effective Communication Strategies, Ethics in Research and Communication |
| GRN 502 | Library and Information Services | Non-Credit Compulsory | 0 | Library Resources and Classification, Information Retrieval Systems, Bibliographic Databases, Research Ethics and Plagiarism, Digital Library and Online Journals |
| AQC 501 | Principles and Practices of Aquaculture (Discipline: Aquaculture) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Aquaculture Systems and History, Site Selection and Pond Construction, Water Quality Management, Seed Production and Management, Feed Management and Health Aspects, Sustainable Aquaculture Practices |
| AQC 502 | Aquaculture Engineering (Discipline: Aquaculture) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Principles of Aquaculture Engineering, Pond Design and Construction, Water Control Structures, Aeration and Filtration Systems, Hatchery Engineering, Biofloc and Recirculating Aquaculture Systems |
| AQC 503 | Reproductive Physiology and Seed Production (Discipline: Aquaculture) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Reproductive Anatomy and Hormones, Broodstock Management, Induced Breeding Techniques, Hatchery Management for Finfish, Hatchery Management for Shellfish, Larval Rearing and Nursery Management |
| AQC 504 | Mariculture (Discipline: Aquaculture) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Introduction to Mariculture, Coastal Water Quality Management, Culture of Marine Finfish, Culture of Marine Shellfish, Seaweed and Pearl Culture, Open Sea Cage Farming |
| AQC 505 | Aquaculture Management (Discipline: Aquaculture) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Aquaculture Farm Management, Economic Principles in Aquaculture, Risk Management and Insurance, Marketing of Aquaculture Products, Policy and Legal Aspects, Aquaculture Business Planning |
| AQC 506 | Organic Aquaculture and Aquaculture Biotechnology (Discipline: Aquaculture) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Principles of Organic Aquaculture, Certification and Standards, Genetic Improvement in Aquaculture, Molecular Techniques in Fish, Disease Diagnostics and Vaccines, Transgenic Fish and Ethical Issues |
| AEM 501 | Aquatic Environment and Pollution (Discipline: Aquatic Environment Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Aquatic Ecosystems and Their Components, Water Quality Parameters, Sources and Types of Aquatic Pollution, Pollution Monitoring Techniques, Eutrophication and Acidification, Impacts of Pollution on Aquatic Biota |
| AEM 502 | Aquatic Ecology and Biodiversity (Discipline: Aquatic Environment Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Ecosystem Concepts and Principles, Population and Community Ecology, Aquatic Biodiversity Hotspots, Conservation of Aquatic Resources, Wetland Ecology and Management, Invasive Species Management |
| AEM 503 | Aquatic Toxicology and Risk Assessment (Discipline: Aquatic Environment Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Principles of Toxicology, Classes of Aquatic Pollutants, Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification, Toxicity Testing and Bioassays, Ecological Risk Assessment, Bioremediation Techniques |
| AEM 504 | Climate Change and Aquatic Systems (Discipline: Aquatic Environment Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming, Impacts on Marine and Freshwater Systems, Ocean Acidification and Sea Level Rise, Fisheries and Aquaculture Adaptation, Mitigation Strategies, Policy and Governance on Climate Change |
| FRM 501 | Population Dynamics and Fish Stock Assessment (Discipline: Fishery Resource Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Fish Population Parameters, Growth and Mortality Models, Recruitment and Spawning Stock, Stock Assessment Models, Surplus Production Models, Virtual Population Analysis |
| FRM 502 | Fishery Biology and Taxonomy (Discipline: Fishery Resource Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Fish Anatomy and Physiology, Reproductive Biology of Fish, Feeding Biology and Food Web, Fish Systematics and Phylogeny, Identification Keys and Resources, Conservation of Fish Diversity |
| FRM 503 | Capture Fishery Management (Discipline: Fishery Resource Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Principles of Fishery Management, Management Tools and Regulations, Co-management and Community Participation, Bycatch Reduction Technologies, Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing |
| FRM 504 | Inland Openwater Fishery Management (Discipline: Fishery Resource Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Inland Fishery Resources, Riverine Fishery Management, Reservoir and Lake Fishery Management, Wetland and Estuarine Fishery, Fishery Enhancement Techniques, Socio-economic Aspects of Inland Fisheries |
| FRM 505 | Marine Fishery Resources and Exploitation (Discipline: Fishery Resource Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Marine Fishery Zones, Exploitation of Demersal Resources, Exploitation of Pelagic Resources, Deep-Sea Fishery Resources, Fishing Gears and Vessels, Marine Protected Areas |
| FPT 501 | Fish Post-Harvest Technology (Discipline: Fish Processing Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Composition of Fish and Shellfish, Post-Mortem Changes in Fish, Fresh Fish Handling and Storage, Fish Spoilage Mechanisms, Chilling and Freezing Techniques, Hygiene and Sanitation in Fish Handling |
| FPT 502 | Fish Processing and Preservation Techniques (Discipline: Fish Processing Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Drying and Salting of Fish, Smoking and Curing Methods, Canning of Fish, Fermentation and Ensilation, Irradiation for Preservation, Novel Preservation Technologies |
| FPT 503 | Fish Quality Management (Discipline: Fish Processing Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Fish Quality Standards, Quality Control and Inspection, HACCP and ISO Systems, Microbiology of Fish and Seafood, Chemical Contaminants in Fish, Traceability and Certification |
| FPT 504 | Value Added Fish Products and Packaging (Discipline: Fish Processing Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Fish Mince Based Products, Surimi and Surimi-Based Products, Fish Oil and Fish Meal Production, Functional Foods from Fish, Packaging Materials and Methods, Shelf-Life Extension through Packaging |
| AHM 501 | Principles of Aquatic Animal Health (Discipline: Aquatic Animal Health Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Host-Pathogen Interactions, Disease Etiology and Epidemiology, Stress and Immunity in Aquatic Animals, Environmental Factors in Disease, Diagnostic Methods for Aquatic Diseases, Preventive Health Management |
| AHM 502 | Diagnosis and Control of Aquatic Animal Diseases (Discipline: Aquatic Animal Health Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Bacterial Diseases of Fish and Shellfish, Viral Diseases of Aquatic Animals, Parasitic Diseases and Protozoans, Fungal Diseases, Diagnostic Techniques, Control and Treatment Strategies |
| AHM 503 | Aquatic Animal Immunology and Therapeutics (Discipline: Aquatic Animal Health Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Innate and Adaptive Immunity, Immunostimulants and Probiotics, Vaccine Development and Application, Antibiotics and Chemotherapeutics, Herbal Medicines for Aquatic Animals, Drug Resistance and Residues |
| AHM 504 | Biosecurity and Disease Management in Aquaculture (Discipline: Aquatic Animal Health Management) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Principles of Biosecurity, Farm-Level Biosecurity Measures, National and International Regulations, Disease Surveillance and Monitoring, Emergency Disease Response, Risk Assessment and Management |
| FNT 501 | Principles of Fish Nutrition (Discipline: Fish Nutrition and Feed Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Digestive Physiology of Fish, Energy Metabolism in Fish, Protein and Amino Acid Requirements, Lipid and Fatty Acid Requirements, Vitamin and Mineral Requirements, Nutrient Deficiencies and Supplementation |
| FNT 502 | Feed Ingredients and Formulation (Discipline: Fish Nutrition and Feed Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Protein Sources for Fish Feeds, Energy Sources in Fish Feeds, Fiber and Binder Materials, Feed Additives and Attractants, Principles of Feed Formulation, Least Cost Feed Formulation |
| FNT 503 | Feed Manufacturing and Quality Control (Discipline: Fish Nutrition and Feed Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Feed Manufacturing Processes, Extrusion and Pelleting Technologies, Drying and Storage of Feeds, Feed Quality Analysis, Hygienic Feed Production, Regulatory Aspects of Feed Manufacturing |
| FNT 504 | Nutritional Physiology and Metabolism (Discipline: Fish Nutrition and Feed Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Digestion and Absorption, Protein and Lipid Metabolism, Carbohydrate Metabolism, Micronutrient Metabolism, Role of Hormones in Nutrition, Nutrient-Gene Interactions |
| FEE 501 | Fishery Economics and Marketing (Discipline: Fishery Economics, Extension, Statistics, and Engineering & Post-Harvest Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Basic Economic Principles, Production Economics in Fisheries, Fisheries Marketing Channels, Supply Chain Management, Pricing and Market Analysis, Fisheries Policies and Subsidies |
| FEE 502 | Fishery Extension and Communication (Discipline: Fishery Economics, Extension, Statistics, and Engineering & Post-Harvest Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Principles of Fishery Extension, Extension Methods and Tools, Communication Models, Adoption and Diffusion of Innovations, Rural Development and Participatory Approaches, Role of NGOs and Government in Extension |
| FEE 503 | Applied Fishery Statistics and Research Methods (Discipline: Fishery Economics, Extension, Statistics, and Engineering & Post-Harvest Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Advanced Statistical Techniques, Experimental Designs in Fisheries, Survey Methods and Sampling, Data Analysis and Interpretation, Multivariate Statistical Methods, Software for Statistical Analysis |
| FEE 504 | Fisheries Engineering and Mechanization (Discipline: Fishery Economics, Extension, Statistics, and Engineering & Post-Harvest Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Fishing Vessel Design and Construction, Fishing Gear Technology, Mechanization in Aquaculture, Refrigeration and Ice Plants, Wastewater Treatment Systems, Renewable Energy in Fisheries |
| FEE 505 | Post-Harvest Management and Value Chain (Discipline: Fishery Economics, Extension, Statistics, and Engineering & Post-Harvest Technology) | Elective/Specialization | 3 | Post-Harvest Losses and Management, Fish Processing Equipment, Cold Chain Management, Value Chain Analysis, Entrepreneurship in Fisheries, Market Linkages and Export Promotion |
Semester 2
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEM 591 | Seminar I | Core | 1 | Literature Review and Topic Selection, Research Proposal Preparation, Scientific Presentation Skills, Data Interpretation and Discussion, Academic Ethics and Plagiarism |
Semester 3
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RES 599 | Master''''s Research (Part I) | Research | 10 | Research Problem Identification, Experimental Design and Methodology, Data Collection and Analysis, Scientific Writing and Reporting, Ethical Considerations in Research |
Semester 4
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RES 599 | Master''''s Research (Part II) | Research | 10 | Data Analysis and Interpretation, Thesis Writing and Formatting, Result Discussion and Conclusion, Thesis Defense Preparation, Publication Ethics and Strategy |
| SEM 592 | Seminar II | Core | 1 | Presentation of Research Findings, Scientific Communication of Results, Responding to Scientific Queries, Critique and Discussion of Research, Future Research Directions |
