CBSE | DEPARTMENT OF SKILL EDUCATION

CURRICULUM FOR SESSION 2021-2022

AGRICULTURE (SUBJECT CODE – 408)
JOB ROLE: SOLANACEOUS CROP CULTIVATOR
CLASS – IX & X
INTRODUCTION:
Agriculture has been the prime enterprise for the National Economy of this country for centuries
and that is why India is called Agrarian country. This sector also provides maximum employment
to the people of this country. Agriculture is the production of food and fiber, ever since its advent.
It has undergone several paradigm changes. The major landmark in Agriculture happened during
1960s when the country witnessed Green Revolution which boosted the crop production. Use of
short duration crop varieties, fertilizers, pesticides and agricultural tools and expansion of area
under irrigation were important interventions brought in Agriculture. Livestock is an integral part
of Agriculture in India. Their by-products are used to build and maintain soil fertility along with
plant protection. The animal products such as meat, milk and eggs are the source of nutrients in
human diet as well.

Several emerging dimensions of contemporary Agriculture such as organic agriculture and

animal husbandry practices are now getting attention. Food processing, value addition and
preservation have been the focus of policies formation in recent times which are helpful in
minimizing the wastage in Agriculture. This is helping in better income realizing through
marketing of value added products. The income from Agriculture can also be increased by
associating in subsidiary enterprises such as mushroom production, bio-pesticides, bee-keeping,
vermi-culture etc.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The board objectives of teaching Agriculture at Senior Secondary level are:

1. To help the students to comprehended the facts and importance of Agriculture.

2. To expose the students to crop production, animal husbandry, horticulture etc.
3. To familiarize the students with waste management and physical environment in
Agriculture.
4. To expose the students to find better income and avenue generating avenue of agriculture
and its associated activities.

CURRICULUM:
This course is a planned sequence of instructions consisting of Units meant for developing
employability and Skills competencies of students of Class IX and X opting for Skills subject
along with other subjects.

408 – Agriculture Class IX & X - 2021-2022 Page 1 of 10

 The unit-wise distribution of periods and marks for Class IX is as follows:

AGRICULTURE (SUBJECT CODE - 408)

CLASS – IX (SESSION 2021-2022)
Total Marks: 100 (Theory-50 + Practical-50)
MAX.
NO. OF HOURS for MARKS for
TERM UNITS Theory and Practical Theory and
200 Practical
100
Employability Skills
TERM I Unit 1 : Communication Skills-I 10
Unit 2 : Self-Management Skills-I 10
Part A

5
Unit 3 : ICT Skills-I 10
TERM II Unit 4 : Entrepreneurial Skills-I 15
5
Unit 5 : Green Skills-I 05
Total 50 10
Theory Practical
Subject Specific Skills Marks
(In Hours) (In Hours)
TERM I Unit 1: Introduction to Horticulture 20 10
Unit 2: Seed selection and seeding
Part B

20
production 30 15

TERM II Unit 3: Soil preparation and

25 15
transplanting
20
Unit 4: Nutrient management in
vegetable crops 20 15

Total 95 55 40
Practical Work
Practical Examination 15
Part C

Written Test 10

Viva Voce 10

Total 35

Project Work / Field Visit

Part D

Practical File / Student Portfolio 10

Viva Voce 05
Total 15
GRAND TOTAL 200 100

408 – Agriculture Class IX & X - 2021-2022 Page 2 of 10

DETAILED CURRICULUM/TOPICS FOR CLASS IX:

Part-A: EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

S. No. Units Duration in Hours

1. Unit 1: Communication Skills-I 10
2. Unit 2: Self-management Skills-I 10
3. Unit 3: Basic Information and Communication Technology Skills-I 10
4. Unit 4: Entrepreneurial Skills-I 15
5. Unit 5: Green Skills-I 05
TOTAL 50

NOTE: For Detailed Curriculum/ Topics to be covered under Part A: Employability

Skills can be downloaded from CBSE website.

Part-B – SUBJECT SPECIFIC SKILLS

Unit 1: Introduction to Horticulture

Unit 2: Seed selection and seedling production
Unit 3: Soil preparation and transplanting
Unit 4: Nutrient management in vegetable crops

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO HORTICULTURE

LEARNING OUTCOMES THEORY PRACTICAL

1. Describe the present 1. Define Horticulture 1. Enlist the major horticultural
status and prospects 2. Importance of horticulture in crops in India and your locality
of Horticulture in India daily life
3. Prospects of Horticulture in
India
2. Classify and 1. Branches of horticulture 1. Draw a diagram depicting the
categorize horticulture 2. Different horticultural crops classification of horticultural crops
crops and their major growing
regions in India
3. Carry out important 1. Horticultural operations viz. 1. Visit to a nursery/ Horticulture
horticultural training, pruning and farm for Demonstration of
operations transplanting pruning, Training and
transplanting of seedlings
2. Practice of pruning
4. Describe olericulture 1. Olericulture 1. Demonstrate the
and importance of 2. Importance of vegetable in availability of nutrients through
vegetable in human Diet vegetables
human diet using charts/pictures

408 – Agriculture Class IX & X - 2021-2022 Page 3 of 10

UNIT 2: SEED SELECTION AND SEEDLING PRODUCTION

LEARNING OUTCOMES THEORY PRACTICAL

1. Select the seed & 1. Various characteristics 1. Identify various
procurement of seed of seed with their and appropriate variety
suitability to the (including hybrid) of
location Solanaceous crops
2. Characteristics of 2. Identify various vendors /
healthy varieties suppliers (including
3. Demand of various government nurseries
varieties in the market /department) of the seed that
are certified
3. Procure seeds in
appropriate quantity
4. Identify market rates for
Solanaceous crop seeds (such
as tomato,
capsicum,)
2. Prepare seed bed 1. Preparing the site for 1. Demonstration of the
seed bed procedure of preparation of
2. Soil sterilization – various types of seed beds –
solarisation and raised, sunken, level
chemical treatment
3. Seed treatment
techniques with
chemicals
3. Plant seeds on a seed 1. Factors affecting seed 1. Estimating how much seed is
bed or containers germination – seed required to grow a given
viability, seed pests and number of area for each crop
diseases, etc. 2. Planting seeds in the poly
2. Factors to be considered bags/trays to aid in the
while planting seeds on cultivation of Solanaceous crops
seed bed and polybags/ 3. Counting the number of seeds
trays – time, depth, etc. that have germinated so as to
assess mortality rate

4. Manage nursery for 1. Advantages and 1. Identifysoil nursery or tray

Solanaceous crops disadvantages of soil method for growing seedlings
cultivation nursery or tray method 2. Plant the seed at correct
2. Depth and spacing of depth and appropriate
planting seedlings in spacing
case of soil nursery & 3. Water the seedling at
tray for Solanaceous appropriate time with
crops appropriate method

408 – Agriculture Class IX & X - 2021-2022 Page 4 of 10

UNIT 3: SOIL PREPARATION AND TRANSPLANTING

LEARNING OUTCOMES THEORY PRACTICAL

1. Prepare Soil for 1. Importance of Soil testing 1. Enlist the
transplanting 2. Various authorized centers of authorised soil
soil testing testing centres in
3. Level of soil tillage including your state.
depth of ploughing and 2. Prepare the land
appropriate equipments for with ridges and
plugging furrows
4. Distance between ridges 3. Application
and furrows of farm yard
5. Requirement of farm yard manure and
manure and fertilizer in fertilizers
appropriate quantity
2. Apply transplanting 1. Appropriate time for planting by 1. Demonstration
of the seedlings taking in to account of soil, Transplanting of
climatic conditions seedling at
2. Planting equipments (shovel or appropriate stage
trowel) and spacing
3. Spacing between rows and plants
4. Advantages and
disadvantages of intercropping
and types of plant to
be intercropped
5. Advantages of crop rotation

UNIT 4: NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN VEGETABLE CROPS

LEARNING OUTCOMES THEORY PRACTICAL

1. Describe the Macro & 1. Elements/components under 1. Understand the basic
micronutrients in soil macro & micro nutrients macro & micro nutrients
and its testing 2. Function of each macro & micro with their functions
nutrient 2. Undertake testing of soil
3. Advantages & disadvantages to determine its nutrient
of particular macro & micro and fertilizer needs from
nutrients authorized laboratory
3. Collect soil testing report
2. Apply manures, 1. Types of organic manures 1. Visit to a Vegetable farm
fertilizers and (farm yard manure, for applying manures and
biofertilizers compost, green manure, fertilizers as per the
vermicompost), fertilizers recommended dose to
and biofertilizers various vegetables
2. Methods of application of
manures, fertilizers and
biofertilizers
3. Time of application of manures,
fertilizers and biofertilizers

408 – Agriculture Class IX & X - 2021-2022 Page 5 of 10

 The unit-wise distribution of periods and marks for Class X is as follows:

AGRICULTURE (SUBJECT CODE - 408)

CLASS – X (SESSION 2021-2022)
Total Marks: 100 (Theory-50 + Practical-50)
MAX.
NO. OF HOURS for MARKS for
TERM UNITS Theory and Practical Theory and
200 Practical
100
Employability Skills
TERM I Unit 1 : Communication Skills-II 10
Part A

Unit 2 : Self-Management Skills-II 10 5

Unit 3 : ICT Skills-II 10
TERM II Unit 4 : Entrepreneurial Skills-II 15
5
Unit 5 : Green Skills-II 05
Total 50 10
Theory Practical
Subject Specific Skills Marks
(In Hours) (In Hours)
TERM I Unit 1: Agricultural production and 30 10
management
Unit 2: Production and management 25 08 20
of horticultural crops
Part B

Unit 3: Animal husbandry and 10 08

dairying
TERM II Unit 4: Post production handling,
packaging and processing of animal 15 08
products
Unit 5: Seed production and nursery 20
10 08
management
Unit 6: Entrepreneurial skill 10 08
development
Total 100 50 40
Practical Work
Part C

Practical Examination 15
Written Test 10
Viva Voce 10
Total 35
Project Work / Field Visit
Part D

Practical File / Student Portfolio 10

Viva Voce 05
Total 15
GRAND TOTAL 200 100
408 – Agriculture Class IX & X - 2021-2022 Page 6 of 10
DETAILED CURRICULUM/TOPICS FOR CLASS X:

Part-A: EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

S. No. Units Duration in Hours

1. Unit 1: Communication Skills-II 10
2. Unit 2: Self-management Skills-II 10
3. Unit 3: Basic Information and Communication Technology Skills-II 10
4. Unit 4: Entrepreneurial Skills-II 15
5. Unit 5: Green Skills-II 05
TOTAL 50
NOTE: For Detailed Curriculum/ Topics to be covered under Part A: Employability
Skills can be downloaded from CBSE website.
Part-B – SUBJECT SPECIFIC SKILLS

Unit 1: Agricultural production and management

Unit 2: Production and management of horticultural crops
Unit 3: Animal husbandry and dairying
Unit 4: Post production handling, packaging and processing of animal products
Unit 5: Seed production and nursery management
Unit 6: Entrepreneurial skill development

UNIT 1: AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

1. Brief Crop Production practices:

2. Cereals- rice, wheat and maize.
3. Pulses- chick pea, pigeon pea, pea, lentil, urd, moong and soybean.
4. Oilseed- mustard, groundnut and sunflower.

5. Fodder & fibre crops- berseem, cotton, jute and mesta.

6. Commercial crop- Sugarcane, tea, coffee.)

UNIT 2 : PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OF HORTICULTURAL CROPS

1. Fruits-mango, banana, guava, citrus, grapes, pomegranate, apple, cashew, coconut
and areca nut.
2. Vegetable- potato, cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, brinjal, chilli, bhindi, cucurbits, pea.

3. Flower-Rose, tube rose, marigold.

4. Spices- turmeric, coriander, cumin, black pepper.

5. Note: Selected crops may be taken Crop Protection
i). Common Pests, disease and management practices
ii). Pesticides
6. Post-Harvest handling of important agricultural produce.

408 – Agriculture Class IX & X - 2021-2022 Page 7 of 10

 UNIT 3 : ANIMAL HUSBANDRY & DAIRYING

1. Nutrition and maintenance of livestock. Breeding and care of farm animals.

2. Uses of livestock products and by-products.

3. Vaccination schedule of common farm animals and poultry

4. Important diseases of farm animals and their control

UNIT 4 : POST PRODUCTION HANDLING, PACKAGING AND PROCESSING OF ANIMAL

PRODUCTS

1. Handling of raw milk, pasteurization and packaging of heat processed milk.

Common milk products : Paneer, Dahi, cheese, khoya, srikhand, butter, ghee, ice
2.
cream, milk powder, Chnna and Khoya based products
3. Meat & meat products: chicken and mutton

UNIT 5 : SEED PRODUCTION AND NURSERY MANAGEMENT

Common principles of pollination and fertilization in crops. Self and cross pollinated
1.
crops, Definition of pure lines, inbred, hybrids, composites and synthetics.

Nursery bed preparation, treatment of nursery soil, seed treatment, seed sowing, care
2.
of seedlings in nursery, common nursery structures.

UNITS 6 : ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT

1. Apiculture
2. Lac culture
3. Sericulture

4. Pisciculture

5. Mushroom culture
6. Biogas, fertilizers and sanitation

7. Processing of Horticultural Produce

8. Terrarium preparation

9. Ornamental fish culture

408 – Agriculture Class IX & X - 2021-2022 Page 8 of 10

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

The teaching and training activities have to be conducted in classroom, laboratory/ workshops
and field visits. Students should be taken to field visits for interaction with experts and to expose
them to the various tools, equipment, materials, procedures and operations in the workplace.
Special emphasis should be laid on the occupational safety, health and hygiene during the
training and field visits.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

Classroom activities are an integral part of this course and interactive lecture sessions, followed
by discussions should be conducted by trained teachers. Teachers should make effective use of
a variety of instructional or teaching aids, such as audio-video materials, colour slides, charts,
diagrams, models, exhibits, hand-outs, online teaching materials, etc. to transmit knowledge and
impart training to the students.

PRACTICAL WORK IN LABORATORY/WORKSHOP

Practical work may include but not limited to hands-on-training, simulated training, role play,
case based studies, exercises, etc. Equipment and supplies should be provided to enhance
hands-on learning experience of students. Only trained personnel should teach specialized
techniques. A training plan that reflects tools, equipment, materials, skills and activities to be
performed by the students should be submitted by the teacher to the Head of the Institution.

SKILL ASSESSMENT (PRACTICAL)

Assessment of skills by the students should be done by the assessors/examiners on the basis of
practical demonstration of skills by the candidate, Practical examination allows candidates to
demonstrate that they have the knowledge and understanding of performing a task. This will
include hands-on practical exam and viva voce. For practical, there should be a team of two
evaluators. The same team of examiners will conduct the viva voce.

Project Work (individual or group project) is a great way to assess the practical skills on a
certain time period or timeline. Project work should be given on the basis of the capability of the
individual to perform the tasks or activities involved in the project. Projects should be discussed
in the class and the teacher should periodically monitor the progress of the project and provide
feedback for improvement and innovation. Field visits should be organised as part of the project
work. Field visits can be followed by a small-group work/project work. When the class returns
from the field visit, each group might be asked to use the information that they have gathered to
prepare presentations or reports of their observations. Project work should be assessed on the
basis of practical file or student portfolio.

Student Portfolio is a compilation of documents that supports the candidate’s claim of

competence. Documents may include reports, articles, photos of products prepared by students
in relation to the unit of competency.

Viva voce allows candidates to demonstrate communication skills and content knowledge. Audio
or video recording can be done at the time of viva voce. The number of external examiners
would be decided as per the existing norms of the Board and these norms should be suitably
adopted/adapted as per the specific requirements of the subject. Viva voce should also be
conducted to obtain feedback on the student’s experiences and learning during the project
work/field visits.

408 – Agriculture Class IX & X - 2021-2022 Page 9 of 10

ORGANISATION OF FIELD VISITS/ EDUCATIONAL TOURS

In a year, at least 3 field visits/educational tours should be organised for the students to expose
them to the activities in the workplace.

Visit a Vegetable Farm and observe the following: Location, Site, Office building, Store, Pot yard,
Packing Yard, Seed bed, Nursery bed, Water tank/Tube well, Gate and fencing. During the visit,
students should obtain the following information from the owner or the supervisor of the
Vegetable Farm:

1. Area under Cultivation and its layout

2. Types of vegetable raised
3. Name of varieties grown
4. Number of crops raised annually
5. Total production of particular vegetable grown annually
6. Sale procedure
7. Manpower engaged
8. Total expenditure of growing vegetables
9. Total annual income
10. Profit/Loss (Annual)
11. Any other information
LIST OF EQUIPMENT/ MATERIALS:

The list given below is suggestive and an exhaustive list should be prepared by the Skill teacher.
Only basic tools, equipment and accessories should be procured by the Institution so that the
routine tasks can be performed by the students regularly for practice and acquiring adequate
practical experience.

1. Farmyard Manure 18. Plug trays

2. Fertilizers 19. Pruners
3. Garden Hand Tools 20. Rabbiting Spade
4. Garden Hoes 21. Sanitizers
5. Garden Knife 22. Secateurs
6. Garden Rake 23. Seed Cleaner
7. Garden/Digging Fork 24. Seed Treating Equipment
8. Garden/Digging Spade 25. Shovels and Specialty Spades
9. Hand Screens/Sieves 26. Soil Scoop
10. Hoe 27. Sprinkler Irrigation Unit
11. Hori Hori Knife 28. Drip Irrigation Unit
12. Knapsack Sprayer 29. Dutch Hand Hoe
13. Leaf Rake 30. Trowels
14. Long Handle Hoes 31. Vermicompost
15. Loppers or Pruning Saw 32. Water Hose
16. Plastics Baskets 33. Watering Can
17. Poly bags (different sizes) 34. Wheelbarrow or Garden Car

408 – Agriculture Class IX & X - 2021-2022 Page 10 of 10