Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) is the main public university for agriculture and related sciences in the Potohar region. It was founded in 1970 as the Barani Agricultural College and became a university in 1994. Its name comes from its mission: teaching and research for the arid (barani) areas of Punjab, where farming depends on rain rather than canals. For students from Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Jhelum and Attock, it is the closest public university for agriculture, veterinary science and allied fields.
At a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Murree Road, Rawalpindi, Punjab |
| Type | Public-sector university (founded 1970 as a college; university status 1994) |
| Main fields | Agriculture, veterinary and animal sciences, forestry, food science, agricultural engineering |
| Fees and admission dates | To be confirmed — no reliable published fee schedule was found for the current cycle; check the university's own admission notice |
Programmes
The university's faculties cover crop and soil sciences, agricultural engineering and technology, veterinary and animal sciences, food science and human nutrition, forestry, range management and wildlife, and agricultural economics and social sciences. Undergraduate degrees include BSc (Hons) Agriculture, DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine), BSc Food Science and Technology, and BS programmes in fields such as computer science, environmental sciences and business administration. Postgraduate programmes (MSc, MPhil and PhD) are offered in most agricultural disciplines, and the university runs research stations in the Potohar region.
Admission
Admission to undergraduate programmes is normally on merit, based on marks in Matric and FSc (Pre-Medical or Pre-Engineering, depending on the programme), with the university's own entry test or an accepted test score where the programme requires one. DVM and the agriculture degrees are the most competitive. The university usually announces Fall admissions in the summer and Spring admissions in the winter — confirm the exact dates, the test requirement and the merit formula in the current admission notice on the university's website, as these change every year. Closing merits for popular programmes are not published in a single list; ask the admissions office for the previous year's closing merit before you apply.
Why choose PMAS-AAUR
For a student from the Potohar region who wants to study agriculture or veterinary science, this is the natural first choice: it is a public university with low fees by Pakistani standards, it is close to home, and its graduates work in the Punjab agriculture department, livestock department, research institutes and the private seed and fertiliser sector. The university's research focus on dryland farming is directly relevant to the region's agriculture.
Frequently asked questions
Is PMAS Arid Agriculture University public or private? Public. It is a public-sector university of the Government of Punjab.
What is it best for? Agriculture, veterinary and animal sciences, forestry and food science, with a focus on arid (barani) farming.
How do I get admission? On merit, based on Matric and FSc marks, with an entry test where the programme requires one. Confirm the current notice for dates and the merit formula.
What are the fees? To be confirmed — check the university's own admission notice for the current fee schedule.
Related guides on Pakunii
NUST Complete Profile · UET Lahore Complete Profile · University of the Punjab Profile · Quaid-i-Azam University Profile
Sources and verification: University history (founded 1970 as Barani Agricultural College; university status 1994) and programme structure as published by the university. Current-cycle fees, admission dates and closing merits are not published in a reliable schedule — marked to be confirmed in the page.