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SIGNUP

Soil Health Card Scheme

At a glance

The Soil Health Card (SHC) scheme was launched on 19 February 2015 at Suratgarh, Rajasthan. Under it, soil samples from farmers' fields are tested in laboratories and each farmer receives a card showing the condition of their soil and a crop-wise recommendation of which fertilizers and nutrients to use — and how much. This saves money on unnecessary fertilizer and improves yields over time. More than 24.74 crore cards have been issued since the scheme began (over 25 crore as of July 2025). Since 2022-23 the scheme runs as the "Soil Health & Fertility" component of the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).

Who is eligible

  • Every farmer in India, whether owner or cultivator, can get a Soil Health Card for their landholding.
  • There is no income, caste or land-size restriction, and the card is free.

Benefits

  • Free soil test of your field covering 12 parameters: the macro-nutrients N, P, K and S; the micro-nutrients Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn and B; plus pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and organic carbon (OC).
  • A written recommendation on the right dose of fertilizers and soil amendments for your crops — so you spend less on inputs that your soil does not need.
  • Repeat testing: cards are designed to be reissued in cycles (roughly every 2 years per holding) so you can track whether your soil is improving.
  • Cards are issued in a standard format in all major Indian languages and several dialects.
  • The scheme also funds village-level soil testing labs — 665 had been set up across 17 states as of February 2025 — bringing testing closer to the farm.

How to apply

  1. Contact your village agriculture extension officer, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, or the district/block agriculture office and ask for soil sample collection from your field. Many states run collection drives village by village.
  2. A sample is collected from your field and sent to a soil testing lab; you are given a sample/survey number.
  3. When the test is done, your card is generated on the national portal. Visit soilhealth.dac.gov.in, enter your state, district and sample details, and view or download the card as a PDF. Cards are also distributed physically in many states.

Documents required

  • Aadhaar card (for farmer registration on the portal)
  • Basic land details (khasra/survey number of the field sampled)
  • Mobile number

Key dates & status

  • Launched: 19 February 2015.
  • Ongoing — merged into RKVY as the "Soil Health & Fertility" component from 2022-23. The portal was revamped in 2023 with GIS mapping of test results.
  • Sample collection timing depends on your state's current drive — confirm with your local agriculture office.

Common questions

Q: Does the soil test cost anything? A: No. Testing and the card are free for farmers under the scheme.

Q: How often should my soil be tested? A: The scheme is designed around a roughly 2-year cycle per landholding, so aim to retest every couple of years.

Q: What does the card actually tell me? A: It shows the level of 12 soil parameters in your field and recommends the fertilizer doses suited to your soil and crops.

Q: I lost my card. Can I get it again? A: Yes. You can download it anytime from soilhealth.dac.gov.in using your state, district and sample details.

Sources: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2104403, https://soilhealth.dac.gov.in, https://www.pib.gov.in/FactsheetDetails.aspx?Id=148602. Last verified: 2026-08-07. Always confirm current details on the official portal before acting.