Building a career in Biotechnology: Institutes, UG and PG courses, job roles

Are you interested in translating your scientific knowledge of Biology into practical use by combining it with technology? Then a career in Biotechnology could be ideal as it would give you a chance to explore the development and design of drugs, industrial reagents and the latest healthcare technologies.

What is Biotechnology?

Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field of science that combines Human Biology, Bioinformatics, Microbiology, Maths and Biochemistry. In this field, cellular and biomolecular processes are used to develop drugs, chemicals and technologies.

You can study this either as a science subject at the undergraduate level or go for an engineering degree after clearing the JEE exams.

Studying Biotechnology

• In most cases, you need at least 50% aggregate in your Class XII board exams with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as compulsory subjects to get admission to undergraduate colleges for a BSc course in Biotechnology.
• After obtaining your bachelor’s degree, you can pursue an MSc course in Biotechnology.

Popular colleges that offer BSc and/or MSc courses in Biotechnology:

St. Xaviers College, Kolkata

Course: Integrated MSc in Biotechnology.

• Duration: Five years.
• Eligibility: You need to clear your Class XII board exam with at least 50% aggregate and also with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as compulsory subjects.
• Admission: Merit-based.
  
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Techno India University, Kolkata

Course: BSc in Biotechnology.

• Duration: Three years.
• Eligibility: You need at least 50% aggregate your Class XII board exams with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as compulsory subjects to appear for an entrance exam conducted by the university.
• Admission: Depends on your performance in the entrance examination.
  

Course: MSc in Biotechnology.

• Duration: Two years.
• Eligibility: You need a minimum of 50% aggregate in your BSc in Microbiology from a UGC-recognised university to appear for an entrance examination conducted by the university.
• Admission: Depends on your performance in the entrance examination.

• Click here to learn more.

Amity University, Kolkata

Course: BSc in Biotechnology.

• Duration: Three years.
• Eligibility: You need at least Class XII board exams with at least 50% aggregate. You also need Physics, Chemistry and Biology as compulsory subjects.
• Admission: Merit-based.

Course: MSc in Biotechnology.

• Duration: Two years.
• Eligibility: You need to have 50% marks in your BSc in Biotechnology.
• Admission: Merit-based.

• Click here to learn more.

Christ (deemed-to-be) University, Bangalore

Course: BSc in Biotechnology, Chemistry, Botany.

• Duration: Three years.
• Eligibility: You need at least 50% aggregate in your Class XII board exam with Chemistry and Biology/Botany as compulsory subjects.
• Admission: Depends on your academic performance (Class XII board examination marks), micro presentation and personal interview.

Course: MSc in Biotechnology.

• Duration: Two years.
• Eligibility: You need 50% aggregate in your BSc in Biotechnology to appear for an entrance test.
• Admission: Depends on your performance in the entrance test, followed by a micro presentation and personal interview.

• Click here to learn more.

Fergusson College, Pune

Course: BSc in Biotechnology, Chemistry, Botany.

• Duration: Three years.
• Eligibility: You need at least 50% aggregate in your Class XII board exams with Chemistry and Biology as compulsory subjects.
• Admission: Merit-based.
  

Course: MSc in Biotechnology.

• Duration: Two years.
• Eligibility: You need at least 50% marks in your BSc in Biotechnology.
• Admission: Merit-based.

• Click here to learn more.

Mount Carmel College, Bangalore

Course: BSc in Biotechnology, Chemistry, Botany.

• Duration: Three years.
• Eligibility: You need at least 50% marks in your Class XII board exams with Chemistry and Biology as compulsory subjects to arrear for an entrance set conducted by the university
• Admission: Depends on your performance in the entrance test.

Course: MSc in Biotechnology.

• Duration: Two years.
• Eligibility: You need at least 50% marks in your BSc in Biotechnology to appear for an entrance test.
• Admission: Depends on your performance in the entrance test and the subsequent personal interview.

• Click here to learn more.

Studying Biotechnology Engineering:

• You need at least 50% aggregate in your Class XII board exams or any equivalent exam with Physics, Chemistry and Maths/Biology as compulsory subjects.
• After completing your board exams, you need to clear one of the Engineering entrance exams to get admission to BTech courses in Biotechnology Engineering.
• You can also pursue a BTech degree in Production, Food Technology or Chemical Engineering and then appear for PG entrance exams to pursue MTech courses in Biotechnology Engineering.
• You can also pursue MTech courses in Biotechnology Engineering after completion of your MSc in Biotechnology.

Some popular institutes in India for Biotechnology Engineering:

• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), multiple locations
• National Institute of Technology (NIT), multiple locations
• Netaji Subhash Engineering College, Kolkata
• Amity University, Kolkata
• Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata
• Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Kerala
• Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai
• Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi
• Birla Institute of Technology (BITS), Pilani- Rajasthan
• Manipal University, Manipal- Rajasthan
• Anna University, Chennai
• PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore - Tamil Nadu
• Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal

Study abroad

Biotechnology is a well-established field of study in other countries. Several foreign universities offer courses that are intertwined with Physics, Biology, Medical Science and Technology. Here is a list of foreign institutes that offer both theoretical and technical courses in Biotechnology:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US
• California Institute of Technology, US
• University of Alabama, US
• Yale University, US
• University of Cambridge, UK
• University of Glasgow, UK
• University of Manitoba, Canada
• Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
• National University of Singapore, Singapore

Job roles with a Biotechnology degree

• Biotechnologist: They are in charge of developing and improving products and processes that make use of biological organisms. Other key areas include collecting, studying and testing food, cell, tissue and blood samples.
• Microbiologist: They are in charge of planning and carrying out trials involving microorganisms, in keeping with strict health and safety standards. They write research papers, reviews and reports.
• Research scientist: They are in charge of designing, planning and carrying out experiments. They analyse the result after each experiment.
• Production manager: They implement quality control programmes to ensure that the finished product meets a predetermined level of quality.
• Industrial biotechnologist: These professionals use engineering and scientific principles to treat materials with microbes, plant, and animal cells to create useful products or processes. They also keep an eye on the effects of industrial waste on the local ecosystem.
• Biomedical scientist: They conduct a variety of scientific and laboratory tests on tissue samples and fluids to help the development of therapeutic solutions for life-threatening diseases.