Nanoscience and Nanotechnology: Institutes, courses, and job roles

Nano is the future — its scope is getting broader with every passing day. Nanoscience operates on the nanoscale, opening up a whole world of possibilities through the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules. If you want to be part of the new-age scientific revolution, a degree in Nanoscience is the perfect way to go forward.

What is Nanoscience

Nanoscience is an emerging field of study engaging chemists, physicists, biologists, materials scientists, engineers — all under one roof. This is the study of materials at the nanoscale to take advantage of their enhanced properties and light weight. It is a booming field in advanced scientific research to resolve problems in agriculture, medicine and environment sectors.

How to study Nanoscience

• You need at least 60% per cent in your Class XII board exams in Science stream.
• You need to have a bachelor's degree in Physics/Chemistry/Biotechnology. Or you need a BE/BTech degree from a UGC-recognised university.
• You need to clear entrance exams conducted by different universities to enrol in master's or PhD courses in this discipline.

Institutes that offer courses in Nanoscience:

Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, Karnataka

Course: MTech Nano Science and Engineering.

• Duration: Two years.
• Eligibility: You need a good rank in GATE after clearing your MSc in Electronics, Physics or Chemistry/BE/BTech or equivalent exams.
• Admission: Depends on your GATE ranking and interview.

Course: PhD in Nano Science and Engineering.

• Duration: Typically four to six years, although there have been exceptional instances where PhD thesis have been successfully defended under two and a half years.

• Eligibility:

1. ME/MTech or equivalent in any discipline.
2. BE/BTech or equivalent in any Engineering discipline with a valid score in a recommended GATE paper.
3. MSc or equivalent in any Science discipline with a valid score in a recommended GATE paper.

• Admission: You need to clear one of the following national-level competitive exams: INSPIRE, Joint CSIR UGC NET for JRF, DBT JRF, UGC NET for JRF and JEST.

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, UP

Course: PhD and postdoc offered by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

• Eligibility:

1. ME/MTech or equivalent in any discipline.
2. BE/BTech or equivalent in any Engineering discipline with a valid score in a recommended GATE paper.
3. MSc or equivalent in any Science discipline with a valid score in a recommended GATE paper.

• Admission: You need to clear an online screening exam followed by an interview.

National Institute of Technology (NIT), Calicut, Kerala

Course: MTech in Nanotechnology offered by the School of Material Science and Engineering.

• Duration: Two years.
• Eligibility: Students with BTech in Mechanical/ Production/ Chemical Engineering.
• Admission: GATE score.

Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi

Course: MTech in Nanotechnology.

• Duration: Two years.
• Eligibility: Your minimum obtained percentage in the bachelor's exam should be 60%.
• Admission: JMI Entrance Exam.

Job roles with a Nanoscience degree:

• Manufacturing engineer: They use advanced discoveries in the field of Nanoscience to improve the manufacturing process, quality and efficiency of various industries like food, pharmaceuticals, machineries and gadgets.

• Holography and optical engineer: Their work includes building and designing optical benchtop setups. They are also responsible for prototyping diffractive elements. They record optical wavefronts and later reconstruct them.

• Research scientist: They work in sectors like biotechnology, space research, genetics, environment, food and agriculture. They have the scope of working in national laboratories and work for international projects.

• Environmental control and remediation: They work on advanced technology to improve machinery that work for removing contaminants from water, soil and air. Their focus is to improve human health and simultaneously protect the environment.

• Nano-geoscientist: They determine unusual chemical activities of nanosized particles in oceans, atmosphere or continents. They predict any unexpected outcomes of earth processes with the help of nanotechnology.

• Auto and aerospace engineer: They develop improved aerospace materials using nano-particles with liquid jet and rocket fuel. They also instil new performance attributes in the automobile industry to bring about sustainable enhancements.