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Date:03/01/2011 URL:
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CAREER GUIDE
The fascinating world of biotech
GOPAKUMAR KARAKONAM
A look at the higher study options in biotechnology and the related career prospects.

Growing sector: Biotechnology students are in demand.
Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary area that encompasses not only biology and engineering but
also subjects such as chemistry, physics and mathematics. Some of the fast-growing areas in
biotechnology are recombinant DNA technology, microbial biotechnology, cell biology,
immunotechnology and protein engineering. The major application areas in biotechnology are in
the field of healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medicine, agriculture and environment and animal
husbandry. B.E./ B.Tech. and B.Sc. courses are available in this discipline. B.Tech.
biotechnology is a four-year professional degree course, in which the curriculum focuses on the
technological applications in biology.
Students who pass their Plus Two examination with at least 50 per cent marks in mathematics,
and 50 per cent marks in mathematics, physics, chemistry/ biotechnology/ computer science/
biology subjects taken together are eligible to appear for the engineering entrance examination.
The selection will be based on the marks obtained in the entrance examination.
A few universities also offer a five-year integrated M.Sc. biotechnology course for Plus Two
students in the science stream. M.Tech. dual degree course in this discipline is rare.
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If you want to become a biotechnologist, it is better to opt for B.Tech. course or five-year
M.Tech. dual degree course after Plus Two. Those who choose B.Sc. degree course can go for
M.Sc. or research if they score good marks in their degree course.
At IITs
Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) at Madras, Guwahati and Roorkee offer four-year B.Tech.
courses in biotechnology. IIT Kharagpur conducts B.Tech. degree course in biotechnology and
biochemical engineering.
IIT Madras offers five-year M.Tech. dual degree in biotechnology. The selection is based on IIT
Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) conducted every year. Students who have passed their Plus
Two examination with physics, mathematics, chemistry subjects with at least 60 per cent marks
in aggregate and those appearing for the final qualifying examination are eligible to appear for the
IIT-JEE (http://jee.iitm.ac.in).
Meritorious Plus Two students can also appear in the All India Engineering Entrance Examination
(AIEEE) conducted every year by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) for
admission to B.E./ B.Tech. courses in various branches including biotechnology offered at
several institutions.
Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, offers B.E. degree course in biotechnology. Those who
have passed Plus Two examination with physics, mathematics and chemistry/ biotechnology/
biology with at least 50 per cent marks in aggregate are eligible to apply. The selection is based
on an all-India level Manipal University Online Entrance Test conducted every year. Web site:
www.manipal.edu.
SRM University, Kattankulathur, Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu, conducts B.Tech. degree
course in biotechnology. The selection is based on an all-India level SRM engineering entrance
examination. Web site: www.srmuniv.ac.in.
VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, offers B.Tech. biotechnology course. Admission is based
on VIT Engineering Entrance Examination (VITEE) conducted every year.
The entry qualification is a pass in Plus Two examination with at least 60 per cent marks in
physics, chemistry and mathematics /biology subjects. Web site: www.vit.ac.in.
The Biotechnology Centre of the Anna University, Chennai, offers B.Tech. degree course in
industrial biotechnology for Plus Two students in science subject including physics, chemistry,
mathematics /biology.
The list is only indicative.
For a better career, one should secure M.Tech. and Ph.D. in biotechnology. For admission to
M.Tech. programme, one should secure high marks in the B.E./ B.Tech. degree in biotechnology
and qualify in GATE with high score.
In M.Tech.-level courses, besides biotechnology, some options available are industrial
biotechnology and medical biotechnology. M.Tech study facilities in biotechnology or allied
branches are rare in India.
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Anna University, Chennai, and West Bengal University of Technology, Kolkata, offer M.Tech. in
biotechnology.
Admission to both these universities is based on the annual national-level combined
biotechnology entrance examination conducted by Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Entry qualification requirement: at least 60 per cent marks in B.E. / B.Tech. in biotechnology,
chemical engineering, biochemical engineering, industrial biotechnology, leather technology,
biomedical engineering and chemical technology, B.Pharm. or M.Sc. degree course in
biotechnology, life sciences, botany, zoology, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics and
bioinformatics. Final-year students in the respective discipline are also eligible to appear for the
entrance test. Combined biotechnology entrance examination notification will be published during
January/ February every year. The examination will be conducted in May.
IIT Kharagpur offers M.Tech. degree course in biotechnology. B.E./B.Tech. degree holders with
a valid GATE score are eligible for admission. Web site: www.iitkgp.ernet.in/mtech).
The Centre for Technology under Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad,
conducts M.Tech. course in biotechnology. Core course subjects include microbial engineering,
molecular biology and virology, microbiology, biochemistry and metabolic regulation process
engineering principles.
Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences (BITS), Pilani, Rajasthan, offers good facilities to
study M.E. degree course in biotechnology.
M.Tech. degree course in industrial biotechnology is a good higher study option for B.Tech
degree holders in industrial biotechnology or biotechnology.
Research
After successful completion of the M.Tech. programme, one can go for research leading to
Ph.D.. Research facilities are available at Anna University, Chennai; Jawaharlal Nehru,
Technological University, Hyderabad; Centre for Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University,
New Delhi; Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Jagathy, Thiruvananthapuram; and Cochin
University of Science and Technology, Kochi, to name a few.
Job prospects
The biotech industry is witnessing good growth worldwide. A biotechnologist can find jobs with
biotech or pharmaceutical companies or in chemical/ agricultural and allied industries.
Biotechnology research institutes/ laboratories provide good job opportunities for M.Tech /
Ph.D. holders. Teaching is also a good option.
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