In today’s techno-savvy era, Science and Technology revolutionized every nook and corner of the world. The scope in Biotechnology is huge because it is an innovative branch of science which has become popular among youngsters as it provides the various scope of career growth. Biotechnology is a remarkable fusion of biological sciences with engineering technologies to manipulate living organisms and biological systems. Some of the fields of biotechnology are Food Technology, Nutrition, Medicines, Healthcare, and Forensic Sciences.

All about Biotechnology

The main aim of Biotechnology is to produce a product that advances healthcare, medicine, agriculture, food, pharmaceuticals, and the environment. Biotechnology is classified into two categories:

1. R&D (Research and Development) in biological sciences

2. Industrial processes

R&D in Biological Sciences: Research and development work in areas such as microbiology, cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, etc.

Industrial Processes

The industrial processes aspect deals with the production of drugs, vaccines, biofuels, and pharmaceuticals on an industrial scale using biochemical processes and techniques. 

Biotechnology courses after 12^th:

As biotechnology is a budding field, many new courses and diplomas have been introduced to take education up to a new level. There are many biotechnology courses one can opt for after 12^th. The minimal eligibility is passing 12^th with no less than 60% in PCM.  Once this eligibility criterion is met, you can get admission into BSc and B.Tech programs. For some undergraduate course, one needs to sit for a common engineering entrance exam such as The Joint Entrance Examination for IITs (IITJEE) and All-India Engineering Entrance Exam (AIEEE). Some engineering institution also conducts its own entrance exam. Once you have completed your degree in this field you can go for the master’s level (MSc, ME, M.Tech). Aside from undergraduate programs, lots of colleges and universities offer five and five-and-a-half year integrate programs (B.Tech/M.Tech) for students. As it is a mixture of numerous disciplines, you have to do a specialization in a number of fields. Some of the common areas of research include fields like: Agriculture and Agricultural Development, Animal Husbandry, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Botany, Dairy Technology, Environmental Protection, Fishery Development, Genetics, Horticulture, Medicine, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Nutrition, Pharmacology, Tissue Culture and Zoology.

Some of the best and popular Biotechnology colleges in India are listed below:

1. Uttaranchal University, Dehradun

2. PES University, Bangalore

3. Symbiosis International University, Pune

4. Christ University, Bangalore

5. Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

6. Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra Ranchi

7. Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras)

8. Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur)

9. Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT)

10. Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT KGP)

11. Manipal Institute of Technology, Karnataka

Career and Scope in Biotechnology

The scope of biotechnology in India is enormous, as we are living in the era of research where science has taken the new form. After completing the course in biotechnology, the job opportunities in this field is huge. One can get a job as a biotech specialist, safety expert, biologist, research analyst or scientific writer in the private sector. The main employers in the private segment are chemical firms, food processing companies, biotech firms, and pharmaceutical companies. There are various job opportunities in government sector as well. Many opening for biotechnology graduates are offered in government laboratory, research and development centers and institutes, bioprocessing companies, government-owned pharmaceutical companies, govt universities, and colleges. After completion of the course, one can be appointed as Clinical Research Manager, Scientific Assistant, Research Analyst, Calibration Technician, and Biostatistician. Biotechnology professional can work in the organization under the position as such: medical scientist, Microbiologists, Epidemiologists, BioProduction Operators, Biomedical Engineers, Biomanufacturing Specialists, R&D and Process Development Scientists, and Biological Technician