CAREERS IN APPLIED SCIENCES

Applied science is a discipline of science that applies existing scientific knowledge to develop more practical applications, such as technology or inventions. Applied science applies the basic science toward practical endeavors. Applied science is typically engineering, which develops technology, although there might be feedback between basic science and applied science: research and development (R&D). This section deals with science education in India and its scope and opportunities in India. Science education has gained tremendous importance among students in India, and more and more students are taking up fields related to science after Class 12. Most universities and colleges in India offer a variety of science courses in India.

One cannot underestimate the scope of science in today’s world. Science is the backbone of human existence. The practical effects of science can be seen in motion everywhere. From path breaking discoveries in atomic science to discovery of newer vaccines in life science, to technological advancements in the field of communication, transportation and even weather prediction, science has left no aspect of humans untouched. Science can be broadly classified under two categories: Natural sciences, which deal with natural phenomena (including biological life), and Social sciences, which deal with human behavior and societies. Our present concern is concentrated on natural science which can also be called as basis sciences. This section also deals with the details about career options after taking science in school and the best universities that offer science courses.

Careers in the field of Science

Science as a discipline is vast, and making a career in this field is really challenging but rewarding. Mentioned below are some of the careers that one can pursue after taking up science in Higher Secondary.

• CHEMISTRY
• GEOLOGY
• FORENSIC SCIENCE
• ANTHROPOLOGY
• HISTORIAN
• ZOOLOGIST
• ARCHAELOGIST
• MICROBIOLOGIST
• BIOTECHNOLOGY
• BIOINFORMATICS
• BIOCHEMISTRY
• FISHERY
• FORESTRY
• FOOD PROCESSING
• FIRE SERVICES
• MARINE SCIENCES
• ASTRONAUT
• MATHEMATICS
• STATISTICS
• PHYSICS
• ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE
• GEOGRAPHERS AND GIS
• BOTANIST
• NANOTECHNOLOGIST
• LIFE SCIENCES
• AQUACULTURE
• SERICULTURE
• GEOGRAPHERS & GIS
• ECOLOGIST
• EARTH SCIENCES

Career in applied Chemistry

Introduction: Chemical sciences (Chemistry) offer access to a wide range of careers. Chemistry is the study of substances, their makeup and applications. In fact it is the study of all materials and is vital to every aspect of our lives. Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical chemistry and Biochemistry are the main branches of chemistry. The career options in chemistry are practically endless! However, employment options depend on how far the education, training and experience taken. Especially masters and Ph.D. degree provides immense career opportunities in industries, research and teaching fields.  A chemistry or biochemistry degree can lead to career paths in professions such as medicine, pharmacology, agriculture, chemical engineering, forensic science, etc. 

Scope

Chemical sector of India is one of the major industries in the Indian economy. It is estimated to be worth around US$ 35 billion, which is almost 3% of the country’s GDP. The investment in chemical sector of India is around US$ 60 billion. The chemical sector generates employment of about 1 million. The chemical sector of India provides around 13-14% of total exports and its total imports are about 8-9%. It is ranked 12th globally and 3rd in Asia. The emergence of cheminformatics and nanotechnology leads to very bright future of the chemical science.  

Remuneration

It is based on education, experience and employer the salary ranges from 10,000 to 1.5 lakh rupees per month.

Eligibility

Graduation or Post-Graduation in the field of Chemistry or other related subjects is essential. 

• Employability Skills
• A scientific aptitude.
• Keen interest in chemical sciences.
• Ability to work orderly, patiently and methodically.
• Documentation skills.
• A passion for laboratory work.
• Ability to work independently.
• Problem solving, analysing and interpreting skills.
• Profound knowledge of the core subject.
• Good grasp of scientific concepts and consistent and above average academic record.
• Perseverance and hard work.
• A curious bent of mind and commitment towards work.

The proper use of following resources like schools, colleges, online courses, professional organizations & societies, journals, employment newspaper, salary surveys, internships and summer jobs are useful for development in career in chemistry and chemical engineering.

Career opportunities

Chemistry students and chemical engineers finds numerous career opportunities in industries (Textiles, petroleum, rubber, plastics, agricultural products, paper, pharmaceutical, food, fertilizers, paints, cosmetics, aromatic products, pulp, metal, cement and many more.), public works departments ( water treatment, sanitary and sewage treatment plants), marketing and sales (chemicals and its products), military(food scientist, ordinance factory), consultancy firms, patent firms, Industrial R&D and Production departments, teaching field (Schools/colleges/Universities), Central and state government (government chemical industries, pharmaceutical industries, factories, petroleum companies, ISRO, DRDO, BARC, Public Services (UPSC and other State Public Civil services), pharmaceuticals, oceanography, forensic science, biotechnology, geochemistry, etc.

Job options

• Analytical chemist
• Clinical biochemist
• Forensic scientist
• Research scientist (physical sciences)
• Chemical development engineer
• Scientific journalist
• Toxicologist
• Process engineer
• Patent law officer.
• Teacher/Professor
• Quality controller
• Technician
• Laboratory assistant
• Research associate/Research assistant
• Employers
• Industries
• Manufacturing firms 
• Research organizations.
• Science popularizing organizations
• Central and state government 
• Colleges, Universities and teaching institutes

Self-employment: Environmental consultant, Chemical industry consultant, small or big chemical process plant, etc .                  Note: Many graduate vacancies don’t specify particular degree disciplines, so don’t restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Leading manufacturer in the Chemical Sector of India:

• Atul Ltd., Bulsar
• BASFIndia, Mumbai
• Colour Chem Ltd., Mumbai
• Colourtex, Ahmedabad
• Excel India, Mumbai
• Galaxy Organic Ltd., Mumbai
• Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Ltd., Ahmedabad.
• Herdilia-Schentady Ltd. Mumbai
• Jubilant Organosys Ltd., New Delhi
• Lubrizol Ltd., Mumbai
• Monsanto Chem Ltd., Mumbai
• National Organics Chemicals Ltd., Mumbai
• P.I.Industries, Jaipur
• Rayalseema Chemcials, Hyderabad
• Sudarshan Chemical Industries, Pune

Courses

Courses after 12th standard

Bachelor of Chemistry Eligibility- 12th pass Duration: 3 years

B.Tech Eligibility-12th std and JEE exam Duration: 4 years Centres: IITs

B.E. Chemical Engineering Eligibility- 12th passed Duration: 4 years Centres: Engineering Colleges

Courses after Graduation

M.Sc. Chemistry (Organic/Inorganic/Analytical/Biochemistry etc.) Eligibility: B.Sc. Chemistry Duration: 2 years Mode of admission: Depends on institute/College Centers: Almost all major colleges and major Universities of India

M.E Chemical Engineering Eligibility: B.E Chemistry Duration: 2 years Centers: Major Engineering Colleges and Universities.

M.Tech. Chemical Engineering Eligibility: B.E. Chemical Centers: IIT’s

Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) Eligibility: M.Sc. Course duration: 1-2 year Centers: Major Universities

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) Eligibility: M.Sc. Duration (Generally): 2-6 years Mode of admission: NET/CSIR entrance. Or Under research projects or self funded. Centers: All reputed Universities/NCL/IARI/IISc Bangalore/Foreign Universities.

Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) Eligibility: i) 2 Years after Ph.D./3 Years after Master’s Degree/ 6 Years after Bachelor’s Degree and after research in approved topic by thesis. Centers: Reputed Universities

Post-Graduate Diploma with various specialization are available in different reputed institutes.

Distance Courses 

M.Sc. Chemistry:

Annamalai Universitywww.annamalaiuniversity.ac.in

Andhra University www.andhrauniversity.info

University of Madras www.unom.ac.in

Kamaraj University www.mkuniversity.org

Nalanda Open Universiity www.nalandaopenuniversity.com

Periyar University www.periyaruniversity.ac.in

ICIS Chemical and Informatics Institutes, Noida. www.cheminformaticscentre.org

Important Institutes

Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad. www.iictindia.org

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore www.iisc.ernet.in

SISCO Research Laboratories Private Limited, Mumbai. www.srlchem.com

VLife Scinces and Technologies Pvt. www.vlifesciences.com

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. www.iitb.ac.in

Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi. www.iitd.ac.in

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. www.iitk.ac.in

National Chemical Research Laboratory www.ncl-india.org

Industrial Toxicology Research Centre (ITRC) Lucknow www.itrcindia.org

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai www.tifr.res.in

Cochin University of Science and Technology www.cusat.ac.in

Examinations

University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET): Chemical sciences/Joint CSIR-UGC Test For Junior Research Fellowship And Eligibility for Lectureship www.ugc.ac.in

Maharashtra State Eligibility Test (SET) For eligibility of lectureship only.

GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering)  Further details: www.iitb.ac.in/gate

Civil Services (UPSC – IAS, IPS, IFS, IES):  Chemistry is one of the optional subjects. Further details- www.upsc.govt.in 

MPSC (Chemistry as Optional Subject): http://mpsc.maharashtra.gov.in

Abroad opportunities

Following are some important web-sites which are giving information about the job opportunities, fellowships and scholarships in the internationally reputed institutes, universities and business firm. 

www.studydiscussions.com

www.happyschoolsblog.com

www.scholarship-positions.com

Emerging trends

Careers in Chemical Informatics

Introduction: Chemical informatics is the application of information technology to help chemists investigate new problems and organize, analyze and understand scientific data in the development of novel compounds, materials and processes. Chemical informatics is the application of information technology to chemistry. Major aspects of chemical informatics are information acquisition, information management, information use, chemical computation and biopharmaceutical computation.

Scope: The insilico techniques are used in pharmaceutical companies in the process of drug discovery. These methods can also be used in chemical and allied industries in various other forms. Cheminformatics can also be applied to data analysis for various industries like paper, pulp, dyes and other industries. The primary application of cheminformatics is in the storage of information relating to compounds. The cheminformatics system store a molecule, find exact molecule, substructure search and similarity search. Cheminformatics will be a fine tool to concur the world of drugs.

Courses in Cheminformatics 

PG Diploma in Cheminformatics Institute for Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB) Bangalore http://ibab.drugdesign.biz or the IBAB website at http://www.ibab.ac.in.

PG Diploma Courses 1 year eligility M.Sc. (Chemistry)/ M.Sc. (Bio-informatics)/ M.Pharma) Centre: IITKozikode. www.kozhikode.com

Institute of Cheminformatics Studies, Noida 

Department of Chemistry, Jamia Hamdard Deemed University, New Delhi. www.jamiahamdard.ac.in.

In USA and in UK several Universities have started M.Sc. (Cheminformatics).

Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine 

University of Manchester – www.manchester.ac.uk.

University of Sheffield – www.shef.ac

University of Indiana – www.informatics.indiana.edu.

Career as a Geologist

“To a naturalist nothing is indifferent; the humble moss that creeps upon the stone is equally interesting as the lofty pine which so beautifully adorns the valley or the mountain: but to a naturalist who is reading in the face of the rocks the annals of a former world, the mossy covering which obstructs his view, and renders indistinguishable the different species of stone, is no less than a serious subject of regret.”— James Hutton

If you have the aptitude and wish for yourself, a life of a naturalist, then Geology is one area where you can lose yourself.

Primarily, geologists study the earth, the matter, the structure and its constituents. They study how materials are formed and study the earth to find valuable rocks or minerals. This means, they study the rocks, the water surfaces, natural phenomenon occurring on the surface of the earth and their causes. Geology is a large area of study with specializations like hydrology, volcanology, mineralogy, structural geology etc. A prospective geologist could choose of any of the specializations. However, as an undergraduate student training to become a geologist, one can expect to take up coursework in physics, mathematics, biology as well as chemistry. In other words, it’s important for a prospective geologist to be fond of science.

As mentioned above, the field is quite diverse and a geologist may have to work in various, different environments. As a geologist, one could be working in a project that demands mapping techniques and GIS skills or surveying a mineral structure or rock to determine water availability in the nearest area. Natural resources like oil, gas and minerals are extracted and refined with the help of geologists. Geologists could also be working for government agencies, mining companies, construction companies and meteorology department as these fields require geologists for various tasks like performing geo physical or geo chemical tests and collection and deciphering of huge amounts of data.

Geologists usually find opportunities to work with experts in various other professions. For instance, a geologists working in a natural resource preservation project might have the opportunity to work with biologists, a geologist working on a heritage site conservation project might work closely with archaeologists. Also, it’s important to note that not all geologists would have to engage in field work. Depending on the nature of one’s specialization and job nature, a geologist may also be involved in research work that is to be done from a work station.

Where to Study

University of Delhi, New Delhi
Courses Offered: BSc (Hons) Geology, MSc in Geology, MPhil in Geology, PhD in Geology, PhD in Engineering Geology

Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
Courses Offered: M.Sc. (Geology)

Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal
Courses Offered: M.Sc. in Geological Sciences, M.Sc. in Geophysics, Integrated M.Sc. in Applied Geology, Integrated M.Sc. in Exploration Geophysics, MS (Geology & Geophysics), M.Tech. – Applied Geology, M.Tech. – Computational Seismology, Ph.D. (Geology & Geophysics)

Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
Courses Offered: B.Sc. (Hons.) with Geology, M. Sc. (Applied Geology)

Amravati University, Amravati
Courses Offered: M.Sc., Ph.D

Andhra University, Vishakhapatnam
Courses Offered: M.Sc. /M.Sc. (Tech.) in Applied Geology

Anna University, Guindy, Chennai
Courses Offered: M.Sc Applied -Geology, M.Phil – Applied Geology

Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Tamil Nadu
Courses Offered: M.Sc. (Applied Geology)

Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu
Courses Offered: M.Sc. (Geology)

Cochin University of Science & Technology, Kochi, Kerala
Courses Offered: MSc/MTech in Marine Geo Physics

Dr. Harishingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar
Courses Offered: B.Sc (Hons) and M.Sc in Geology

Gulbarga University, Gulbarga
Courses Offered: M.Sc Applied -Geology, M.Phil – Applied Geology, PhD

Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad
Courses Offered: 5 Years Integrated M.Sc. Tech. in Applied Geology/Applied Geophysics, 3 Years M.Sc. Tech. (6 Semesters) in Applied Geology/Applied Geophysics

Karnataka University, Dharwad
Courses Offered: M.Sc Geology

Kurukshetra University, Kurushetra
Courses Offered: M.Sc Applied Geology

Osmania University, Hyderabad
Courses Offered: M.Sc. (Geology)

Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur
Courses Offered: M.Sc. (Geology)

University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Courses Offered: M.Sc Applied Geology

University of Mysore, Mysore
Courses Offered: M.Sc Applied Geology

University of Pune, Pune
Courses Offered: M.Sc. Geology, M.Phil & Ph.D

Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee

Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar
Courses Offered: M.Sc. and M.Phil in Geology

Pay and Remuneration

In small mining organisation the starting salary could be anywhere from 1.5 Lakhs to 1.8 lakhs per year. While a package of 3.5 lakhs to 6 lakhs per years can be expected for those entering with higher qualifications and landing a job in places like oil industries.

Career Prospects

Geologists usually find employment in Geological Survey of India, Central and state groundwater authorities, Indian Bureau of Mines, government mining departments (directorates of mines and geology), mining companies, oil exploration companies, TV channels like National Geographic, Discovery or Fox History. They also work for research organizations like Oceanography, Central Road Research Institute, Pollution control organizations etc. Teaching and research in universities and colleges is another option.

Famous Personalities

M.S. Krishnan, Padma Bhushan, was a famous Indian geologist. After completing his fellowship in England, he took a job at the Geological Survey of India. He also taught Geology at Presidency College, Chennai, Calcutta and another institution in Dehradun. He served as the director of Indian Bureau of Mines and Indian School of Mines. He authored two famous books among which one is the well known ‘Introduction to Geology of India’. He also played a huge role in the founding of National Geophysical Research Institute.

A day in life

A hydro geologists would spend a lot of time of the year camping near the water resource. Their days start early with sample collections and work goes on in the camp and after coming back to the research center. The rest of the year might be spent in the HQ where the collected data has to be put into use for research. Geologists would also have to deal with a lot of paper work and administrative tasks at the HQ. Geologist would get ample opportunities to travel to unusual places and work with many people from diverse disciplines.

Career as Forensic Scientist

Introduction

Forensic science or forensics is the application of a range of different sciences to answer questions that are of interest to civil or criminal law. This broad medical subject can be subdivided into various disciplines which include forensic anthropology, archeology, biology, entomology, geology, meteorology, odontology, pathology, toxicology and criminalistics. Criminalistics is also a broad discipline that makes use of various sciences to examine biological, trace, impression and ballistic evidence left behind in a crime scene.

Forensic scientists work in tandem with police investigators to collect and examine information to solve a criminal or civil case. In criminal cases, forensic scientists are usually involved in the collection of physical evidence from a crime scene. The collected evidence such as hair samples, blood, saliva and fingerprints are then examined in a laboratory and prepared into evidence admissible in courts of law. Forensic scientists perform the same function in civil cases but their analyses are directed towards resolving disputes such as road accidents for which damages are being sought.

Nature of Work

Forensic scientists’ work will depend on the person’s specialization. Specializations in forensic science generally fall under three categories: (1) medical, (2) laboratory, and (3) field work.

Those who fall under the medical category should expect to work on post-mortem examinations on a daily basis. They work in the morgues of crime laboratories examining bodies and determining such things as cause and time of death, etc.

Laboratory forensic scientists should expect to work indoors examining evidence such as chemicals, bodily fluids, fingerprints, signatures and other clues gathered by the field scientists. They are usually called to provide expert testimony regarding scientific evidence that are admissible in the court of law.

Field scientists find that their work is more adventurous but equally exhausting. Their task is to gather all physical evidence or clues at the scene of the crime.

Personality

Apart from being able to stomach gruesome situations, a forensic scientist must also be capable of handling sensitive information. Furthermore, one must be inquisitive by nature. In any forensics field, one must be observant and keen on details. Being able to work with a team is also essential as one will always rely on people to perform other functions.

Professional Courses

Because forensic science is not one specific area of study but rather a combination of many different disciplines, those who wish to pursue careers in this field have a wide variety of professional courses to choose from. Depending on which field one would like to specialize in, students may take up forensics and major in archeology, biology, economics, engineering, epistemology, linguistics, psychology, psychiatry, serology, anthropology, or computer technology.

Colleges, Institutions and Universities

Below are some of the popular choices for those who wish to pursue careers in Forensic Science:

Anna University (http://www.annauniv.edu/)

Centre for Biotechnology, Anna University, Chennai – 600025

Central Forensic Laboratory (http://cbi.nic.in/cfsl/about.htm)

CFIs Complex, 30 Gorachand Road, Kolkata – 700014

CFIs Complex, Sector 36A, Chandigarh – 160036

CFIs Complex, Ramanathapur, Hyderabad – 500013

Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar University (http://www.dbrau.com/courses.htm)

Senate House, Paliwal Park, Agra – 282004

Dr.Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (http://www.sagaruniversity.nic.in/)

Gour Nagar, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh – 470 003

Forensic Sciences Department – Forensic House (http://www.tn.gov.in/tamilforensic/)

30-A, Kamarajar Salai, Mylapore, Chennai – 600004

Karnatak University (http://www.kud.ernet.in/)

Pavate Nagar, Dharwad – 580003

National Institute of Criminology & Forensic Science (http://www.nicfs.nic.in/)

Outer Ring Road, Rohini ,Sec-III, Delhi -110085

Punjabi University (http://www.punjabiuniversity.ac.in/pages/index.htm)

Patiala, Punjab – 147002

University of Delhi (http://www.du.ac.in/)

University Road, Delhi – 110007

University of Lucknow (http://www.lkouniv.ac.in/)

Badshah Bagh, Lucknow- 226007

Specialization

Those who would like to pursue a career in forensic science find areas in which they would like to specialize. Below are some of the most popular fields of specialization in forensics:

Crime Scene Investigation

The most important task in this field is locating and collecting necessary evidence at the crime scene. Through analysis of the evidence, forensic scientists will reconstruct criminal events to explain what happened and possibly identify a suspect. Other responsibilities of a crime scene investigator include securing the crime scene and making sure that the possible evidences within will not be contaminated. For one to be able to specialize in this field, a diploma or a degree in forensic investigation is necessary. Those who graduate with a degree in analytical chemistry may also qualify.

Forensic Pathology/ Medicine

The main responsibility of forensic pathologists is to examine bodies and determine the cause of death. This is important especially for cases of suspected suicide, murder, or homicide. Forensic pathologists are also important in cases of unexpected deaths due to accidents. Should there be cases of post mortem examinations on bodies that are no longer fresh, forensic pathologists must also determine the possible date and time of death. In order to specialize in this field, a masters degree in forensic pathology is necessary. Those who hold medical degrees (MBBS) with post-graduate studies in pathology may also qualify.

Forensic Anthropology

Because forensic anthropologists have the necessary knowledge in skeletal anatomy, their roles in identifying bodies are important. In the field of forensic science, cases of unidentified victims are common. Forensic anthropologists analyze skeletal remains to identify necessary information such as age, descent, and possibly even gender and stature in case of mutilated bodies. Their roles in identification are especially important in cases of accidents, tragedies, or disasters such as explosions, plane crashes, vehicular accidents, fires, and earthquakes. Specialization in this field requires a Ph.D. in anthropology with a major in anatomy or osteology. Those with medical degrees (MBBS) and post-graduate studies in anthropology may also qualify.

Forensic Psychology and Psychiatry

Forensic psychologists and psychiatrists play significant roles in identifying suspects because they have the ability to suggest possible psychological profiles by analyzing evidences and crime scenes. Furthermore, they may assist decision-making processes in criminal trials as they have the ability to evaluate whether a suspect may have been urged by an unhealthy mental state in the commission of a crime or whether they are fit to stand trial. They also play significant roles in treating suspects who they find to be mentally ill. For one to specialize in this field, a medical degree (MBBS) with post-graduate studies in psychology or psychiatry is required.

Forensic Dentistry (Odontology)

Odontologists aid in identifying skeletal remains or fresh bodies through dental records. They assist criminal trials by collecting and evaluating dental evidence especially in cases where the victims’ struggle has left bite marks in the crime scene or on the suspects’ body. Odontologists also have the ability to reconstruct skulls to aid in identification. A degree in dentistry and a post-graduate diploma in forensic odontology are required to specialize in this field.

Clinical Forensic Medicine

The most significant role of those engaged in clinical forensics is examining injured suspects and determining whether injuries were caused by the commission of a crime. Criminal investigations and proceedings can benefit from clinical forensics through the determination of how and when injury was sustained by the suspects in custody. To specialize in this field, one must first pursue a medical degree (MBBS) and post-graduate studies in forensic medicine.

Forensic Chemist

The roles of forensic chemists vary depending on the nature of the case. In drug cases, they have the ability to not only determine whether illegal drugs were used but also identify the specific drugs and their components. In cases of fire, they can determine whether arson is involved by examining accelerants. Other roles of forensic chemists include examining explosive and gunshot residues or even paint, glass, polymers, and fibers which are often collected as trace evidence. The qualifications required to pursue this field of specialization is a science degree with a major in analytical, applied, or forensic chemistry.

Ballistics

Forensic scientists specializing in the field of ballistics are responsible for examining projectiles. This is very important especially nowadays when most crimes are committed with firearms. By determining the flight paths of bullets, the location where a firearm was discharged can be identified. In most cases, the height and distance of the shooter from a victim can also be determined through the evaluation of angles. Those who would like to qualify for this field must hold a science degree with a major in physics or other relevant disciplines. Those who have diplomas or degrees in forensic investigation may also qualify given their willingness to undergo specialized training.

Toxicology

Toxicologists identify whether illegal drugs or poisonous substances have been used. They have the ability to determine the specific substances used, the level of toxicity, and their effects in bodily functions. Those who hold science degrees with a major in either chemistry or biochemistry may qualify for this field.

Forensic Engineer

Forensic engineers deal mainly with traffic accidents and fire investigations where they are responsible for determining causes of cases by reconstructing the scenes. They must also determine whether the quality of vehicles or structures is to blame. To pursue a career in this field, one must hold a degree in engineering and post-graduate studies in forensics.

Other fields of specialization include Forensic Entomology (examining insects and arthropods gathered in the crime scene), Forensic Serology (examining blood and bodily fluids), Dactyloscopy (examining fingerprints), Forensic Linguistics (analyzing content of communications), Forensic Photography (capturing all details in a crime scene for documentation and reference), Forensic Sketching or Sculpting (reconstructing faces through witness accounts), Cytology (examining bullets), and Geology (analyzing soil and rock samples gathered in the crime scene).

Career Growth & Prospects

The growth in forensic science is limited in terms of hierarchy but it can be equally exciting because along with tenure and good performance, one will find that the types of cases assigned becomes more important. Classified cases are only given to those who have proven themselves in their field.

Some forensic scientists prefer becoming professors in different institutes that offer specialized courses. This is also a good option for those who have already practiced but decided to take on a less intensive profession in the same field. Of course, professors who have much experience are able to teach in more prominent institutions and are therefore paid more.

Where to look for Jobs?

Employment in forensics can easily be found in government agencies. Most new forensic scientists check for openings in the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and several other crime investigation departments in law enforcement agencies. Others prefer to find work in private investigative or detective agencies.

Career in Anthropology

“Anthropology is the most humanistic of the sciences and the most scientific of the humanities.”— Alfred L. Kroeber.                    

What is anthropology?

Anthropology is thus a study of the history of the development of human beings.

Who is an anthropologist?

Anthropologists are essentially involved in research around development of mankind. As this is a very vast field, anthropologists are involved in various sub-fields depending upon their specialization like Socio-cultural Anthropology, Prehistoric Anthropology or Archaeology, Physical or Biological Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology and Applied Anthropology.

Socio-cultural Anthropology deals with groups and community formation and development of cultures. Prehistoric-Anthropology or Archaeology attempts to reconstruct history on the basis of relics like statues, bones, coins and other historical artifacts. Such discoveries help to reconstruct early history and social customs and traditions. Archaeologists also try to analyse social activity from such discoveries. Physical or Biological Anthropology deals with physical or biological characteristics of the primate order, like, humans and the links with other primates like chimpanzees, gorillas and monkeys.

Applied Anthropology uses the information collected from other branches of anthropology and then uses this data in programmes like large scale initiatives for birth control, health treatment, reducing malnutrition, solving labour problems in industries, improving agricultural practices and helping in tribal rehabilitation. Linguistic Anthropology deals with origin and construction of oral well as written languages.

Courses & Eligibility

One can opt for graduation in Anthropology 3 years and can also do post graduation and further higher studies in Anthropology. For a B Sc Anthropology you need to have science stream in class 12 and most of the colleges and universities offer B.Sc. Anthropology. Similarly, for a master’s degree in anthropology (M.Sc.), one needs to have completed the B.Sc. However, some universities also offer B.A and M.A in Anthropology. One can also go for M Phil and PhD in:

Where to Study

• Bangalore University (Bangalore)
• Berhampur University (Orissa)
• Dibrugarh University (Assam)
• Guwahati University (Assam)
• Kurukshetra University (Haryana)
• Manipur University (Manipur)
• North Eastern Hill University (Meghalaya)
• Pt.Ravishankar Shukla University Chhatisgarh)
• Pune University (Maharashtra)
• Sambalpur University (Orissa)
• Sri Venkateswara University (Andhra Pradesh)
• University of Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh)
• University of Calcutta (West Bengal)
• University of Delhi (Delhi)
• University of Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh)
• University of Mumbai (Maharashtra)
• University of Mysore (Karnataka)
• University of Rajashthan (Rajasthan)
• Utkal University (Orissa)
• Vidyasagar University (West Bengal)
• Visva Bharati University (West Bengal)

Salary

They vary widely. Academicians and people working in industrial houses get paid well.

Career Prospects

Anthropologists are involved extensively with field work and research. There are various institutes which employ anthropologists most importantly the Anthropological Survey of India. Many anthropologists take teaching assignments in various universities which offer courses on anthropology. Field work often involves study of certain ethnic groups or ancient artefacts in remote locations for long periods. The field work is usually physically and mentally exhaustive and involves working in locations with low comfort levels. 

Academic institutions are the largest employers of anthropologists and one can teach and also do research. Government and non government institutions like Planning Commission and the Commission for Scheduled Castes, Tribes and Other Backward Classes, the WHO, UNESCO and UNICEF etc also hire anthropologists. They also find employment in large industries where they work in controlling labour problems.

Career as a Historian

“Stern accuracy in inquiring, bold imagination in describing, these are the cogs on which history soars or flutters and wobbles.”— Thomas Carlyle, Scottish philosopher, satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher

The mystery in history brings out the detective in us; Have you ever wondered about becoming a historian?

The main job responsibility of historians is to study the recent as well as the distant past, conduct researches and retell the stories and events to the world. It really provides a lot of satisfaction when you present your discoveries to the world and let them know interesting facts about the past. These discoveries not only provide a deep insight into the events of the past, but they also help us to assess the future. If you are equipped with the skills needed to become a historian, you are ready to acquire the job positions of Archivist, Researcher, Data Historian, Author/ Writer, University Professor, Secondary Teacher, Curator or Publisher. To the historians, history is an argument about what facts should or shouldn’t mean. Even when historians are able to piece together the basic story of what happened, they rarely agree about what an event means or what caused it. Historians argue about the past’s meaning and what it has to tell us in the present.

Courses and Eligibility

Though entry level job positions can be landed with a bachelor’s degree in history, a master’s or a doctoral degree is required to join at senior level positions. Even as a high school student aspiring to be a historian, you need to focus on subjects like social science and language. Before you decide to get enrolled at a college, it is essential to make sure that the institution is equipped with a topnotch history department. To become a college professor, candidates need to possess a Ph.D.

Where to Study

Almost all the universities at Central, State and Private level offer graduate and post graduate courses in History. Some of the top colleges offering it are:

Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi

Loyola College, Chennai

St. Stephen’s College, Delhi

St.Xavier’s College, Mumbai

St.Xavier’s College, Kolkata

Presidency College, Kolkata

Fergusson College, Pune

Christ College, Bangalore

Stella Maris College, Chennai

Miranda House, Delhi

Pay and Remuneration

The salary of historians depends on the years of experience they carry and the organization they are working. While in teaching profession as a broad indication, an Assistant Professor may get anywhere between Rs. 15600 – Rs. 39100 and a Professor may get between Rs. 37400 – Rs. 67000.

Career Prospects

Most of the historians take up academics and teaching careers. But this subject leads to many good careers in the fileds like Archaeology, Conservation and Research, Art History, Heritage Management, Film and TV Industry (Where they work on projects like documentaries and period films). Historians work at museums, libraries, government agencies, drug companies, military and other organizations where historical data is required for functioning and making decisions. With relevant experience and expertise, one can also choose to become a writer or an author and establish your expertise in the field.

Career as a Zoologist

Zoology is the study of animals, right from the smallest sub-cellular organism to the mighty blue whale, to humans themselves. Zoologists not only study animals for their own sake (basic zoology) – to figure out how animals behave, how their characteristics are passed on from one generation to the next, and how the body systems of individual species work – but also for our sake. Finding out how animals interact with their environment, and with human beings, figuring out the significance of animal behavior, and discovering how their products can be used to benefit humankind (applied zoology) is also a big part of what zoologists do. Upon doing intensive research, it is  believed that all this is important work – especially in the twenty-first century, when the earth’s resources are being stretched to the limit and conservation of animals and ecosystems is such an urgent issue.

Zoologists also are the bridges between the animal world and our world, and play a huge role in educating people about the creatures that we share our planet with. In fact, although you may not have realized it, many of the programs on the National Geographic, Discovery and Animal Planet channels are reporting on discoveries made by zoologists! While there are enough zoologists camping in rain-forests or scuba diving in the world’s oceans to collect actual field data, there are also a huge number of them studying, say, IVF (in-vitro fertilization, more commonly known as the test-tube baby procedure) techniques in a lab to help breed animal species that are seriously endangered.

There are any number of specialized fields you may go into once you have a basic degree in zoology. Here are some examples of what you could choose to be:

Biology Teacher – Teaching positions are always available for zoologists in schools, colleges, and universities.

Agricultural Zoologist – He or she studies crop pests and parasites that affect cattle, poultry and other livestock; helps in control of disease, experiments with composition of animal feeds to come up with the most nutritious and effective ones, develops new strains of natural agents for pest-control.

Fisheries Biologist – May be involved in any one of a wide variety of areas, including aquaculture (seeding oysters artificially to make them produce pearls, or breeding shrimp for human consumption), developing new fisheries, checking the toxicity levels in oceans and seas, developing clean and safe methods of fish processing for the food industry, even helping the government work out and enforce fishing regulations.

Food and Drug Officer – Since zoologists also study microbes – both helpful and harmful – they can make useful contributions in agencies that are responsible for the safe manufacture and handling of foods and drugs.

Wildlife Biologist – This probably sounds the most glamorous, but it involves physically demanding work – whether it is camping out in hot sweaty forests at the mercy of mosquitoes and snakes, patiently sitting in one position for days and days to observe one particular feature of a rare bird’s life cycle, or getting sun-burnt on the deck of a ship while waiting for a killer whale to surface. The work of wildlife biologists not only help in the preservation of animal species, but also helps develop policies for harvesting animals that may over-breed and tilt the balance of the ecosystem.

Herpetologist – These zoologists’ primary focus is reptiles.

Entomologist – Their area of interest is insects.

Ornithologist – These guys stick to the study of birds.

Museum Curator – Not as boring a job as it sounds, for a museum curator is not only responsible for the identification and cataloging of animals native to the region and in the development of public displays, but also in independent research. A good choice for a creative person.

Soil Conservationist – She would help farmers and other land managers in using their land as productively as possible without damaging it. She would also recommend best uses of land and cultivation methods that will prevent erosion and maintain or improve fertility, and advise on what kind of soil-enriching organisms and natural pest-controlling agents the farmer could use. 

Forest Conservationist – This guy actually works in the forest, and studies the interdependence of the flora and fauna in the forest. He conducts all his research in a natural setting. 

Environmental Lawyer – An environmental lawyer who has a basic zoology (or any other life science) degree will have an edge over one who doesn’t because of the authority with which he can argue his case.

Courses & Eligibility

You have to choose the science stream at 10+2 level, with biology as one of your subjects.Many Indian universities offer BSc degrees and M.Sc. in zoology. One should do a doctoral or at least a master’s degree in zoology or relevant subjects to make a career as a zoologist. Before deciding on taking admission in a doctoral degree, one needs to be committed to survive in a highly competitive and intense research work.

Depending on what your interest is, there are several specialized post-graduate courses that you could take up – like Marine Biology, Applied Zoology, Sericulture – or you could opt for a simple MSc (Zoology). If you are really keen on working on research projects in the wild or managing a zoo, you should aim for the MSc in wildlife management offered by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun. There is a national-level examination for admission to this course and it is highly competitive as only ten Indians are admitted each year. If you would rather do Ecology and Environmental Science, you could apply to the Salim Ali School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences in Pondicherry.

Many colleges’ takes students on the basis of marks obtained in class 12th

University of Delhi,  but few reputed colleges conduct entrance examination and prepare the merit list on the basis of the marks/grade obtained in entrance examination and 12 standard or equivalent examinations.

For post graduation you need to have B.Sc in zoology/Life science/any applied biological sciences. Most of the university select students through entrance, still there are few reputed university takes students on the basis of marks obtained in B.Sc.

Aspirants who have a Masters degree in Zoology can join this doctoral program.

Many top Indian institutions offer students the PhD in Zoology course. Students can opt to join any of these colleges. These colleges require students to appear in an admission test that is carried out by them. Following the written test, it will be needed by aspirants to appear for an interview. Students who clear this admission procedure shall be given admittance to the Doctoral program in Zoology.

Entrance exams in PhD in Zoology: All India Common Entrance Test

Banaras Hindu University PhD in Zoology Entrance Exam

Burdwan University PhD Zoology entrance

Calicut University PhD in Zoology Entrance Exam

Engineering Agriculture and Medicine Common Entrance Test

Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering Zoology Entrance Exam

Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University PhD in Zoology Entrance Exam

ICAR Entrance Exam

JIMPER Entrance Exam

Kolkata University PhD in Zoology Entrance Exam

Periyar University PhD in Zoology Entrance Exam

Shoolini University PhD in Zoology Entrance Exam

Thiruvalluvar University Vellore Ph.D in Zoology Entrance Exam

Admission forms for the PhD in Zoology entrance exams can be obtained from the universities that carry out this exam. These universities also facilitate the students by sending them the form by post. Another means to get the exam form is to take it from the official website of the preferred institution. The price of the form shall vary from one college to the other.

Pay and Remuneration

One can work as a research zoologist, conducting experiments on specific animals. As a zoologist one can work in Zoos, Wildlife services, Botanical Gardens, Conservation organizations, National parks, Nature reserves, Universities, laboratories, animal Behaviorists and Rehabilitators etc. Other opportunities include government, environmental consulting firms and conservation groups. Salary will vary depending on place of work. Fresher zoologist would get initial salary between Rs. 15,000/- to Rs. 30,000/-.

Famous Personalities

There are many people who have at least minimally been involved in wildlife studies or zoology, whose names will no doubt be familiar.

Jeff Corwin, a herpetologist who has a successful show on the Animal Planet Network.

Jane Goodall, who has devoted her life to the study of chimpanzees.

The dearly beloved and deceased Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin.

Career as Archaeologist

“Archaeology is the sandbox of men who care not where they are going; they merely want to know where everyone else has been.”— Jim Bishop

Archaeology is the study of human activity in the past, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes (the archaeological record). Because archaeology employs a wide range of different procedures, it can be considered to be both a science and an art. 

Archaeology is a career for people who love reading, observing and exploring. The work involves carefully excavating the things, cleaning them, preserving them and studying them. Some of the exciting discoveries have been made by archaeologists. To do so they usually travel to sites and stay for quite a long period of time. Some different archaeological sciences are as follows: Archaeometry, Dendrochronology, Isotope analysis, Palynology, Radiocarbon dating, Zooarchaeology, Geoarchaeology, Bioarchaeology, Archaeogenetics and Computational Archaeology. The nature of work thus involves a lot of scientific work.

Courses & Eligibility

Bachelor in Archaeology: Science background preferred for B.Sc Archaeology.

Master’s in Archaeology: Eligibility is bachelor’s degree in Archaeology, History, Anthropology, Sociology, Geology, Physics, Chemistry, Botany or zoology.

Post Graduate Diploma in Archaeology (PGDA), a course in two years is offered by the Archaeological Survey of India, Institute of Archaeology, 24-Tilak Marg, New Delhi. Those who have completed an M.A. in Ancient/Medieval Indian History or an M.A./M.Sc in Archaeology with 55% marks are eligible for the course. (50% for SC/ST/OBC). Applications are invited in June and the academic session starts in October.

Then there are two special programmes in Archaeology are offered by the Delhi Institute of Heritage Research and Management, 18-A, Satsang Vihar, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi. The courses are called:

Master in Conservation, Preservation and Heritage Management, and

Master in Archaeology and Heritage Management

These courses duration is two years. The courses begin in July. Those who have a Bachelor’s degree in Archaeology, History, Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Museology, Geology, Anthropology/B.E, B.Arch, B.Town Planning are eligible for this course. The candidates are admitted after passing a competitive written test.

Where to Study

Archaeology is offered at the Bachelor’s level by some colleges and universities. Some of them are as follows.

Under Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam: U.C. College, Aluva; Assumption College, Chandganacherry; St. Thomas College, Pala.

Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

M.S. University Baroda

Barakatulla Vishwa Vidhyalaya, Bhopal

Marathwada University, Aurangabad

A lot of institutes offer archaeology at the master’s level. Some of them are as follows:

Archaeological Survey of India, Institute of Archaeology, New Delhi

Delhi Institute of Heritage Research and Management, Delhi

Allahabad University, Allahabad

Andhra University, Vishakhapatnam

AP Singh University, Rewa

Bangalore University, Bangalore

BHU, Varanasi

Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur

Deccan College of Post Graduate and Research Institute, Yervada, Pune

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur

Dr.Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar

Dr.B.S.Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad

Gujarat University, Ahmedabad

HN Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar

Kurushetra University, Kurukshetra

Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri

MS University of Baroda, Vadodara

Nagpur University, Nagpur

North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon

Osmania University, Hyderabad

Patna University, Patna

Punjab University, Chandigarh

Purvanchal University, Jaunpur

Rani Durgavati Vishva Vidyalaya, Jabalpur

University of Calcutta, Calcutta

University of Madras, Chennai

University of Mysore, Nagarjuna Nagar

University of Pune, Pune

Visva Bharati, Santiniketan

Pay & Remuneration

The basic pay scale of an assistant archaeologist employed with the Archaeological Survey of India is Rs 1.2 lakhs to 1.5 lakhs per year. Assistant professor teaching in a university earns Rs 2 lakhs to 4.8 lakhs as basic pay per year. 

Career Prospects

One can find placement with Archaeological Survey of India and with state Archaeological departments. The selections are through State Public Service Commission examinations and Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations. The National Museum in New Delhi, the State Museums and the National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage also employ archaeologists. Teaching in various colleges and universities is another good option.

Career as Microbiologists

“Bacteria are the dark matter of the biological world with 4 million mostly unknown species in a ton of soil”— Edward O. Wilson

“We are survival machines – robot vehicles blindly programmed to preserve the selfish molecules known as genes. This is a truth which still fills me with astonishment.”— Richard Dawkins, the Selfish Gene

What is Microbiology?

Microbiology is the study of microorganisms – little, really little, critters. To be specific, microorganisms are the organisms which can only be seen through a microscope – they form the foundation of the pyramid of life. Some microbes are hugely useful to mankind (the yeast microbe used in baking and brewing, other bacteria and fungi used in the dairy industry to make cheese and curd) and others (those that cause infections in humans, plants and animals) are plainly harmful. Microbiologists investigate the fascinating world of microorganisms. They are in involved both in discovering how to cultivate and use the good ones and how to isolate and then use the infectious ones in formulating vaccines and antibiotics to treat or protect against the very diseases they cause. Every day, microbiologists around the world explore, investigate and discover how microbes exist and affect our lives. Microbiology is an exciting and challenging field because it seeks to find drugs for life-threatening illnesses.

Microbiologists can specialize in a variety of areas. From the food to the space industries, and everywhere in between, there are many opportunities for microbiologists! Following is a list of some of the many career options available to microbiologists.

Bacteriologists: Seeks to answer basic questions about bacterial growth, metabolism, diversity and evolution.

Biochemists: Discovers and teaches us how organisms obtain energy, consume nutrients and reproduce.

Biotechnologists: Manipulates genes in order to modify microorganisms. They produce novel organisms that make new products for human use. (i.e. insulin, medicine, grocery store items).

Cell Biologists: Explores the actions of molecules on and in the cell. Their investigations determine how microorganisms and cell function.

Environmental Scientists: Investigates the effects of biological, chemical, and geophysical activity on the environment.

Geneticists: Studies the process by which organisms inherit and transmit genetic information.

Immunologists: Investigates the body’s defense against disease to answer basic questions about bacterial growth, metabolism, diversity and evolution.

Mycologist: Explores the various uses of molds and yeasts for the production of antibiotics as well as food.

Parasitologists: Investigates the complex life cycles of and adaptations made by organisms which depend on other organisms for survival.

Virologists: Studies viruses and bacteriophages. Virologists are interested in how viruses change and are always on the alert for new types. They can even choose a career as science writer, who writes articles for common people and professional microbiologists.

Career as a college/university teacher in the field of microbiology is also a bright option.

Courses & Eligibility

You have to take the science stream, choosing biology as one of your subjects at 10+2 level. A few colleges and universities offer Microbiology at the undergraduate level. But even if your university does not offer it, don’t worry. Just make sure you do your graduation in life science, be it Botany or Zoology or Biochemistry. After an undergrad degree with life sciences, or with at least one subject being a life science, you could apply for a post-grad degree in Microbiology at any one of the number of Indian universities that offer it.

Selection is made on the basis of merit. However, few universities conduct written entrance examination for selecting candidates. You can also specialize in the study of micro-organisms in the fields of their interest such as bacteriology; study of bacteria, mycology; study of fungi and virology; study of viruses. Different institutes, colleges and universities conduct different entrances for M.Sc. Microbiology across India. The list of entrances is as follows –

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) – Entrance Exam

Indian Institute of Technology – Entrance Exam

Mahatma Gandhi University: Faculty of Applied Science – Entrance Exam

University of Calicut: Microbiology Entrance Exam

University of Kerala: Faculty of Science – Microbiology Entrance Exam

Aligarh Muslim University – Microbiology Entrance Exam

Assam University – Microbiology Entrance Exam

Banaras Hindu University – Microbiology Entrance Exam

Delhi University, South Campus

Goa University – Microbiology Entrance Exam

Guru Nanak Dev University: M.Sc. Microbiology – Entrance Exam

Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla – Microbiology Entrance Test

Lovely Professional University – Microbiology Entrance Exam

Mahatma Gandhi University – Microbiology Entrance Exam

Manipal Academy of Higher Education – Microbiology Entrance Exam

Osmania University – Microbiology Entrance Exam

University of Calcutta – Microbiology Entrance Exam

University of Mumbai – Microbiology Entrance Exam

University of Pune – Microbiology Entrance Exam

Where to Study                                                                                                                                       

Institutes & Colleges for B.Sc Microbiology:

Delhi University, Faculty of Inter Disciplinary and Applied Sciences, Delhi

Bharathiar University, Maruthamlai Road, Coimbatore

Osmania University, Hyderabad

Mount Carmel College (for Girls), Bangalore

University of Madras, Centenary Buildings Chepauk, Chennai

University of Mysore, Crawford Hall, Mysore

University of Pune, Ganeshkund, Pune                                                                                        

Institutes & Colleges for M.Sc Microbiology:

Delhi University, Faculty of Inter Disciplinary and Applied Sciences, Delhi

Medical Microbiology is offered in institutions like All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi; PIGMER, Chandigarh

MS University, Vadodara

Kurukshetra University, Faculty of Science, Kurukshetra

Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar

Punjab University, Sector-14, Chandigarh

Jiwaji University, Faculty of Sciences & Faculty of Life Sciences, Vidya Vihar, Gwalior

University of Madras, Centenary Buildings Chepauk, Chennai

Hindustan College of Engineering, Chennai

Bombay University, M.G. Road, Fort, Mumbai

University of Pune, Ganeshkund, Pune

Goa University, P.O. Santacruz, Taleigao Plateau, Goa

Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar

Top international colleges:

Harvard University, Boston, MA

Stanford University, Stanford, CA

University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

University of California, San Francisco, CA

Washington University, St. Louis, MO

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

University of California, Berkeley, CA

Yale University, New Haven, CT

Pay and Remuneration

Microbiologists who are employed in government / private organizations get remuneration along with perk and other benefits as revised from time to time. In India, the professionals who are working in pharma or biotechnology labs can get starting salary somewhere between Rs.1.2 lakhs to 1.8 lakhs as grade pay. With two or three years of experience, the salary gets doubled.      Those who are working in government organizations or research labs also get handsome salary with other benefits. The salary ranges from Rs.1.8 lakhs to 2.5 lakhs as grade pay. Those who have M.Sc or PhD degree in microbiology can get a salary ranging from Rs.3.5 lakhs to 7 lakhs a year in reputed industries. 

Career Prospects

Microbiologists can either go into pure research, in which case they would work as research scientists in premier government institutions like the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, the National Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, or the National Center for Cell Sciences, Pune, or at private research institutes. Or they can get into industry and work as part of in-house research teams, developing products for the company they work. All kinds of industry employ microbiologists, but the biggest employers are the pharmaceutical industry, the biotechnology industry, the food and dairy industry, the fermentation industry, the agricultural industry and the environmental industry. A lot of microbiologists also work in hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, and universities.

Microbiologists in industry could be involved in quality control – testing random samples of vaccines, antibiotics, vitamins, food samples, dairy products, antiseptics and disinfectants, for instance, before they go out into the market. They might also work at identifying disease-causing organisms in water, air, or human and animal blood, or at developing life-saving drugs or more effective vaccines.

Famous Personalities

Cholera and Tuberculosis were two of the most dangerous killer diseases in the late 19th century. Cholera was nicknamed ‘King Cholera’ because no one seemed to be able to cure it. Tuberculosis was known as the ‘White Death’ because sufferers vomited up white matter as their lungs disintegrated. Robert Koch made a breakthrough in the fight against these diseases.

Rebecca Craighill Lancefield (1895-1981). Developed a system of classification for Group A streptococcal bacteria – the Lancefield Grouping – which identifies bacteria including those causing scarlet fever, sore throat and erysipelas. She received the Lasker Award and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty, microbiologist, scientist, and researcher, most notable for his work in directed evolution and his role in developing a genetically engineered organism using plasmid transfer while working at GE. For his work in genetic engineering technology, he was awarded the civilian Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2007.

A Day in Life

The work of a Microbiologist is totally dependent on the kind of specialization one has taken or the kind of industry one has taken. A typical day of a researcher starts with working with DNA and bacteria, or then moving into tissue culture, and taking care of the lab and cell lines and viruses. Besides planning and experimentation, one just gets down to the work, yet, the most time-consuming aspect is sitting down and looking through the data one gets back. Reading research papers, blogs, and literature and analysing it takes most of the time of a microbiologist. A Microbiologist in food industry does analysis, checks safety of food and also experiments with new products. Highly experienced microbiologists, typically in a day, oversee projects and others’ work, and intermediate experienced ones can do independent testing and analysis. Beginners generally work under supervision and learn from other microbiologists.  A typical day of a medical microbiologist: A typical day might start by joining a multidisciplinary team, ward round and then off to the lab to find out this morning’s positive culture results, and then spend time reviewing patients and discussing the management plans with their teams.

Career in Biotechnology

Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary science including not only biology, but also subjects like mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering. It is a blend of various technologies applied together to living cells for production of a particular product or for improving upon it. Its use and application ranges from fields like agriculture to industry (food, pharmaceutical, chemical, bioproducts, textiles etc.), medicine, nutrition, environmental conservation, animal sciences etc. making it one of the fastest growing fields. The work is generally carried out in the laboratories, as it is a scientific research oriented field.

Nature of Work

The nature of work of biotechnologists, being interdisciplinary, requires working together of people from different fields such as biology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, immunology, genetics, engineering, food science, agriculture etc. Some of the fields where biotechnology studies are applicable are as follows.

MEDICINE AND HEALTH CARE: Biotechnology’s application in this area has helped in the development of various medicines, vaccines and diagnostics. The remarkable development work carried out by biotechnologists in this field has led to improvement in the  methods of diagnosis,  medicines and vaccinations for diseases which once thought were incurable are no more a cause of worry, which has been a blessing for humankind.

INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT: Both the government and the private sector employ biotechnologists. They conduct research and development work, for increasing productivity, improving energy production and conservation, minimizing pollution and industrial waste etc. Biotechnologists also find opportunities at places involving activities like chemical processes, genetic engineering, textile development, cosmetic development etc..

AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY: Indian economy is very much dependent on agriculture and biotechnologists have made major advancements in this area. Over the years, the agricultural output has been improving, owing to the improvements in the quality of seeds, insecticides and fertilizers. The latest technologies like micro propagation and tissue culture has further helped agriculturists to overcome problems like soil imbalances, genetic breeding and crop diseases. Biotechnologists are also encouraging a shift from chemically prepared fertilizers and insecticides to biochemical and bioinsecticides. Biotechnology’s intervention in the area of animal husbandry has improved animal breeding. Numerous kinds of genetically engineered, high yielding animal breeds have come up which has increased the output of dairy products as well as the meat products. India has in fact, become the largest milk producer in the world

ENVIRONMENT: Environmental biotechnology has become another area of extensive work due to the dangers brought about by increasing levels of environmental pollution. A lot of hard work is being done to protect our environment. In this field, the job of a biotechnologist spans from checking industrial air pollution levels, treatment of industrial waste to recycling of sewage sludge..

Personality

As the work is largely related to scientific research. It becomes quite important to have a good academic background in science. Hard work and high level of intelligence with a scientific bent of mind, determination, perseverance, imagination, and innovative attitude, ability to work for long hours, originality, and team spirit are some important essentials for becoming a successful biotechnologist.

Professional Courses

Candidates having background in science at the intermediate level can take up:

B.Tech in Biotechnology.

P.G. courses available are

M.Sc. Biotechnology

M.Sc. (Agriculture) Biotechnology

M.V.Sc. (Animal) Biotechnology

M.Tech. Biotechnology, M.Sc./M.V.Sc. Veterinary Biotechnology

M.Sc. (Marine) Biotechnology

M.Tech. in Biotechnology.

Depending upon the aptitude and necessity, more advanced courses such

Ph.D. and Post-Doctoral Research in Biotechnology can also be pursued.

Specialization

Being an interdisciplinary subject with diverse areas of study, biotechnological procedures apply themselves to a wide range of fields allowing students from different backgrounds and interests to specialize in fields of their choice. Some of the fields of specialization are:

Molecular Biology

Microbiology

Biochemistry

Biophysics

Botany

Zoology

Pharmacology

Physiology

Horticulture

Tissue Culture

Agricultural Engineering

Animal Sciences

Dairy Technology,

Fisheries

Medicine  Life Sciences,

Genetics

Career Prospects

In recent times, biotechnology as a subject has grown rapidly. And as far as employment is concerned, it has become the second fastest growing sector after multi-media. Candidates with postgraduate degree in biotechnology get absorbed in corporate and government sector, both. Qualified biotechnologists are employed in leading Indian business houses and MNCs including pharmaceutical companies, chemical industries, bio-processing industries, agriculture related industries and pollution control activities of the major industries etc. They can even join government and corporate run research and development organizations. On the whole making it a good career opportunity for the bright young people.

Career in Bioinformatics

Introduction

Bioinformatics is an emerging interdisciplinary area of Science & Technology encompassing a systematic development and application of IT solutions to handle biological information by addressing biological data collection and warehousing, data mining, database searches, analyses and interpretation, modeling and product design. It is mainly the application of information technology to the management of biological data. Therefore it is a rapidly evolving scientific discipline. Being an interface between modern biology and informatics it involves discovery, development and implementation of computational algorithms and software tools. In the last three decades, storage of biological data in public databases has become increasingly common, and these databases have grown exponentially. The biological literature is growing exponentially as well. Strictly speaking, bioinformatics is a subset of the larger field of computational biology, the application of quantitative analytical techniques in modeling biological systems.

Bioinformatics is mainly about answering practical questions and often less about developing elegant algorithms. Main bioinformatics areas of research are Gene Expression/Regulation, Protein/RNA Structure, Ontologies, Genome Sequencing/ Annotation and Molecular Interactions. Therefore bioinformatics has a key role to play in pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, it is used in reducing the time and cost involved in drug discovery process to custom design drugs and to develop personalized medicine.

Nature of Work

A researcher in bioinformatics mainly works on computers algorithms and database management systems. Their work involves making new computer algorithms, databases and bioinformatics visualization tools. Research in bioinformatics and computational biology can encompass anything from the abstraction of the properties of a biological system into a mathematical or physical model, to the implementation of new algorithms for data analyses, to the development of database and web tools to access them. To engage in computational research, a biologist must be comfortable using software tools that run on a variety of operating systems.

Personality

The field of bioinformatics relies heavily on work by experts in statistical methods and patterns recognition. Researchers come to bioinformatics from many fields, including mathematics, computer science, and linguistics. Scientists in this field require brilliant mathematical and analytical skills besides the knowledge of their main subjects. Researchers in bioinformatics should have technical background. To be successful in this field a researcher has to be good in molecular biology and additional computer skills are added advantage. Bioinformatics researchers must have an above average aptitude in understanding of biological and mathematical concepts.

Pre-requisites

Graduates or post graduates in molecular biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, statistics, biochemistry, and microbiology are suitable for course in bioinformatics. Programs are available at bachelors, masters, and doctorate and at post doctorate levels. Apart from these several diplomas and post graduate diplomas are also available. In many universities bioinformatics course begins at undergraduate levels. For these basic educational qualification is 10+2 with science as the compulsory subject.

Professional Courses

Different professional courses are available in bioinformatics. The current research themes in computational and structural biology are data mining, prediction and analysis of biological data, designing of data structures to represent information unambiguously, development of accessible software to submit new data and finally development of fast application to query the data.

At undergraduate level B.Sc. in bioinformatics is available. For getting admission in B.Sc candidate should complete 10+2 with physics, chemistry and biology. B.Tech in bioinformatics is also available in some of the universities. Eligibility requirements here are 10+2 with physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology is recommended. Admissions in M.Sc are available for candidates who have completed their graduation in bioinformatics/ agriculture/ MBBS/ B.Pharma/ BHMS/ BVSc. Advance diplomas in bioinformatics are available after post graduation in any of the following subjects such as M.Sc in life sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biotechnology, Biophysics, Botany, Zoology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Computer Science, Pharmacology, Agriculture, or after M.Tech or MBBS. Post graduates in life sciences and graduates in Pharmacy, Medical, Dental or in Biotech engineering are eligible for admission to M.Tech bioinformatics.

How to choose the Course/Institute?

In India, bioinformatics is taught at the graduate, postgraduate, doctorates and at the post-doctorate level. The admission in course which has to be taken will depend on personal interest and also on the percentage of marks in +2 examinations or in any other qualifying examination on basis of which admission has be taken. Students can start with a graduate degree in bioinformatics, but starting with a graduate degree in basic sciences or biotechnology is a good option. Since bioinformatics is a very specialized field, so first fundamental concepts of biology have to be formed in graduation, and then students can go for specialization in bioinformatics. Further specialization at postgraduate level and PhD can be pursued. For getting admission in M.SC bioinformatics, M.Tech Bioinformatics at any of the good colleges in our country, candidate with bachelor’s degree under 10+2+3 or 10+2+4 pattern of education in Physical, Biological, Agricultural, Veterinary, Fishery Sciences, Horticulture, Pharmacy, Engineering, Technology or Medicine (MBBS) with at least 55% marks are eligible to apply.

Admissions to all postgraduate and some of the graduate courses are through all India entrance exam conducted by different national and state level universities at multitude of centers. Candidates applying for M.SC programme are selected on the basis of their performance in the written test conducted nation-wide at multitude of centers. The M.Phil./Ph.D. /Ph.D. /Ph.D. candidates are short listed on the basis of written test and invited for personal interview. In addition to this, students who have qualified the CSIR/UGC NET-JRF, DBT-JRF, ICMR-JRF, GATE examinations for JRF-fellowship can directly apply for the interview, and need not appear in the written entrance examination.

Colleges, Institutions and Universities

Major institutes/universities in India:

Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB) in Bangalore offers many courses in bioinformatics and biotechnology. Web: www.ibab.ac.in.

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi provide course in biotechnology and biochemical engineering.

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur also provides various courses in bioinformatics.

Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur provides very good courses at M.Tech level, admission is through GATE exam.

Madurai Kamraj University also provides courses in bioinformatics at Msc, PhD level.

The University of Pune, offers Advance Diploma in Bioinformatics.

DOEACC Society offers DOEACC Bioinformatics ‘o’ & ‘A’ level courses (1 year duration).

DOEACC Society, Kolkata offers DOEACC Bioinformatics ‘C’ level courses, which are equivalent to M.Tech.

Advance Course in Bioinformatics is jointly organized by IICT, CDAC, JNTU, Hyderabad (6 months duration).

Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad offers M.Tech in bioinformatics.

Indian Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad also offers M.Tech in bioinformatics.

Some National Institute of Technology like Maulana Azad NIT Bhopal, NIT Rourkela, also offers M.Tech in bioinformatics.

JNU, New Delhi and West Bengal University of Technology both offer M.Tech in bioinformatics.

University of Hyderabad offers 2 year M.Tech in bioinformatics. Web: www.unohyd.ernet.in.

Calcutta university, senate house,87/1, Kolkata -700073, www.caluniv.ac.in.

Bharathiar university, school of biotechnology,coimbatore-641046, tamilnadu, web: www.bharathiaruniv.ac.in.

Pondicherry University, bioinformatics centre, school of life sciences, pondicherry-605014, web: www.bicpu.edu.in.

Jamia Millia Islamia University, department of computer science, offers Msc in bioinformatics as evening course. Web: www.jmi.nic.in.

Most of the state level universities are providing Msc and PhD in bioinformatics.

Career Prospects

Opportunities exist mainly in private organizations, for candidates having doctoral or postdoctoral experience.

Candidate having PhD and about 2-3 years of experience are employed as Bioinformatics Scientists. Although post-doctoral experience is desirable, fresh PhD candidates are also employed as junior Scientific Officers, Project Associate, and Project Assistant.

Remunerations

Group Leader in Multinationals companies get a pay scale of Rupees 4,50,000-6, 00,000.

Subsequent scale to Bioinformatics Scientists and Bioinformatics Researchers depends on educational qualifications and selection, but they could get pay between Rs.35,000/- to Rs.20,000/-.

Pay scale for Bioinformatics Research Associates is between Rs.2,00,000-2,25,000.

Career in Biochemistry (BSc/MSc/PhD)

Introduction

Biochemistry is a branch which is concerned with the chemistry of the biological processes. The study of biochemistry deals with the chemical combinations and reactions which take place in biological processes such as growth, metabolism, reproduction, heredity etc., as well as the effect of the environment on living organisms. Studying structures and functions of enzymes, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, process of metabolism and the molecular basis of the action of genes also form a part of biochemistry. Advances made in biochemistry have made significant contributions towards elucidation and understanding of the DNA structure.

Nature of Work

Biochemists generally pursue research related work in the following fields.

MEDICINE: Biochemists, in this field carry out diagnostic tests and investigations for finding out causes of diseases. Their major concern is to study the role of genetic transmission of diseases from one generation to another. They also try to figure out the chemical changes that take place in the cells of the body parts which signal the onset of various diseases such as tuberculosis, cancer, diabetes, mental disorders like epilepsy etc. Research related to identification and analysis of chemical processes like muscular contraction, reproduction, metabolism etc also relates to their job.

AGRICULTURE: Biochemists develop and inovate new improved techniques for crop cultivation, pest control management and crop storage management. Contributions made in this field by biochemists has helped to better the output and quality of agricultural produce.

NUTRITION: In this field biochemists have researched and studied the effects of certain food stuffs, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins, when consumed in excess or in deficient quantities, on the human body. The mechanism of fermentation process which has been practiced for past many years was discovered by biochemists only.

Personality

Biochemistry is a field of intense research, hence to be a good biochemist requires, inquisitive attitude, determination, perseverance and keen observation sense along with intelligence and hard work. Research is often a team work and therefore the individual should have team spirit, to work as a part of the unit. The work sometimes consume a lot of time so patience, stamina to work for long hours and tenacity become other important requisites.

Professional Courses

Biochemistry can be pursued by those having background in science at 10+2 level. Individuals interested in pursuing this subject can initially study the subject in the B.Sc. course and further continue with it till M.Sc. and Ph.D. level.

Career Prospects

The career prospects and employment opportunities of biochemists have shown considerable improvement over the past years. Jobs are being offered by both government and private medical institutions and hospitals engaged in research activities related to various diseases and disorders like AIDS, cancer, mental disorders etc. The pharmaceutical industry where genetically engineered drugs are developed and manufactured also look forward to employing biochemists. Research related agricultural industries and institutions also absorb individuals with background in biochemistry.

Career as Fisheries Scientists

Fisheries Scientists study and manage the fishery resources, which may involve shellfish or aquatic mammals as well as fish. Fisheries scientists are engaged in management, use, and conservation of aquatic plants and animals. As researchers, managers, administrators, or educators, they use their expertise and knowledge in biology, ecology, and other sciences to enhance recreational, commercial, and aqua cultural fisheries resources.                                                 

What do Fisheries Scientists do?

They work as researchers or managers and deal with aquatic species or their habitat. They are involved with commercial harvests of fish, crabs, shrimps, or oysters, or study fish populations. They manage the collections of aquatic species in various museums and also in big fisheries. They also work in applied research in government and private sector in regulating the commercial fishing, creation of areas for recreation and protection of endangered species. Some scientists also teach and carry out research in universities and research centers. They also work in conservation and in commercial fish farms.

Courses & Eligibility

One can pursue a bachelors degree in Fish Farming (B.Sc. in Fishery Sciences) or a bachelor’s degree in Zoology (B.Sc. in Zoology). (10+2 with science is the eligibility)

For masters degree in Fishery Sciences, bachelor degree in fish farming or Zoology is the eligibility.

One can also study for a masters degree in Mariculture (M.Sc. in Mariculture) and higher studies like PhD can be pursued later.

Diploma courses are also offered by several institutes. These diploma courses can be of 1 to 3 years.

Small certificate courses are also offered by some academic institutions.

Entrance Exam: Most of the reputed institutes take admission through combined examination conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan, Pusa, New Delhi, in the 1st week of June.

Where To Study

College of Fisheries Roha, Nagaon, Assam

Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai

Agriculture University, Jorhat, Assam

Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Bhubaneshwar

College of Fisheries, Rajendra Agricultural University, Dholi, Muzaffarpur, Bihar

Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA), Chennai.

Agriculture University, Sabour, Bihar

College of Fisheries, Vellanikkara, Trichur (Kerala)

Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), Kochi

Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries University, Bidar, Karnataka

Institutes offering master’s courses in fishery sciences

Department of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin

University Kochi, Kerala, India

Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Cochin, Kerala, India

Institutes offering diploma courses

Indira Gandhi National Open University

Shark Processing Integrated Fisheries Project, Cochin, Kerala

Mate Fishing Vessel Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical

Engineering Training, Cochin, Kerala, TN, AP    

Career in Forestry (Bachelor’s and Master’s degree)

Forestry is the science of the development and care of forests; the management of growing timber.

Forestry or forest management is considered as both independent scientific branch and practical field, containing many aspects of forestry, which formulates synthetic conclusions indicating the main directions of management. It is engaged in formation of relation between nature and the man on the basis of knowledge of forest state, demand society for forest functions as well as scientific achievements and experience in solving the problems of running and organic structure of forest.

Issues like global warming, deforestation, global climatic change, water scarcity, natural disasters, etc, are all related to the effective and controlled use of forest wealth. With 175 million hectares constituting wasteland and another 110 million hectare forming severely degraded land in India, the need of the hour is to rejuvenate it through forestry-related programs. The profession of forestry has experienced rapid and perceptible changes in the last years. What used to be considered as a business and a responsibility of the local villagers has turned into a field of global concern where the preservation and conservation of biodiversity play a main role.

“The study of nature has no beginning and it has no end,” Jim Corbett had said in Jungle Lore. And the forests of our country provide an opportunity to spend a lifetime in admiring nature and make a living at the same time. In the remote areas of India, where a sizable proportion of the population depends on forests, directly or indirectly for the raw materials, employment and other daily needs, forestry is the main source of employment. In these areas appropriate steps are undertaken towards energy conservation, proper utilization of wastelands and goods and services are also produced.

Nature of Work

Forester takes care of forest resources by protecting them from fire, pests, disease, encroachment and indiscriminate felling of trees . Their tasks typically involve:

They advise clients on good forestry practices.

They advising woodland owners on planting design and species choice, budgeting, public access, ecological surveys, and forest certification.

They are entrusted with the task of organizing the growing, harvesting, marketing and sale of timber;

Annual work programs are planned and implemented by them and they ensure the effective use of resources to meet the current objectives of the forest area;

They supervising forest workers and contractors in the field.

They help in wasteland development

They contact the customers, landowners, timber merchants, the public and local authorities

Liaising with and working on many projects with other professionals, such as landscape architects, biologists, surveyors and engineers, and charitable bodies

They have to attend meetings of professional bodies

Keeping up to date with legal changes and other developments;

Budgets are planned and controlled by them and they prepare costing and financial forecasts

Forest managers/foresters are also involved in forest protection, which is a wide-ranging part of the role reflecting the government’s desire to promote sustainable forest management. This includes:

Conducting research in areas such tree improvement and entomology.

Monitoring existing forestry practices.

Protecting forests from illegal felling, pests and diseases.

Ensuring that the presence of forests does not affect the surrounding environment and wildlife by damaging wildlife habitats, water supplies or soil.

They help in promoting eco tourism.

Career Options

They can work as a:

Forester: The forester is responsible for protecting and regenerating forests, protecting wildlife habitats, checking for and fighting wild fires, landscape management and so on.

Dendrologists: Their work involves research on the history, life span, measuring, grading, classifying the varieties of trees, and studying ways and means of tree improvement through aforestation etc.

Ethnologists: An ethnologist studies and analyses the evolution, behavior, biological functions etc. of an organism in its natural environment. Ethnologists design healthy habitats for animals in zoos, aquariums, and laboratories and also study animal behavior.

Entomologists: Entomologists specialize in the study and control of diseases caused by insects and pests.

Silviculturists: Silviculture is an aspect of Forestry that refers to the growth of plantations that yield periodic harvests.

Forest Range Officers: Forest range officers take care of public forests, sanctuaries, botanical gardens etc. They have conservators, loggers and other junior personnel working with them.

Zoo curators: They are responsible for animal welfare in the zoos and also undertake conservation programs. Zoo curator plays a role in the administration of zoo functions and captive breeding programs.

Other than career options mentioned above forestry specialists from India are finding jobs abroad as wildlife consultants for esteemed organizations. The most important of these being the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Many organizations are hiring Indian personnel for working in countries like Kampuchea, Vietnam, South Africa, and other such countries.

Personality

Following are the personal attributes required to be a forester:

Liking for outdoors,

Spirit of adventure, good health,

Stamina and physical fitness,

Patience, scientific temperament,

Organizing ability,

Public relations skills,

Practicality, courage,

Decision-making ability,

Capacity to work long hours,

A genuine interest in the preservation of the natural environment and habitat,

Inclination for research and academic bent of mind,

Curiosity and excellent skills of observation,

Interest in agriculture and geography.

Professional Courses

Those with Physics, Chemistry and Biology at the intermediate level can go for B.Sc Forestry course. Further the master’s level offers specialization in subjects like Forest Management, Commercial Forestry, Forest Economics, Wood Science & Technology, Wildlife Science, Veterinary Science etc.

PGDFM is a field-based course, which combines managerial qualities concordant with the demands made by the forestry sector.

Courses in Forestry and Forest Services are:

B.Sc Forestry

M.Sc Forestry

B.Sc Wildlife

M.Sc Wildlife

M.Sc Wood Science & Tech.

Colleges, Institutions and Universities

There are many institutions all over India conducting courses on forestry and wildlife, few are:

Birsa Agricultural University, Kanke , Ranchi – 6.

Forestry Research Institute, Dehra Dun – 248 006.

Indian Institute of Forest Management, Nehru Nagar, Bhopal.

Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneshwar – 751 003.

Wildlife Institute of India, Chandrabani, Dehra Dun (affiliated to Saurashtra University, Rajkot)

College of Horticulture And Forestry, Solan 173230

College Of Agricultural Engineering & Technology, Dr. Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, P O Krishinagar, Akola 444104

Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli 415712

College Of Agricultural Engineering, Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana 141004

College Of Agriculture, Pantnagar 263145

University Of Agricultural Sciences Bangalore, Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra, Bangalore 560065

College Of Agriculture And Regional Research Station, Dharwad 580005

Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Krishi Nagar, Agartala, Jabalpur 482004

Orissa University Of Agriculture & Technology, Faculty Of Agriculture, Bhubaneswar, Khurda 751003

Eligibility

Various courses in forestry are available, at the graduate, postgraduate and diploma level, as well as at the Ph.D. level.

Those with Physics, Chemistry and Biology at the intermediate level can go for B.Sc Forestry course, which is a 3-year degree course. Further the master’s level (2 years) offers specialization in subjects like Forest Management, Commercial Forestry, Forest Economics, Wood Science & Technology, Wildlife Science, Veterinary Science etc. The Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Nehru Nagar, Bhopal offers a study program in Forest Management. There are also opportunities for doing Ph.D in Forestry at the recognized centers. Those with Bachelors degree in related subjects can appear for Indian Forest Service exam conducted by Union Public Service Commission.

Specialization

One can specialize in subjects like:

Agriculture economics

Agriculture statistics

Agro forestry

Forest products

Microbiology

Silviculture

Soil sciences

Waste management and tree improvement and genetic resources

Career Prospects

Foresters can work in offices, laboratories or outdoors depending on their field of specialization. Employment opportunities exist with

Governmental, non-governmental organizations interested in preservation of forest resources

Corporate having own plantations for timbering

Industries that utilize forest resources employ industrial and agricultural consultants

Indian Council Of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) and its affiliated Forestry research institutes such as Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, Institute of Social Forestry and Eco-rehabilitation, Allahabad etc.

Wildlife Research Institutes in Dehra Dun, Coimbatore etc.

Zoological Parks

Wildlife Ranges

Education sector as tutors

Green watchers, Wildlife Trust of India, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Environment Awareness Society, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) etc are some of the national and international voluntary organizations that actively work towards the preservation and conservation of wildlife and forests.

Entry into the Central government is through the Indian Forest Service (IFS) examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. Applicants with a graduate degree in animal husbandry and veterinary science, botany, chemistry, geology, mathematics, physics, statistics, zoology, agriculture, forestry or engineering, and between 21 years and 30 years of age are eligible to apply.

Initial training is at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Academy, after which the selected candidates are trained at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy at Dehra Dun. They are then posted as the assistant conservator, district conservator, conservator, chief conservator, principal conservator, and the inspector general of forests. The senior most post is that of the Environment Secretary in the Union Government.

Career in Food Processing

Introduction

Food processing is a branch of food science, which owes its existence to the prehistoric times. Food processing is the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into food for the consumption of humans and animals. Processing of food leads to preservation of food, enhances its flavor and reduces the toxins in the food product. It leads to better distributional efficiency and helps in the easy marketing of the food product. The modern food processing techniques have led to the feasibility of the development of the present day supermarkets. Long voyages would not be possible, and military campaigns would be more difficult and expensive to execute without food processing. Extra nutrients can also be added while processing the food and processed food is less susceptible to spoilage. The rising consumerism in the societies of developed and developing countries has contributed to the growth of food processing with techniques such as spray drying, juice concentrates, freeze drying and the introduction of artificial sweeteners, colorants, and preservatives. In the late 20th century products such as dried instant soups, reconstituted fruits and juices, and self cooking meals were developed for the convenience of middle class wives and mothers and for the working women.

In India Food Processing industry is gaining momentum as the consumer food industry, which includes pasta, breads, cakes, pastries, corn flakes, ready to eat and ready to cook products, cocoa products, biscuits, soft drinks, beer, alcohol beverages, mineral and packaged water and segment of consumer foods is seeing an upward trend.

Job Prospects

The Cabinet of India on June 21, 2007, granted its approval to an integrated plan, which aims to promote India’s food processing sector and boost the country’s agricultural business (according to a press release). As per the report there are about 300 Million upper and-middle-class consumers of processed and packaged food in the country, and another 200 Million are likely to be added by 2010. Ministry of Food Processing Industries is planning to establish 500 food parks in the Tenth Five Year Plan across every parliamentary constituency. This will give a further boost to the growth and development of food processing industries and thereby is generating a huge job potential for those who have an aptitude for the work and required qualifications.

The food processing industry is still at its nascent stage in India. It thus provides ample employment opportunities. The areas where one can find employment in this industry are:

Food processing companies and food research laboratories

Food wholesalers

Hospitals

Catering establishments

Retailers

Restaurants provide employment to candidates with degrees in home science and specializations in food technology, nutrition or food services management. Diploma holders in dietetics, applied nutrition, food science and preservation and those having certificate in dietetics or food and nutrition can also be employed in this industry.

Bacteriologist, toxicologists and those trained in packaging technology, organic chemistry, biochemistry and analytical chemistry can find opening food technology laboratories or in quality control departments.

A number of public sector undertakings in the department of food also require people in this field. The Food Corporation of India, which handles the purchase, storage transport and distribution of food grains and other food items, provide employment to large number of people. Modern Food Corporation which markets bread, fruit juices, edible oils, soft drink concentrates and North-Eastern Agricultural Marketing Corporation which markets and process fruits and vegetables also recruits people.

Self-employment opportunities also exist in the form of dynamic delivery networks for those who want to work on their own.

Private sector companies have been the key players in the food sector and even companies like ITC are now moving into the sector, seeing the potential in processed foods.

Some other back-end jobs in this industry are:

Bakers

Meat, poultry, trimmers, and fish cutters

Slaughterers and meat packers

Food batch makers

Food cooking machine operators and tenders

Food and tobacco roasting, baking and drying machine operators and tenders

The major players in private sector in this industry in India are:

ITC Limited

Parle Products Pvt. Ltd.

Agro Tech Foods

Amul

Perfetti India Ltd.

Cadbury India Ltd.

PepsiCo India Holdings

Nestle India Pvt. Ltd.

Britannia Industries Ltd.

Hindustan Lever Limited

Milkfood

MTR foods limited

Godrej industries Limited

Gits Food Products Pvt. Ltd.

Dabur India Ltd.

Nature of Work

Food technologists, technicians, bio technologists and engineers are required in this industry for the practical application of the principles of many disciplines of science in the manufacturing or production, preservation and packaging, processing and canning of various food products. All this needs preparation of raw materials for processing which involves selection, or cleaning of the raw material, followed by the actual processing, which could be chopping, blanching, crushing, mixing or even cooking of the food item, the addition of preservatives and the final packaging along with keep in hygiene and maintaining quality of products. Following people are needed for the work in food processing industry:

Food technologists: They are given the responsibility of determining whether a particular process is being performed in a certain specified way or not. They are instrumental in devising new ways and improving the older ones for preserving, conserving and processing food. They have to check for the contamination, adulteration and controlling the nutritional value of the food products which are to be processed. Food technologist are also assigned to determine to quality of the raw materials used in the plants aw well as the food which has to be dispatched to the market. They also look after the storage conditions and hygiene.

Organic Chemists: They advise on the methods by which the raw materials have to be converted into processed food.

Biochemists: They suggest improvements in flavor, texture, storage and quality.

Analytical Chemists: They analyze food products to maintain quality.

Home Economists: They are in a way expert in dietetics and nutrition. They test the food and recipes according to the directions on the containers.

Engineers: Chemical, Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, Agricultural and Civil engineers are also required for planning, designing, improving and maintaining the processing systems.

Research Scientists: They carry on experiments regarding improvement in yield, flavor, nutritive value and general acceptability of the packaged food.

Managers and accountants: They manage administration and the finances apart from supervising the processing work.

Personality

Following the personal attributes required in this industry

Conscientious

Meticulous

Organizational abilities

Particular about cleanliness and hygiene

Professional Courses

Degree courses in Home Science, food technology and food science and in specialized areas like fisheries, or dairy sciences are offered by some Indian Universities. There are also short-term certificate, craft and diploma courses offered by various polytechnics, food craft institutes and universities. The Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies has several Food and Nutrition Extension Centers in different parts of the country providing short-term courses and training in home-based preservation of fruits and vegetables, preparation of bakery and confectionery items, rice milling, oil seed processing etc. M.Sc and Ph.D courses in food and nutrition, home science, food technology and biotechnology are also available in some universities.

Eligibility

For B.Sc. in Home Science/ Food Technology/ Food Science, one should have passed 10+2 examinations with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as the main subjects. For M.Sc/Management, the minimum eligibility is a B.Sc.

Colleges, Institutions and Universities

Some of the prominent institutes offering courses in this field are:

MS University, Vadodara, Gujarat; and Central Food Technology Research Institute, Mysore (with branches in Karnataka and Mumbai) offers certificate courses in Bakery and Confectionary, BSc and M.Sc in Food Science

Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Himachal Pradesh; Fruit Technology Institute, Lucknow offers degree and diploma course in Food Technology.

National Sugar Institute, Kanpur, Chennai and Calcutta, offers associateship in Sugar Technology and Sugar Engineering and Diploma in Industrial Fermentation and Alcohol Technology.

Central Institute of Fisheries Education with four centres in Barrackpore (WB); Kakinada (A.P); Lucknow and Mumbai, also offers various certificate and diploma courses.

National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal and Bangalore, offers B.Sc quality control in dairy processing and B.Tech in dairy technology.

IGNOU offers a certificate course in food and nutrition.

Small Industries Services Institute, Okhla, New Delhi offers Entrepreneurial Development Programme on Food Processing Industries.

Specialization

Food Technologists can specialize in any of the many fields of food processing such as sugar alcohol, bakery, oil, fruits and vegetables etc. one can do Ph.D in food technology or biotechnology or food preservation.

CAREERS IN FIRE SERVICES

Increasing urbanization, mounting industrial activity, the use of electrical devices, appliances in all types of houses and offices, heating and cooling systems etc. contribute to enhance fire hazards. Fire Services have to keep abreast with fresh and increasing demands. Each state government maintains a fire department to look after preventive and precautionary aspects of fire safety. Moreover, not only for fire safety but in all kinds of national calamities like earthquake, flood etc. the only organisation that is remembered is fire service.

In the protective role the fire service advises and assists various organisations in taking protection against fire hazards.

PERSONALITY TRAITS:

Being a technical profession a scientific bent of mind is obviously required. Other qualities required include a sense of self discipline and responsibility, peak physical condition, presence of mind to handle crises, calmness of mind under potentially dangerous circumstances, and the ability to lead men, motivate them, supervise and guide them to discharge their duties. Ability to plan for all eventualities in advance.

Available Careers:

Fire Fighter, Sub-Officer, Station Officer, Assistant Divisional Officer, Divisional Officer, Dy. Chief Fire Officer, Chief Fire Officer.

Training/Course:

National Fire Service College, Nagpur is the leading institute offering training courses in fire services.

Every course has just 30 seats and admission is based on performance of the candidate in written test which is usually conducted in the month of May-June every year at Mumbai, Kolkata, Madras, Nagpur and New Delhi.

The written entrance examination is normally of the objective type, held in two sessions. The Physics paper is followed by the Chemistry paper and the level of knowledge tested is of the Bachelor’s degree in Science. The papers are given in both Hindi and English. Candidates declared passed/qualified in the written examination are called for a viva voce and final selection is made on the combined performance in both these tests. Since peak physical condition is a pre-requisite for the profession the College expects the applicants to be physically fit.

Physical Standard:

Height: 165 cms. Weight: 50 kgs. Chest: 81 cms with 5 cms on expansion.

Course	Educational Qualification	Physical Standards	Age	Duration (years)	Remarks
B.E. (Fire Engineering)	B.Sc. P/C/M/	Height 165 cms Weight 50 kg Chest 81 cms with 5 cms expansion	19-23	3 and half years	Advertisement in leading Newspapers in May/ June every year.

Certificate (Sub-Officer)	10+2		As above		18-23	25 weeks	—
Diploma (Station Officer)	10+2 , Preferably Science & 3 years experience as a leading Fireman/ Sub-Officer		—		Not more than 45 years	22 weeks	—
Diploma (Divisional Officer)		10+2 with Diploma (Fire) 3 years experience as Station Officer with Heavy Driving Licence.		—	23-45	22 weeks

CAREERS IN MARINE SCIENCE

INTRODUCTION:

Marine Science is the study of marine life forms and their usefulness to human beings. Under this, biology of fish and other aquatic life forms are studied. Geological and mineral wealth of the ocean and its impact on human and aquatic life are also studied.

ELIGIBILITY:

Students who have completed bachelor degree in biological sciences or in some cases, other streams of science are eligible to apply.

BASIS FOR SELECTION:

In most programmes the selection is through entrance test. Some institutes consider career of the candidate for entry.

ANNOUNCEMENTS & DATES:

Dates for entrance examinations are advertised in December-January. Announcements about the programmes are usually made between January and March in local and National Dailies.

MAJOR INSTITUTIONS:

1. University of Bombay, Mumbai-400032
2. University of Madras, Chennai-600005. 3. Andhra University, Vishakhapatnam-530003
3. Cochin University, Cochin –682022 Kerala.
4. Fisheries Institute, Seal Shell, J.P. Road, 7 Bunglows, Mumbai-400058.
5. Goa University, Goa-403005
6. Mangalore University, Mangalore-575003, Karnataka.
7. Marine Engineering Research Institute (MERI), P-19, Taratolla Road, Calcutta-700088.
8. Marine Engineering Research Institute, Hay Bunder Road, Mumbai-400033.
9. School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Cochin-682016, Kerala.
10. Berhampur University, Bhanja Bihar, Berhampur-760007, Orissa.
11. Utkal University, Bhubaneswar offers a course in M.Sc. in Marine Zoology.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

One can start as a Researcher or Scientist after completion of the course. There are opportunities in public sector, research organisations, academics etc. One of the leading institutes of national stature is Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, (CIFA) Kaushalyagang, and Bhubaneswar. Opportunities also exist in private companies having own hatcheries and cultivation of fish processing and packaging units. These units are located mainly in Kerala, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu coasts and other coastal regions of India.

JOB PROFILE:

Depending upon the type of organisation, the incumbent will be concerned with issues ranging from the seeds (or fish eggs), breeding, farm maintenance, hygiene, quality assurance, disease control, processing, packaging and marketing.

Career as an Astronaut

“When you look at the stars and the galaxy, you feel that you are not just from any particular piece of land, but from the solar system.”— Kalpana Chawla.

                                              Like many others if reaching out to the stars and the moon is what you dream of, begin now because you are on a journey where the preparation is much much more than the journey. Astronauts spend years training before they can go into space. They learn to operate shuttles, perform experiments in zero gravity and learn survival techniques should a practice flight go out of control.

What do astronauts do?

Astronauts work in space. Some astronauts are mission specialists who fly or navigate the space shuttle. In other words, they are pilots. Other astronauts are payload specialists who work with the equipment that is launched into space, for instance conducting scientific experiments or replacing parts of satellites. In brief, an astronaut’s tasks divide into four areas: supply, repair, assembly and research, not to mention self-care.

A considerable amount of equipment is orbited in space. Unmanned rockets launch most satellites. However, some are carried into orbit in the payload bay of a space shuttle and launched by its crew. Currently, astronauts work mostly with transport of equipment, new modules, supplies and crews for the international space station.
Sometimes astronauts visit orbiting satellites for maintenance and repair. Often they work using the space shuttle’s robotic arms, but sometimes they pull a satellite into the payload bay so they may work more leisurely. Sometimes they put on their space suits and soar to a satellite that is moving at a speed of seven kilometers a second or more.

On the space station, there’s always more than enough to do, and astronauts spend much of their time keeping the station in tip-top condition, both inside and outside. Almost daily, they take spacewalks to tidy up around the station.

First and foremost, the station itself must be assembled. New modules arrive regularly, and the tasks of attaching them to the station are time consuming.

Weightlessness requires astronauts to spend a considerable amount of time on exercise and self care. Exercise in space is so important that it’s part of the job, a duty that cannot be shirked. Astronauts exercise every day. Space shuttle astronauts, who seldom are in space for more than two weeks at a time, exercise half an hour a day. But astronauts on the space station must exercise two hours a day to stay healthy. So astronauts have more than enough to keep themselves busy and seldom have time to be bored on the job. An astronaut with spare time can just gaze out the window.

Courses & Eligibility

To be an astronaut you need to specialize in aeronautical /aerospace engineering at an advanced level and must also possess a unique blend of personality traits to help manage in long periods of isolation extended confinement, boredom and uncertainty.

Bachelor in Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics/ Aerospace Engineering/ Other engineering.

Post graduation and Doctorate.

After graduation, you can appear for the entrance exam which is held by the NASA for the recruitment of Scientists and Astronauts.

Though you can work in ISRO in India, scope is limited and the dream company for astronauts all over the world is NASA. NASA takes on specialists from different disciplines including computer engineering, industrial engineering, materials engineering, optical engineering and also oceanography. You can specialize at the master’s level in any of these disciplines and then do a PhD programme followed by at least three years of related progressively-responsible, professional experience to qualify for a NASA job. Depending on where your interests lie, you can also go for electrical / electronic/ electrical communications engineering before taking up a master’s or PhD in a specialized field of engineering or space science.

Interestingly, over 1/3rd of NASA employees are of Indian origin. The NASA-Ames Research Centre has implemented a new automated recruiting and staffing system called NASA STARS. For more information on how to apply, visit the NASA website.

Where to Study

Bihar Institute of Technology, Mesra and Ranchi University which offer ME in space engineering and rocketry.

Andhra University, Osmania University and Anna University offer MSc programmes in atmospheric and space sciences.

Bangalore’s Indian Institute of Astrophysics offers PhD programmes in astronomy and astrophysics.

Selection to these institutes is through a Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST). The minimum qualification required to take the JEST is a master’s degree in physics or a degree in engineering.

Pay and Remuneration

The following perks are for astronauts who work in NASA

LEVEL 1: Astronaut Trainee

EARNINGS $83,000 to $92,000 a year

LEVEL 2: Working Astronaut

EARNINGS $92,000 to $114,000 a year

LEVEL 3: Senior Astronaut

EARNINGS $114,000 to $163,000 a year

Famous Personalities

Neil Armstrong: the first human ever to set foot outside of Earth.

Kalpana Chawla: the first Indian woman in space.

More about NASA Astronaut

Once you’ve got your degree and some work experience, it’s time to apply for those astronauts positions. Fill out a Standard Form 171 (government employment application) and send it to Astronaut Selection Office, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058. 

The astronaut application will be reviewed and ranked by various criteria, including: height, experience and expertise. NASA receives an average of 4,015 applications to fill around 20 slots every 2 years.

Next, another screening process, and about 118 from the original 4,015 will be invited to Johnson Space Center for a week of interviews, medical exams and orientation. The ASB interviews each astronaut candidate and assigns them a rating based on: experience and potential, motivation, ability to function as a team member, communicative abilities, and adaptability. You can fail due to interpersonal skills.

If you are interested in a pilot/commander position, instead of mission specialist, you will also be required to log in at least 1,000 hours of flight time in command of a jet aircraft. During training all crew members train aboard a T-38 jet, in which the controls are identical to the Space Shuttle and therefore, can be used as a flight simulator either on the ground or in actual flight. 

Many applicants do not meet medical standards while others withdraw after learning all that the job entails. After collecting significant information,the Astronaut Selection Board will choose its final candidates and pass that recommendation on the NASA Administrator who will make the final pick for employment. 

Once selected, astronaut candidates begin a rigorous training program. Expect many long days, even after your training ends. Being an astronaut can be hard on family life.

Career as a Mathematician

Introduction

“Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.”— Albert Einstein

Mathematics can be defined as the scientific study of quantities, including their relationships, operations and measurements expressed by numbers and symbols. In simple words, mathematics deals with study of numbers and their various calculations. The most important skills in mathematics are analysis and reasoning.

A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study or research is mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with particular problems related to logic, space, transformations, numbers and more general ideas which encompass these concepts. They do research, come up with problems and solutions, etc.

Mathematicians solve problems in diverse fields such as medicine, management, economics, banking, government, insurance, computer science, physics, psychology, engineering, bio-mathematics, bio-informatics and weather forecasting.

Mathematics can be pursued with other allied subjects and various careers can be pursued. After BSc Mathematics with B Ed and higher education like MSc Mathematics one can become a teacher. After BSc mathematics followed by MSc stats/ MSc Operations Research one can become a statistician. One can become an economist or Actuary after BSc Mathematics with Economics and higher studies. One can also become a Physical Sciences Observer/Scientist after BSc Mathematics, MSc Physics. A career in life sciences can be pursued with BSc Mathematics combined biology.

Courses and Eligibility

At the undergraduate level, mathematics is offered as one of the combinations both for B.A. and B.Sc. courses. In some universities, it can be taken up as the principal or honors subject. While universities and colleges generally consider merit or marks in 10+2 or equivalent for admissions to courses, some institutes of repute hold entrance examination. Students with mathematics at 10+2 level are eligible to take maths as a subject for graduation. ISI and CMI admit students on the basis of a written test. Both ISI and CMI also admit students who have qualified in the Indian National Mathematical Olympiad (INMO), or are Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) fellows.

Where to Study

Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Bangalore; Course: Bachelors degree in Maths

Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI), Chennai; Course: B.Sc degree in Math and Computer Science

Madurai – Kamraj University; Course: Numerical Mathematics

Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya; Course: Mathematical Economics

University of Pune and North Maharashtra University; Course: Industrial Mathematics

Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women; Course: Business Statistics and Biostatistics

University of Madras; Course: Applied Statistics

Delhi University (DU) has a range undergraduate programs. About 900 seats in total are being offered across colleges in the DU for UG programmes in mathematics.

                         At the Master’s degree level, Mathematics is offered by more than 135 universities in India. The courses are offered by the Departments or Schools of Mathematics. Often there is one department or school for both mathematics and computer science. The nomenclature of the award is both M.A. and M.Sc. Some universities make a distinction between Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics.

Student can also apply for an Integrated MSc-PhD degree offered at some places in India. Some of the institutes offering integrated MSc-PhD programmes are:

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai (through a written test and followed by an interview)

The Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), Chennai (admits through NBHM exam followed by an interview)

Harish Chandra Research Institute (HRI), Allahabad (through a test followed by an interview)

An Integrated MSc degree offered by the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) at Pune, Mohali, Kolkata, Trivandrum and Bhopal, and also at the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) at Bhubaneswar. The IISER admits students via IIT JEE, KVPY and through board exam performances. While the NISER admits students through the National Entrance Screening Test (NEST).

A student can also opt for an Integrated MSc in math offered by University of Hyderabad, which admits students through a written test. Various central universities also have the Integrated programme.

Pondicherry University and IITs offer five year integrated courses in the subject after school. Besides courses in general, pure, and applied mathematics, a small number of programmes are available in such topics as Computational Mathematics (of Mathematics with Computer Applications), Mathematical Statistics, and Mathematical Economics, Mathematics with Computer Application, Industrial Mathematics, and Functional Mathematics.

Career Prospects

Mathematicians work in fields of statistics, actuarial sciences, mathematical modeling, cryptography, computer science; for teaching at both school and college level and a research career in mathematics, statistics and bio-informatics. A strong background in mathematics is also necessary for research in many areas of computer science, social science, and engineering. Knowledge of maths is applied in all fields of work, from creating software systems to the field of investigation in areas like brain mapping, in lie-detector machines, fingerprinting, etc. Also in art, the application of maths has become important for preservation of historic sculptures, paintings and works of ancient artists.

Famous Personalities

Srinivasa Ramanujan was one of India’s greatest mathematical geniuses. He made substantial contributions to the analytical theory of numbers and worked on elliptic functions, continued fractions, and infinite series.

Albert Einstein: Perhaps the most famous known scientist of all time. His theories on relativity were groundbreaking and are still used today.

Leonhard Euler: Well known for his contributions to mathematical vocabulary and notation. In particular, he is considered the founder of function notation.

Career as a Physicist

Physicists have made some of the pivotal discoveries of the 20th century which have revolutionized the world (e.g. the transistor, the laser, splitting the atom, TV and radio, MRI scans. Anyone with aptitude and a lot of curiosity can think of career as physicist.

Physics offers challenging and exciting careers. As a career, physics covers many specialized fields — from acoustics, astronomy, and astrophysics, medical physics, geophysics, and nuclear physics etc.

A physicist is a scientist who does research in physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics. Physicists study the natural world, from the tiniest subatomic particles to the largest galaxies. They do experiments to discover the laws of nature. They study what things are made of (matter) and how things behave. They also study energy. They learn how it changes from one form to another.

Some physicists focus on theories. They work on the fundamentals and use observation and mathematics to find the answers. Some physicists do experiments and verify use of theory in practice. Other physicists apply theories to practical problems. They might create advanced materials, new electronic and optical devices, or medical equipment. Physicists also design research equipment. Some of this equipment is used in surprising ways. For example, the first laser was created for research, but people later discovered that lasers could be used in surgery as well.

Most physicists work in research and development. Some do basic research to increase knowledge. Others do applied research. They take what is learned in basic research and use it to create new devices, products, and processes.

Courses and Eligibility

Being a physicist is a long drawn career, one needs exhaustive knowledge of the subject and thus minimum post graduation. Post graduates with specialization are required in the industry and for research a PhD. Various courses like B.Sc. in Physics and B.Sc. in applied physics are offered at many institutes. M.Sc. in physics, applied physics, bio physics, medical physics, engineering physics, nuclear physics, astronomy and many more are offered at institutes of repute.

You will study Physical quantities, standards and units, laws of gravitation, mechanics and properties of matter, heat, wave motion, electromagnetic radiation, light, sound, magnetism, static electricity, current electricity, atomic physics, nuclear physics, astronomy and space science etc.The Master of Science and other post-B.Sc. programmes at the IITs offer high quality post-graduate education in respective disciplines and admission is made through the Joint Admission Test to M.Sc. (JAM).

Where to Study

Almost all colleges offer B.Sc. in Physics but the top colleges offering course in Physics are as follows:

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University

Institute of Physics Bhubaneswar

IIT Kanpur offers MSc in Geo Physics

IITs various centres in India

Loyola College, Chennai

St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai

Presidency College, Kolkata

St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata

Presidency College, Chennai

Madras Christian College, Chennai

Fergusson College, Pune

Hindu College, Delhi

St. Stephen’s, Delhi

Stella Maris College, Chennai

Elphinstone College, Mumbai

Career Prospects

Physics is one of the core subjects for education, research, atomic and space organisations. It has great commercial and military value. Physicists work in research and development with specialized branches. Elementary research in physics finds application in space programs and automobile industry. Bio physicists and chemical physicists get employment in government and private research and development organisations. Applied physics is the backbone of modern electronics and communication and medical field.

Use of radiations lasers and magnetic technologies in cure of many diseases is the result of research in applied physics. The high technology equipment used in diagnostic and therapeutic applications is often designed and maintained by medical physicists. Biophysics uses the concepts and tools of physical chemistry and molecular physics to define and analyse the structures, exegetics, dynamics and interactions of biological molecules. This field of research is leading to designs of new classes of instrumentation for use in the expanding field of genomics, proteomics and clinical diagnostics for a variety of biological markers.

Physicists are employed by academic institutions, government laboratories, and private industries, with the largest employer being the industry. Physicists also use their skills in other fields like engineering and computers. Some physicists take up additional careers where their knowledge of physics can be combined with further training in other disciplines, such as patent law in industry or private practice. In the United States, a majority of those in the private sections having a physics degree actually work outside the fields of physics, astronomy and engineering altogether.

Government work may involve setting standards at the ISI which is important for all physics research. Government jobs pay well, but you will never become wealthy being a government physicist. But government work may also involve working in the weapons industry. Industrial work like semi conductors and computers related research will provide the employment in future. Many physics students enter into business, either starting their own ventures or reaching the top levels in industry (they learn management with experience). In fact, some of the wealthiest people in the electronics industry came from physics/engineering backgrounds and then switched to management or set up their own corporation.Teaching in university and doing research is another good option.

Famous Personalities

In the present time Stephen Hawking (1942 -): who provided, with Roger Penrose, theorems regarded the occurrence of gravitational singularities in the framework of general relativity, theoretically predicted that black holes should emit radiation (Hawking radiation). 

Michael Faraday, was uneducated apprentice, but he went on to revolutionize modern civilization with electric motors and dynamos.

Career as an Environmental Scientist

Introduction

Our existence on earth is due to the environment. Rampant industrialization and use of natural resources has harmed the environment in past few hundred years. Throughout the world scientists have realized that if we don’t take immediate steps, then life on earth would come under threat. Thus the last few decades have seen increased consciousness for environment and organizations and governments have started taking measures to develop eco friendly technologies and in protecting the environment.

 This is where environmental scientists come in to the picture. Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical and biological sciences to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems. Environmental scientists protect the environment by conducting research that will identify, eliminate or reduce pollutants and hazards to the environment or to the health of people.

A career in Environmental Science promises employment opportunities, for the environmental scientists, environmental engineers, environmental modelers, environmental biologists, environmental journalists and many more.

Environmental scientists work to regulate, control and prevent air, land and water pollution. They often conduct research to find pollutants or other hazards in the environment and then devise plans to eliminate or minimize them. This is done in accordance with the direction of the employing company, balanced with good environmental practice.

 Environmental scientists usually specialize in a certain aspect of the environment, such as land conservation, toxic waste removal, groundwater contamination, acid rain and wildlife protection to name a few. They can also do environmental impact studies or design monitoring systems to ensure that no environmental damage occurs. Environmental scientists can also work with non-profit organizations or governments to solve environmental problems in the community. In this role an environmental scientist may spend a lot of time in an office, developing relationships with individuals, organisations and other governments which are designed to contribute to environmental protection.

Environmental scientists generally do field explorations or work in the labs as technicians and research assistants. With experience the move to higher positions and manage projects.

Courses and Eligibility

B.S.C (environmental science), Duration: 3 years, Eligibility: 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as their subjects.

M.S.C (Environmental Science), Duration: 2 years, Eligibility: B.S.C in environmental science, zoology, botany, physics or chemistry.

PG Diploma courses in Environment Management and Environmental Science.

B.E in Environmental Engineering, Eligibility: 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as their subjects.

M.Tech in Environmental Science & Engineering, Duration: 2 years, Eligibility: B.E / B.Tech. in environmental or civil engineering.

M.Tech in Energy & Environment Management, Duration: 2 years, Eligibility: B.E / B.Tech. in environmental or civil engineering.

M.Tech (Environmental Engineering), Duration: 2 years, Eligibility: B.E / B.Tech. in environmental or civil engineering.

Where to Study

B.Sc Environmental Science

South Gujarat University, Surat

University of Delhi, Delhi

Berhampur University, Berhampur (Orissa)

Bharathiar University, Coimbatore

University of Mysore, Mysore

University of Pune, Pune                                                                                                                                                   

M.Sc and PG Diploma in Environmental Science

Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune

University of Mumbai

SNDT Women’s University, 1, Nathibai Thackersey Road, New Marine Lines, Mumbai

University of Chennai, Chennai

Indian Institute of Environment Management (SIES), Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathy Vidyapuram, Plot 1E, Sector V, Nerul, Navi Mumbai

Gauhati University (for M.Sc and PhD)

B.E/ B Tech in Environmental Science

The Indian Institutes of Technology ( Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras

Birla institute of Technology

National Institutes of Technology

Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University)

College of Engineering and Technology (Anna University)

Kolhapur Institute of Technology’s College of Engineering, Kolhapur

P.E.S. College of Engineering, Mandya

Delhi College of Engineering, New Delhi

Gujarat University, L.D. College of Engineering, Ahmedabad

Visveswariah Technological University, AIT, Chikmagalur

M.E / M.Tech in Environmental Science

IIT, Delhi, Kanpur, Kharagpur and Madras

Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi

Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya , Indore (MP)

UP Technical University (Instt of Engg & Tech) Lucknow

Visveswariah Technological University, AIT, Chikmagalur

Thapar Institute of Engg & Technology, Patiala                                                                                                  

Some other Institutes offering environmental sciences course:

TERI University (for MSc/MTech/MBA)

ISMU, Dhanbad (for BTech/MTech in Environmental Science & Engg)

NEERI (for PG research and development programmes)

Delhi University (MSc in environmental biology and BE in environmental engineering)

Indian Institute of Environment Management (SIES), Mumbai

Center for Environment Education, Nehru Foundation for Development, Ahmadabad

Jawaharal Nehru University (JNU), School of Environmental Sciences, New Delhi

Pay and Remuneration

Environmental scientists recruited in Central and State pollution control boards get between Rs 15,000 -Rs 25,000. Candidates with a postgraduate degree may start with a salary range of Rs. 30000 – Rs. 50000 and with a PhD salaries are even higher. Environmental Engineers with a B.E degree receives a salary anywhere between Rs.20, 000 – Rs.30, 000. A licensed engineer however can expect a higher pay package.

Career Prospects

Environmental Science as a career offers good job opportunities. Various state and national Government Departments and Industry provide employment on the basis of experience and specialization. There is employment potential in distilleries, fertilizers plants, mines, refineries, textiles, pollution control boards. Forest and wildlife department, NGO’s, water resource and agriculture department, various universities and colleges also provide employment.

Famous Personalities

Dr R K Pachauri, was the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations panel to assess information relevant for understanding climate change. Pachauri has been quite vocal on the issue of climate change and in 2007 IPCC shared Nobel Peace prize with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.

Career as Geographers

Geography as a discipline has evolved in many years and helps us in understanding the world. It studies the land, its features and the inhabitants. Not only geography as such offers good career options it is a good stepping stone for many related careers.               

What do geographers do?

Geographers are people who study the earth’s natural environment. Their scope is not just limited to making maps but stretches much beyond that. They study environment and human society and effects of human society on environment. They are the backbone of Geographic information systems. They study climate and natural phenomena like cyclones, storms, rain, land and oceans and about the earth’s resources. They study weather and seasons and are involved in global monitoring of environment and weather forecasting. Geographers are also involved in urban planning, environmental planning and monitoring.

Geographers specialize in various fields like Economic Geography, Cultural Geography, Environment Control, Political Geography, and Natural Resources. You can also specialize in Cartography, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Geo-morphology, Meteorology, Climatology, Remote sensing, and other related areas.

Geographers do a lot of research work and field work. As per specialization geographers work as cartographers, climatologist, Geographic Information system specialist, environmental analyst, urban planner, Remote sensing specialist etc.

Courses and Eligibility

B A in Geography — Eligibility: 10+2

B.Sc. in Geography — Eligibility: 10+2 with Maths, Statistics & Computer Science

MA in geography/Applied Geography

MSc in geography/Applied Geography

Diploma in Geo Informatics

M.Sc. Geo Informatics

Post graduate Diploma in geographical cartography

One can also do a Master’s degree in Planning/ Remote Sensing/ GIS (M.Tech level courses) if you have Mathematics as a subject in your BA/ B. Sc. You can also specialize in Population Science or Population Studies after your post graduation.

For career in academics higher education like M.Phil./PhD is needed. At these levels one can choose any specialized courses in Geography like Cartography, Urban and Town Planning, Regional Planning, Physiography, Climatology, Oceanography, Population Studies, Economic and Environmental Geography.

Institutes and Universities for studying Geography

University of Delhi, New Delhi

Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

University of Rajasthan, Jaipur

Institute of Geo-informatics & Remote Sensing, Kolkata

Jamia Millia University, New Delhi

Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, Mumbai

Amity University, Noida

Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai

M. S. University of Baroda, Baroda

University of Calcutta, Kolkata

Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar

Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology, Ahmedabad

Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi

Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad

Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

Pay and Remuneration

In university departments and colleges an, an Assistant Professor may get anywhere between Rs. 1.8 lakhs to Rs 4.5 lakhs per year as basic salary and a Professor may get between Rs. 4.5 lakhs and 8 lakhs as basic pay per year. 

In Government jobs and with NGO’s one usually begins with a lesser salary. Private organisations pay higher.

Career Prospects

After studying geography one can join the teaching and academic institutions. One can also use skills in various other career options. One can go for higher studies in Town and urban planning or one can go in the field of cartography, Interested candidates can go for fields like geology and Meterology. Geographers can also choose careers in the field of surverying etc where they do land valuations. Geomatics and Geo Informatics are also coming up as excellent fields. Travel and tourism and Content writing for the travel industry is another option. Research organisation and organizations involved in environment conservation are offer good employment options.

Famous Personalities

James Rennell is considered to be the father of Indian Geography, he started making maps while he was in school itself.

Shashi Bhusan is another famous Indian geographer.

Rajesh Mathur, NIIT-GIS Vice Chairman, has contributed a lot in the geo-spatial industry for over two decades in India and he was conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award at India Geospatial Forum in 2012.

A day in life

On a typical day a geographer may be engaged in making changes to the existing maps or graphs. For this he would do a lot of research using existing maps, satellite images and Photographs. Sometimes he/she would also use field observations to complete the information needed. With the help of geographic information software and statistical tools he can create or modify a map/ graph.

Career as a Botanist

Introduction

Botany is a field of science, a discipline of biology in particular, involved in the study of plants. Plants include a wide range of living organisms from the smallest bacteria to algae, fungi, lichens, mosses, ferns, conifers, and flowering plants, all the way up to the largest living things – the giant sequoia (or redwood) trees. Because the field is so broad, there are many kinds of botanists, or plant biologists.    Who is a Botanist?

A botanist is a biologist who specializes in the scientific study of plants. From the vast variety of botanists, those interested in ecology study interactions of plants with other organisms and the environment where as field botanists search to find new species or do experiments to discover how plants grow under different conditions. Some botanists study the structure of plants. They may work in the field, concentrating on the pattern of the whole plant. Others use microscopes to study the most detailed fine structure of individual cells. Many botanists do experiments to determine how plants convert simple chemical compounds into more complex chemicals. They may even study how genetic information in DNA controls plant development.

The results of botanical research increase and improve our supply of foods, fibers, medicines, building materials, and other plant products. Conservationists use botanical knowledge to help manage parks, forests, and wilderness areas. Public health and environmental protection professionals use their understanding of plant science to help solve pollution problems.

Plant science offers different specialties and career opportunities from which one can choose. This allows people with different backgrounds, aptitudes, and interests to find satisfying careers in plant biology. Among the careers available to a person who enjoys the outdoors are positions as an ecologist, taxonomist, conservationist, forester, or plant explorer. Work in these areas may take you to foreign and exotic lands. A person with a mathematical background might find biophysics, developmental botany, genetics, or systems ecology to be exciting fields. If one is interested in chemistry might become a plant physiologist, plant biochemist, molecular biologist, or chemotaxonomist. Plant structure may appeal to a person who enjoys microscopy and the beauty of intricate form and design. Persons fascinated with microscopic organisms often choose plant microbiology, phycology or mycology. With genetically modified food becoming a regular practice, students of cytogeny, the study of the genetic make-up of plants is currently very much in demand. On a larger scale, ornamental horticulture and landscape design requires artistic use of plant form and color. A person concerned about the world food supply might study plant pathology (diseases) or plant breeding. Honey production is another area where you can be employed to determine the quality of honey, depending on the pollen grain count, which is used as a scale of measurement by any company. Paleobotany (the study of plant fossils) is another field that botanists may venture into.

At larger universities there are frequently separate departments specializing in different applied subdisciplines of botany. Some examples are: Agronomy (field crops), Horticulture (ornamentals, fruits and vegetables), Microbiology (microbes such as bacteria and fungi) and Plant Pathology (diseases of plants). Plant biologists who enjoy working with people have a wide range of opportunities in teaching and public service. 

Courses & Eligibility

B. Sc Botany is offered by many Universities/institutes across India. After B Sc one can go for Post graduation and later for M Phil and Ph d. For B. Sc Botany, 10+2 with science stream including Biology as subject is the eligibility. For the postgraduate course, students must have passed graduation in the same field. 

Where to Study

• Delhi University
• Jiwaji University
• Mumbai University
• St Xavier’s college, Kolkata
• Government College of science, Chhattisgarh
• Fergussan College
• Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra.
• Maharaja’s College Kochi, Kerala.

Salary

Pay for botanists are very good. Teachers and researchers begin with Rs 2 Lakhs to Rs 2.5 lakhs per year. While with higher qualifications the salaries get better.

Career Prospects

While working as a biological technician or in a herbarium is the immediate thing after graduation in botany, Botany opens doors to many careers. Graduates in botany can go for higher studies and work in area of bio technology, bio chemistry, food science, microbiology and environmental science to name a few. One can join a university and teach as well can join a research organization. They can work in the field of agriculture and horticulture also. Careers in ecology and toxicology are also open to graduates of botany.

Career as a Nanotechnologist

Introduction

“Nanotechnology is an idea that most people simply didn’t believe.” — Ralph Merkle                    

What is Nanotechnology?

Nanotechnology is an extraordinary and unique branch in science and basically combines chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering. Nanotechnology is also referred as molecular manufacturing. It is related with the manufacturing and designing electronic circuits and the devices.

Who is a nanotechnologist?

Nanotechnologists are scientists or engineers who make machines and work with material smaller than 100 nanometers. Nanotechnologists work in many fields like computers (where they make chips etc) and in the field of medicine where they study about the nano particles and their behavior in human body and environment. Nanotechnology is focused on future and nanotechnologists are working on finding solutions to problem where none exists.

Courses and Eligibility

Nano technology is offered as a Post-Graduate course in India. Those who want to do post graduation in Nano-technology need to pass bachelor’s degree examination with subjects like Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Life Sciences obtaining not less than 50% marks in total. For doing M.Tech in Nanotechnology, candidates need a B. Tech degree in any of these fields – Material science, Biotechnology, Biomedical, Mechanical, Chemical, Electronics and Computer Science. Candidates with M.Sc. degree in Chemistry, Physics, Biotechnology, Material Science and Computer Science are also eligible to apply for M.Tech programs. 

Where to Study

IITs at Mumbai, Kanpur, Chennai, Guwahati and Delhi.

Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi

National Institute of Technology (NIT), Kurukshetra

National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela

National Institute of Technology, Calicut.

Biosys Biotech Lab & Research Centre, Chennai( Tamil Nadu )

Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal( Madhya Pradesh )

National Physical Laboratory, Delhi

Amity Institute of Nanotechnology (AINT), Noida

Centre for Nanotechnology & Advanced Biomaterials (CeNTAB), Sastra University, Thanjavur

Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Kochi

University of Madras, Chennai

Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology : Dept. of Bio-Nano Technology, Hisar

Sastra University : Centre for Nanotechnology & Advanced Biomaterials (CeNTAB), Thanjavur( Tamil Nadu )

Nanotechnology is the upcoming field which interests many people due to its advancement in technological area. It is the engineering of functional systems at molecular level which consists of principles and technology of the work. It is the science of the future which includes innovations which can change the world. Nanotechnology is the form of molecular engineering which is associated with the creation of minute elements. Materials made out of it are light but at the same time strong and transparent which can uphold any active and aggressive chemical reaction. Nanotechnology uses nano materials which are the mixture of strong and weak but more efficient material. Examples of nanotechnology are Carbon and diamond. It combines other fields such as chemistry, physics, engineering, biology etc. to design and manufacture the molecular structure. Performance and growth of industry in India The concept of nanotechnology is very new to India and might take some time to get used to this technology. However people have realized the potential of this field in commercial field. It is also getting used in fields like electronics, healthcare markets, and other industrial products. Research and Development is going on to understand the growth of it in the market. The industry is growing in various sectors such as pharmaceuticals and medical products, electronics and computing, energy generation, textiles, metals, auto and auto components, aviation etc. The technology is being expected to grow by 2010-2015. Options and Opportunities The opportunities in nanotechnology are tremendous but it requires lots of dedication and hard work to achieve the level of expertise in this field. The sectors which are developing are medical sciences, electronics, information technology and other disciplines which are using this technology to understand the growth and usability of this technology. People in this field can develop themselves in health industry, agriculture, environment industry, food and beverages, space research, and other industries as it has a very wide scope. Courses Available – M.S. Nanoscience and Nanotechnology – M.Sc. Nanoscience – M.Tech. Health Care Nanotechnology (Integrated) – M.Tech. Nanomedical Sciences – M.Tech. Nanotechnology – M.Tech. Nanotechnology (Integrated) – Ph.D. Nanoscience and Technology – Ph.D. Nanotechnology – Certificate Course in Nanotechnology – Diploma in Nanotechnology – Integrated Dual Degree (B.Tech./M.Tech.) in Nanotechnology Qualification required The eligibility criteria to pursue career in nanotechnology is post graduate degree in the subject. For the post graduation in nanotechnology candidates must have a Bachelor’s degree with at least 50% marks aggregate in Maths, Physics, chemistry and life sciences with PCS as subsidiary subjects. Some good institutes – Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore; – Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore – National Physical Laboratory, Delhi – Solid State Physics Laboratory, Delhi – National Chemical Laboratory, Pune – Central Scientific Instruments Organization, Chandigarh – Defence Materials Store Research & Development Organizations, Kanpur – Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) – Amity Institute of Nanotechnology, Noida – Delhi University – Benaras Hindu University Entrance exams – Aligarh Muslim University Postgraduate Entrance Exam – Amrita University M.Tech in Nanotechnology/Molecular Medicine Common Entrance Test – Awadhesh Pratap Singh University M.Sc Common Entrance Test (CET) – Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Postgraduate Entrance Test – Central University Common Entrance Test (CUSET) – Chaudhary Charan Singh University M.Sc Nanotechnology Entrance Exam – Delhi University Joint Admission Test (DU JAM) – Engineering Agricultural and Medical Common Entrance Test – Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) – Vellore Institute of Technology Master’s Entrance Exam (VITMEE) – Maitreyi College PG Diploma in Nanotechnology Entrance exam – Manonmaniam Sundaranar University M.Sc Nanotechnology Entrance Exam – NIPER Joint Entrance Examination – Punjab Technical University Combined Entrance Test – SRM Engineering Entrance Examination

Salary

As far as the pay scale is concerned, freshers with M.Tech degree can earn somewhere between Rs 20,000 and 30,000 per month. After gaining some experience and professional expertise in this field, candidates can also look for the package of Rs. 6,00,000, to Rs. 12,00,000 a year.

Career Prospects

Nanotechnology has many applications and thus the scope is very wide. Nanotechnology finds application in many industries like health, environment, space research, Chemicals, Bio technology and Genetics. Forensic science & many other new industries emerging as a result of advances in nanotechnology. Communication industry is also gaining a lot from advances in nanotechnology.

Famous Personalities

Norio Taniguchi, of the Tokyo University of Science used the term nanotechnology in 1974 for the first time. Kim Eric Drexler, popularized the potential of molecular nanotechnology.

Career as a Statistician

Introduction

“Definition of Statistics: The science of producing unreliable facts from reliable figures.”                               

What do statisticians do?

Statisticians harvest, analyze and explain data in ways that help decision-making. Statisticians use their knowledge to design, collect, and interpret data experiments in many different fields of industry. This includes fields of economics, medicine, psychology, marketing, public health, biology, sports, and others. Even military considerations take statistical procedures for approval of certain strategies and sanctions. The Central Government recruits postgraduates in statistics, mathematical statistics and applied statistics for the Indian Statistical Service.

A big chunk of the ISI alumni get into analytics, banking and finance and software development. Knowledge process outsourcing firms are absorbing stats students as well. Some become actuaries, professionals who use mathematical and statistical methods to predict risks and uncertainty and for valuation of financial products.

They often work for automobile, pharmaceutical, or computer software companies in trial testing and product evaluation. Apart from development, statisticians are also involved with the manufacturing, asset, liability, and risk management, and marketing departments of firms.

Courses & Eligibility

Bachelor degree in Statistics: Eligibility is 10+2 with Maths

MSc in OR; MBE/MSc Statistics; Post Graduation in statistics – Eligibility: graduation in Maths (With statistics for at least 2 semesters)

The Union Public Service Commission conducts the examination for recruitment to the Indian Statistical Service. This exam is open only to postgraduates in stats and certain allied disciplines.

Where to Study

Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore
Courses : M-Stat (S-stream, M-stream)

Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta,
Courses : BStat, MStat, MS (quantitative economics), and MTech

Indian Statistical Institute (Delhi Centre), New Delhi
Courses : MStat

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
Courses : 2-year M.Sc. in Statistics, Doctorate in Statistics

University of Delhi (Hindu College, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Sri Venkateswara College, Ram Lal College)
Course: BSc Statistics

Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute (IASRI)

Loyola College, Chennai
Courses : BSc Statistics, M.Sc. Statistics

Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Anand.
MSc in Statistics (Specialization in Biostatistics or Financial Statistics), Master in Quality and Productivity Management (MQPM), M Phil, PhD Statistics.
Certificate courses in SPSS, Biostatistics, Financial Statistics.

Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh
MSc in Statistics, B.Sc. (Hons.) with Statistics Main and two subsidiaries, Diploma in Statistics

Benaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
Courses : B. Sc. (Hons.) Statistics, M.Sc.Statistics, M. Sc. in Health Statistics. Ph: 0542-2368418,2307255-58

Christ College, Bangalore, Hosur Road, Bangalore – 29, Karanataka.
Courses : B.Sc. Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics(CMS)

Punjab University, Chandigarh
Courses : M.Sc. Statistics, M.Phil Statistics, Ph.D Statistics

Osmania University, Hyderabad
Courses : M.Sc. Statistics, M.Sc. Applied Statistics, M.Phil.Statistics , Ph.D.Statistics

Devi Ahilya ViswaVidyalaya, Indore
Courses : M.A/M.Sc Statistics

Fergusson College, Pune.
Courses : B.Sc.Statistics

Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla
Courses : MA/MSc Statistics, MPhil Statistics

Hindu College, Delhi, University of Delhi, University Enclave, Delhi
Courses : B.Sc.(Hons) Statistics

Hislop College, Nagpur, Temple Road, Civil lines, Nagpur, Maharashtra. Phone : 91-712-2532004, 91-712-2520158
Courses : BSc Statistics, Post graduate Diploma in Applied Statistics

Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata
Courses : BSc Statistics

Mount Carmel College, Bangalore
Courses : Core combinations available:Economics, Mathematics, Statistics (EMS)

Maulana Azad College, Calcutta.
Courses : BSc Statistics

Nirmala college, Muvattupuzha, Muvattupuzha, Kerala, India
Courses : MSc Statistics

PSG College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore.
Courses : BSc Statistics and M.Sc.Statistics

Parvathaneni Brahmayya Siddhartha College of Arts & Science, Vijayawada Siddhartha Nagar, Vijayawada
Courses : B.A.Economics, Mathematics and Statistics, M.A.Statistics, B.A.Computer Applications, Mathematics and Statistics

Presidency College, Chennai, Chennai,
Courses : BSc Statistics and M.Sc.Statistics

Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, Maharashtra.
Courses : MSc in Statistics, Ph.D

St Xavier’s College, Mumbai
Courses : BSc Statistics

St Thomas College, Pala, Arunapuram P.O, Kottayam , Kerala
Courses : M.Sc. Statistics, M.Sc. Biostatistics, Ph.D

University of Calcutta, Kolkata
Courses : M.Sc.Statistics, M.Phil in Computer Application of Statistics, PhD

University of Calicut, Kerala
Courses : M.Sc.Statistics

University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram,
Courses : MSc Statistics, MPhil Statistics, PhD

Pay and Remuneration

Starting pay packages for statisticians vary with the institute they are passing out and their prior experience. In the past, pass out students of ISI, Kolkata were offered average pay of Rs 12 lakhs per annum and Delhi University students were offered average pay package of Rs 4.5 lakhs.

Career Prospects

Statisticians work in government and they are in huge demand in the private sector also. Post Graduate statisticians with certifications in statistical packages have better job prospects. Some of them join Market Research and Financial Sector.

Opportunities available are as Manager in Data Management, Project Manager Statistician, Data Analyst: sales and marketing, Business Analyst, Business Intelligence.

Famous Personalities

C R Rao is a world renowned statistician, who was honored at the White House in the year 2002 with National Medal Science. He has a vast professional experience of over 40 years at the Indian Statistical Institute in the capacity of Superintending Statistician. He has lead the Research and Training School as its Head and also as Director in the same organization. Before that he has served as National Professor. Further, his rich experience in the field of statistics includes 20 years in several universities comprising of United States and United Kingdom which also includes University of Pittsburgh, University of California at Berkeley, Pennsylvania State University, Cambridge University and Hopkins University

Career in Life Sciences

Life sciences comprise of various fields of science such as biology, medicine, botany, zoology, physiology, biochemistry, etc. concerned with study of living organisms.

There are many fields under life science, such as:
– Biology, Bio-engineering, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology,
– Medicine, Biomedical sciences, Microbiology
– Genetics
– Pharmacology
– Physiology
– Plant sciences
– Ecology
– Zoology.

Life Sciences Courses:

B.Sc. (Genetics)

B.Sc. (Hons.) (Genetics)

B.Sc. (Hons.) (Human Genetics)

B.Sc. (Life Sciences)

B.Sc. Applied Life Science (Sericulture)

M.Phil. (Life Sciences)

M.Sc. (Applied Genetics)

M.Sc. (Biomedical Genetics)

M.Sc. (Enzyme and Fermentation Technology)

M.Sc. (Genetics)

M.Sc. (Human Genetics and Molecular Biology)

M.Sc. (Life Science)

Ph.D. (Environmental Biology)

Ph.D. (Genetics)

Ph.D. (Life Science)

Post Graduate Diploma (Computational Biology)

Post Graduate Diploma (Immunotechnology)

Post Graduate Diploma (Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering)

Career in Aquaculture

Aquaculture is the cultivation of aquatic organisms under controlled conditions. Though there are some types of aquaculture like Algaculture which is the cultivation of kelp or Seaweed and other Algae, the growing of Cultured Pearls, the primary form of aquaculture is Fish Farming or Pisciculture (the Latin word piscis means fish). Fish farming or Aquaculture of this kind is end directed, that is, fishes are grown or cultivated for human consumption or for industrial and medicinal purposes.

Aquaculture has been practised since ancient times. In ancient China (circa 2500 BC), fishes were held in artificial tanks after the floods. Aquaculture however expanded and became a full fledged industry only in the 20th century.

Fishes provide an excellent source of protein and essential amino acids. In many developing countries with considerable water bodies or coasts, aquaculture is greatly encouraged in an effort to prevent malnutrition among the people.

India is surrounded by water bodies on multiple sides and there are numerous water bodies within the mainland. There is an approximately 7,500 km coastline and longer inland water channels. The fishing industry is therefore a rapidly increasing and important industry and aquaculture is a viable career option.

Nature of Work

Those involved in Aquaculture have to develop fish farms and work in fish research centres. They also need to research and gather information about water bodies and coastal areas. Fish farmers also need to find out and prevent water pollution and engage in fish preservation. Aquaculture involves the study of methods of fish cultivation and harvesting, freezing and canning in both coastal as well as inland factories. Then there is the necessity of figuring out ways of marketing, both within and outside the country, the transportation and delivery of fishes.

Personality

Being involved in Aquaculture does not require a special kind of personality as such but one must be prepared to handle fishes and dissect them, travel on the water and be able to swim. Therefore, it is a major setback if one cannot physically handle fishes or stand the smell of fishes. Being sea sick is also a problem for certain kinds of job in the aquaculture industry. An interest in marine or aqua life is an added advantage. Being able to swim is not only an advantage, but also quite necessary.

Professional Courses

One can pursue a bachelor’s degree in Fish Farming (B.Sc. in Fishery Sciences) or a bachelor’s degree in Zoology (B.Sc. in Zoology). Either of these two bachelor’s degrees paves the way for a further master’s degree in Fishery Sciences. One can also study for a master’s degree in Mariculture (M.Sc. in Mariculture). One can also study for a Ph.D. after getting a master’s degree.

Diploma courses are also offered by several institutes. These diploma courses can be of 1 to 3 years. Small certificate courses are also offered by some academic institutions.

Other short term courses are also offered by some institutes for a career in aquaculture. These short term courses can sometimes be a concentrated period of study for 30 days.

Colleges, Institutions and Universities

Some colleges which offer a bachelor’s degree in Fishery Sciences are:

College of Fisheries Roha, Nagaon – 782103, Assam

Agriculture University, Jorhat- 785 013, Assam

College of Fisheries, Pusa Rajendra, Bihar
www.pusavarsity.org.in
Email: info@pusavarsity.org.in

Agriculture University, Sabour – 813 210, Bihar

College of Fisheries, Vellanikkara – 680654, Trichur (Kerala)

Institutes offering master’s courses in fishery sciences

Department of Industrial Fisheries, Cochin University Kochi, Kerala – 682 022, India

Institutes offering master’s courses in mariculture

Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Cochin, Kerala – 682 018, India

Institutes offering Diploma Courses

Central Institute of Fisheries Education,
Fisheries University Road
Seven Bungalows
Andheri (W), Mumbai – 400061
Phone: +91 22 2636 1446 / 7 / 8
Fax: +91 22 2636 1573
http://www.cife.edu.in
Email: contact@cife.edu.in

Indira Gandhi National Open University
http://www.ignou.ac.in/schools/sos/courses.htm#daq

Shark Processing
Integrated Fisheries Project,
Cochin, Kerala

Mate Fishing Vessel
Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training,
Cochin, Kerala, TN, AP.

The ASPARC in Visakhapatnam and OSSPARC in Bhubaneshwar are two major training centres for aquaculture. The courses at both these centres are of one month. Marine Product Export Development Authority (MPEDA) in Mumbai and Mangalore also offer a 30 day shrimp farm management course. MPEDA assists in job placements as well.

Eligibility

The eligibility for most of these courses is the study of science till class 12 in school. As the degree in aquaculture is a science degree, one needs to have studied science till class 12. Most institutes also make it mandatory to have studied biology till class 12. However, it is best to check with individual institutes to see what their requirements are. The cut offs for these institutes vary from institute to institute. Whether one needs to appear for any of the competitive exams or whether the school leaving exam is sufficient depends on the institute.

Specialization

What one specializes in leads to what kinds of jobs one can look for later. If one is looking for a job in the industry, then one can specialize in the ways of breeding and cultivating fishes for industry. One can also specialize in fields which seek to cultivate aquatic life for use in medicine. One can then find a job in a pharmaceutical company.

If one is not looking for a job in the industry but rather wants to go into research and development, then one can specialise in studying the life patterns, habits and breeding patterns of fishes. One can specialize in either fresh water aquaculture or coastal aquaculture. One can also study about the preservation of marine life. With water pollution increasing rapidly, one can study about ways in which water pollution can be prevented and how toxic industrial wastes can be disposed of safely without destroying the ecological system. Commercial fishing as opposed to fish farming has led to the depletion in the population of several of the most widely consumed breeds of fishes. There are also opportunities to study the ways in which extinction of the most widely consumed breeds of fishes can be prevented. A ban on the extensive fishing of some breeds is one of the new fields that is being incorporated into aquaculture studies in India and also in other countries. One can also specialize in fish processing. Since aquaculture is end oriented, the processing as well as harvesting is an important part of studies in aquaculture.

Career Growth and Prospects

With the huge coastlines and the numerous inland water bodies in India, aquaculture presents a growing industry. Aquaculture is still in its early stages in India and there is a lot of scope for development. Fishes are an important export item for India because India, with its long coastlines, has excellent fish stocks. The career prospects and openings are therefore large.

One can find employment in fish farms in the areas of design, construction and management as well. The CFTRI’s Biology department, Indian Council of Agricultural Research; the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) and the MPEDA are all encouraging and boosting the aquaculture industry in India. With these efforts, the job prospects are not limited.

Remunerations

Aquaculture is a viable career option. With large paths of development lying ahead, the job returns are not limited. For teachers, the remuneration is as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. Even while one is a research fellow, one can get a salary of Rs 8,000 per month. For professors, the salary can go up to Rs 25,000 per month.

Farming supervisors can get a salary between Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000. For entrepreneurs, the returns are not defined but the scope is tremendous.

How to find a job?

One can either find a placement in industry or in pharmaceutical companies or go in for research and development and teaching.

One can find several openings in industry. Some of these are in farm management where one performs supervisory tasks like site selection, designing and construction ponds and other water bodies, feeding fishes, perform selective stocking, manage water quality, and monitor the fishes and prevent toxication or infection till they are harvested and also protecting the water body in general.

In hatchery management one can be engaged in brood stock collection, breeding fishes in artificial conditions, managing water quality, oxygen packing and transportation to the farms. One can also find jobs which try to provide equipment required in fish cultivation like nets, fishing vessels, machines or equipments for cleaning, salting and freezing fishes. Two low level jobs associated with the aquaculture industry are those of a fishery inspector and a deep sea fishery worker. One can get a job as a fishery inspector whose duty is to transport fish seed safely to different fishery stations. Deep sea fishery workers work as crew members of fishing vessels.

For research and development, one can be involved either with academic institutions or with the research and development sections of fishing companies or pharmaceutical companies. Teaching posts are available at all the institutes offering courses in aquaculture.

Career in Sericulture

Introduction

Sericulture is the art and technology of raising silk worms for production of raw silk yarn. This agro based industry is not limited to just worms, but includes all activities related to them, like mulberry cultivation and even post-cocoon technology. It requires both technical know-how and as well as specialization.

Today China and Japan are two main producers of silk yarn, together producing over 50% of total world production each year.

Educational Institutions

Sericulture is quite popular in southern India and is now available as course option in Northern India too.

Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute, Mysore

College of Agriculture, Bangalore

Shivaji University, Kolhapur

Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu

Eligibility

Undergraduate courses: 10+2 with science

Postgraduate courses: Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, sericulture or any agricultural field

Course Duration

Undergraduate courses: 4 years

Postgraduate courses: 2 years

Cost

Nominal

Prospects

Sericulture offers career opportunity in Govt. research centers, Silk boards, private textile firm.

Professionals who undergo proper training can earn starting salaries are as high as Rs 15000/- per month in public sector and even higher in private sector and NGOs.

Current Employment Opportunities

Sericulture Jobs

Past Employment Opportunities

Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences And Technology – Jammu

Maya Organic

Nagarjuna Agro Chemicals Pvt. Ltd.

Bundelkhand University, Jhansi

ELAND International

Career in Geo-informatics and GIS

Introduction

Geographic Information System (GIS) and satellite-based Remote Sensing (RS) have greatly improved our ability to collect, store, analyse and utilise geographical information. GIS and RS is a system of hardware, software and procedures designed for support, capture, management, manipulation, analysis, modelling and display of spatially referenced (geographical) data. The terms ‘geo-informatics system’ or ‘geometrics’ are used interchangeably. GIS and RS professional’s finds career opportunities in environmental impact assessment, biodiversity assessment, natural resource management, environmental modelling, town planning, public utility work and many socio-economic development programmes. GIS professionals make the geographic information accessible to scientists, planners, decision makers, managers and to general public. The knowledge of geo-informatics is becoming a driving force behind the overall socio-economic development of the nation.

Scope

Geo-informatics services are growing by 10-15% per annum. There is great demand for GIS professionals in 150 GIS companies in India and many other global companies. Geo-information system have a variety of uses viz. agriculture, archaeology, environment, geology, health, land information system, military, urban and rural development, transpiration, telecommunication, power, water resource, natural and manmade disasters, oil and natural gas, banking and insurance, business geographic, mobile mapping, etc GIS and RS has application in resource Managment especially of water, land, soil, vegetation, etc. There is a wide gap in demand and supply of GIS professionals. India is the one of the most preferred outsourcing destination for GIS related work in the world.

Remuneration

Salary based on training, experience and qualification. In general, salaries in private field are above average than in government organizations. The salaries for those working in Geoinformatics are quite good as compared to many other fields. The salary range in United States is between $31,387 for an entry-level analyst to $83,333 for a GIS supervisor.

Eligibility

Graduation or post-graduation in science stream with good training programme is GIS is essential. The knowledge of Geography, information technology is preferred. B.A.or M.A. geography students can also make good career in Geoinformatics. 

Employability Skills

Remote sensing, database programming, photogrammetry, image processing, digital cartography and automated mapping knowledge of two or more GIS packages.

Excellent verbal/written communication skills.

Good documentation skills. 

“Hands-on” experience

Good analytical skills.

Problem solving skills

Creativity 

Good knowledge of cartography, GIS, database management and programming.

Career test

If you record “Yes” for maximum questions then it indicates that you have potential for perusing career in the field of Geo-informatics.

Do I have good sense of space and dimensions?

Do I have knowledge of GIS packages?

Do I have perceptive and probing mind?

Do I have ability to handle enormous amount of data?

Do I like to travel frequently?

Am I ready to bear inconvenience if you are in remote areas?

Do I like systematic way of working?

Do I like to work for several hours (8-12hrs or more) per day in a lab?

Do I have analysing and interpreting skills?

Do I read latest scientific news, books and research magazines?

Do I have a creative mind and deep thinking?

Do I have ability of keen observation?

Am I ready to learn and adopt new techniques?

Do I like to work as a team?

Do I have good knowledge of cartography?

Am I good in database management and software programming?

Do I have like to learn statistical analysis?

Do I have problem solving ability?

Do I have good communication skills?

Career opportunities

Agriculture: Mixed-crop discrimination and inventory, large area crop inventory and crop stress detection monitoring.

Forest: Types and species discrimination, forest stock mapping and biomass estimation.

Environment: Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and environmental planning.

Soil resources: Soil mapping and erosion prone mapping.

Geology: Geological mapping, geomorphologic mapping, terrain and cadastral mapping

Water Resources: Surface water monitoring and ground water targeting.

Disaster: Flood damage assessment, flood relief measures, etc.

Military management: GIS plays role in scheduling and fighting of wars as well rebuilding war-torn communities.

Business applications: For finding offending taxpayers, developing pizza delivery routes, setting up insurance rates, etc. 

Public sector organisations: ISRO, NRSA, NIC, urban developmental authorities and municipal bodies employ GIS trained personnels. 

Natural resource management.

Local and municipal planning and development.

Emergency management.

Transportation management.

Socio-Economic development.

Urban development.

Public utility works.

Job options

Cartographic designer

Consultant: A consultant’s primary duties are the complete analysis, design and documentation of a project.

Database administrator.

Geographer

Geo-Spatial Software Engineer

GIS analysts:

GIS Analyst-Environmental 

GIS Application Specialist

GIS Business Analyst

GIS Data Specialist 

GIS digitizers/GIS operators

GIS Mapping Assistant

GIS Mapping Technician

GIS Programmer

GIS project manager

GIS technicians/GIS engineers

Professor/Teacher

Self-employment:

Geo-informatics solution consultancy.

Out sourcing Geoinformatics services.

EIA consultant.

Employers

Geoinformatics centres: Universities, Space Application Centres, Birla Institute of Technology, NRSA, etc.

Central Government organizations/agencies: NESAC, RRSAC, ISRO, ADRIN, IARI, ICAR, etc.

Schools, Colleges and Universities:

Overseas firms: USA, Canada, Netherlands, Switzerland, China, Malaysia, France, Germany, Australia, etc.

Private sector firms: Telecommunication companies, oil industry, transportation industry, etc.

Government agencies and local authorities: Departments like Agriculture, Geology, Forest, Town-planning, etc.

Newspaper/magazines: Geoinformatics columnist

Educational content development firms: Content developer, Expert, etc.

Companies providing job opportunities

CyberTech Systems and Software Ltd., Mumbai

ESRI India, New Delhi

Fugro Survey India Ltd, Mumbai.

Geofiny Technologies Private Limited, Chennai

Geographis (India) Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad.

INCA Informatics Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi

Lavasa Corporation Limited, Pune.

Magnasoft Consutancy Services, Bangalore

Reliance Communication Pvt. Ltd.

Speck Spatial Tech Ltd.

Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.

Courses

Courses after 12th standard

B.E.(Geoinformatics) Duration: 4 years

Eligibility: Higher second class in 10+2 Mode of admission: Common entrance test Institute: Institute of Remote Sensing at Anna University, Chennai. Further details:www.annauniv.edu

Diploma in Geoinformatics Institute: Symbiosis Society Senapati Bapat rd. Pune-1.www.symbiosissociety.org

Courses after Graduation

B.Sc. (Applied) in GIS and RS. Duration: 1 year

Eligibility: Minimum 50% marks in the qualifying examination viz., B.Sc./B.Ag./B.A. (in mathematics/statistics) B.E./ B.Tech./ B.Arch./ B.A. (in geography) Institute: Pune University www.unipune.ernet.in

M.Sc (Geoinformatics and Geohazards) Duration: 2 years

Institute: Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) National Remote Sensing Agency Dept of Space, Govt. of India, Dehradun (India) www.iirs-nrsa.gov.in

M.Sc. Geomatics Duration: 2 years

Eligibility: Common entrance test Institute: Symbiosis Geomatics Institute, Pune. www.symbiosisgeoinformatics.in

M.Sc. Geoinformatics Duration: 2 years

Eligibility: Common entrance test Institute: Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi, Jharkhand Kolkatta and Jaipur. www.bitmesra.ac.in

M.Sc. Geoinformatics and remote sensing Duration: 2 years Institute: M.D.S. University, Ajmer, Rajasthan.www.mdsuajmer.com

M.Sc. Geoinformatics Duration: 2 years

Eligibility: Students having obtained minimum 50% marks in the qualifying examination viz., B.Sc./B.Ag./B.A. (in mathematics/statistics) B.E./ B.Tech./ B.Arch./ B.A. (geography) Institute: Pune University. www.unipune.ernet.in

M.Tech: Duration: 2 years

Eligibility: Common entrance test Institute: IIT Mumbai, IIT Kanpur, www.iitk.ac.inRoorkee University, REC Warangal Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi, Jharkhand Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University (JNTU), Hyderabad. www.jntu.ac.in 

M.Tech (RS & GIS) Institute: Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) National Remote Sensing Agency Dept of Space, Govt. of India, Dehradun-248001 (India) www.iirs-nrsa.gov.in

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) Eligibility: M.Sc. 

Duration: 2-6 years

Mode of admission: NET/CSIR entrance. Or Under research projects or self funded centers for Ph.D.

All reputed Universities.

Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi, Jharkhand www.bitmesra.ac.in

Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University (JNTU), Hyderabad. www.jntu.ac.in

Indian Institute of Technology (lIT), www.iitk.ac.in Roorkee, Kanpur and Kharagpur. 

Indian Space Research organisation (ISRO) www.isro.org

National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) www.nrsc.gov.in

Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad www.sac.gov.in

Survey Training Institute, Hyderabad www.surveyofindia.gov.in/Training.html

Geological Survey of India www.gsi.gov.in Conducts short term and long-term courses and workshops at nominal fees.

Post-Graduate Diploma RS & GIS Institutes: IIRS, Dehradun www.iirs-nrsa.gov.in and Allahabad University

Distant courses:  

MSc (Remote Sensing and GIS): Institute: School of Studies in Distance Education (SOSDE) (Jiwaji University),Madhya Pradesh www.idejug.com      

MSc. (Geoinformatics)  The Global Open University, Distance Education.Tamil Nadu, Chennai and Annamalai University Directorate of Distance Education, Annamalainagar (Tamil Nadu).

MBA in Geoinformatics Periyar Institute of Distance Education, Mumbai

M.Sc. In Geomatics  Sikkim Manipal University Directorate of Distance Education and Bangalore University- Directorate of Correspondence Courses & Distance.

Important Institutes

Allahabad University, Allahabad, UP. www.aaidu.org

Birla Institute of Technology. www.bits-pilani.ac.in

Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, www.iari.res.in

Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR). www.icar.org.in

Indian Institute of Remote Sensing and Sensing (IIRS), Dehradun. www.iirs-nrsa.gov.in

Indian Institute of Technology(lIT), Roorkee, Kanpur, Kharagpur

ISRO, Bangalore. www.isro.org

Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University (JNTU), Hyderabad. www.jntu.ac.in

M.D.S. University, Ajmer. www.mdsuajmer.com

National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), Balanagar Hyderabad www.nrsa.gov.in

Regional Remote Sensing Application Center (RRSAC), Kharagpur, Dehradun, Jodhpur, Nagpur and Bangalore,www.isro.org/rrssc/index.html

Space Application Center (SAC), Ahmedabad and New Delhi. www.sac.gov.in

Examinations

Many reputed institutes conducts entrance examinations so as to test the Aptitude for the Geoinformatics. 

Career as an Ecologist

Introduction

“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.”— Franklin D. Roosevelt

Anything that involves whole organisms and the living and non-living things around them involves ecology. Whether they investigate urban, suburban, rural, forest, desert, farm, fresh water, estuarine, or marine environments, ecologists help us understand the connections between organisms and their environment.

Who is an Ecologist?

Ecologists are scientists who study the relationships between plants, animals, and their environments. They do research in field of environment and help others to understand and appreciate the natural world they live in and depend on. For example: an ecologist will study the impact of making a dam on the adjoining forest and its flora and fauna or Impact of factory discharge on a river ecosystem. Through research and studies they give reports which the government and other related agencies utilize for decision making and implementation. Some of them also teach and advise students and local or other government agencies. Ecologists also do impact analysis while the project is going on or alter to assess the damage done to the ecology. They oversee the actions that may change the environment. Ecologists help the corporate and government agencies to work in such a manner that natural resources can be managed and environment can be protected.

Courses & Eligibility

Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science):
Eligibility: 10+2 in any discipline
Duration: Three Years (Six Semesters)

One can follow it up with Masters Degree and even a Ph.D.

While this is the formal route to become an ecologist, somebody having an interest in ecology can begin working in this are even while he/she is in school. You can take your environmental science subject more seriously and can also join a ecology club in the summer or winter vacations. You can intern with an organisation involved in ecological research or work with NGO’s.

Where to Study

1. Indian Institute of Ecology and environment, New Delhi Offers Master of Science (Environmental Science), Master of Science (Sustainable Development), Master of Science (Disaster Management), Master of Science (Remote Sensing), MBA (Environmental Management), Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science).
2. WWF India, Darrang College Tezpur. Offers Certificate Course in Conservation Ecology
3. Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Offers research programs in Ecology.
4. Conservation India Offers Certificate course in Ecology, Ethology and Conservation.
5. Chhatisgarh University B Sc and MSc Environment and Ecology
6. Birsa Agricultural University, Ranchi B Sc in Ecology and Environment
7. IIFM, Bhopal FPM in Ecosystem and Environment Management.
8. Assam University Offers M Sc (Ecology and Environmental Sciences)
9. Pondicherry University, Puducherry Offers M Sc (Ecology and Environmental Sciences)

There are many institutes in India that offer Graduate and Post Graduate course in Environmental Science.

Salary

Typically salaries are low at entry level technical jobs and for interns but people in the teaching career and those working the corporate sector get good salaries after getting experience.

Career Prospects

Career prospects are bright in the field of ecology. Entry level jobs are as research assistant where one works in the field or lab. Later on you take the position of a research scientist who supervises technicians and research assistants. After gaining considerable experience one works as a Environmental Consultant. And may work on projects for restoration of ecological system of some place. College teachers also take up research assignments.

Career in Earth Science

Looking for a Career Option in the Field of Earth Science? This section features Earth Science as a career option, elaborated with reference to the job profile, personality traits required, the courses and training involved, premier institutions and future prospects.

Earth Sciences mainly deal with subjects such as geography, geology and oceanography and are connected with the study of earth, its changing aspects.

Geography deals with the areal differentiation of the earth’s surface. It includes study of factors such as climate, elevation, soil, vegetation, population, land use and industries all over world and its different political entities.

Geology is the science that deals with the physical history of the earth, rocks of which is composed and physical changes which the earth has undergone or is undergoing. Allied branches of geology are geochemistry and geophysics.

Oceanography is branch of physical geography dealing with oceans. Geologists may easily specialise in this branch. Again the work is research-oriented or exploratory in nature.

Cartographers produce maps, including details of projection, design, compilations, drafting and reproduction. They collect and organise all the data on which maps are based and this involves land surveying and aerial photography. Cartography can take up by geographers. Town Planning organisations, forest departments, land survey agencies, defence sector, rail, road and airport authorities, housing boards and tourism departments of the government require the services of cartography

Personality Traits

Geologist or geographer should have keen interest in physical surroundings, strong powers of observation, good colour vision, precision, patience, perseverance, interest in outdoor work, indifference to unpleasant wheat her conditions, good physical health, scientific approach, and love for exploration are useful attributes for all earth scientists.

Courses/Training

The basic qualification for career in earth science is a Master’s degree in specific subject. Geography and geology are subjects of academic study. In order to take up a post graduate programme in geography or geology, it is necessary to have studied it as major / honours subject during graduation.

Postgraduate seats are normally allotted in these subjects to students who have graduated with the respective subjects. At the postgraduate level students take up an area of the discipline for special study. Project work is an important part of the curriculum for these disciplines. While geology is taken up as a science, many universities do not tare geography as a subject of the science stream and instead award an arts degree.

The Institute of Town Planners, India, 4-A Ring road, I P Estate, New Delhi 110 002 offers Associateship Examination. Postgraduates In geography employed in town planning work, directly or indirectly, may apply for the Examination.

Courses in Earth Sciences are

M.Sc. Tech (Earth science (3 years) in branches: Applied Geology; Applied geophysics after B.Sc. with Geology / Physics).

5-year Integrated M.Sc. (Applied Geology / Exploration Geophysics) after 10+2 through It-JEE, M.Tech. Applied Geology after B.Tech/equivalent, GATE score.

Oceanography/Marine Sciences Courses.

Placements And Prospects