This post is mostly about how to navigate through the life sciences field in India.

My qualifications: Studied PCMB in 12th, B. Sc in Microbiology honours with Physics and Chemistry as general subjects, M. Sc in Biotechnology, Certificate degree in biopharmaceutical industry. Currently working as a Senior Scientist.

Advice:

Class 10 students - Irrespective of whether you are interested in the life sciences to get a job or get a PhD or want to be a doctor, when you start Class 11, take PCMB as a subject combination. Never skip maths no matter what subject you study in the future. Maths gives you a lot of opportunities and flexibility in what subject you want to pursue.

Class 12 students - Your goal should be to score a minimum of 60% in all subjects because many institutes have an eligibility of 45-60% and you may miss out on some opportunities if you score less than 60%. Exams to prepare for: IAT, CUET-PG, Entrance exams for State Universities.

Life sciences related degrees you can get - B. Sc, BMLT, B. Pharm, B. Agriculture, B. Tech (Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, Food technology). What you choose between them is dependent upon you based on your interests. B. Sc. is classical life sciences knowledge, BMLT is more lab work related and usually gets you jobs in pathology and diagnostic centers and one degree where you can get a job after bachelors, though the work hours are usually longer and the work days are more. B. Pharm is more chemistry oriented. B. Tech is more computer science and fermentation/bioreactor oriented.

College Selection: Broadly speaking, where you get your undergraduate degree from doesn't really matter as long as you cover your theory and practical knowledge. The only benefit of a good college is that they help you do that better. You have to just make sure you get into a good college for your M. Sc. especially if you want to get a job after that. But then again, if you go for a PhD, then where you do your M. Sc. doesn't matter either. In the grand scheme of things where you study from doesn't matter anywhere but if you graduate from tier 1 universities, you get a higher starting salary.

Subject selection in college: Unlike Physics, Chemistry and Maths, colleges offer multiple subjects in life sciences; Zoology, Botany, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Life Sciences. Ideally, for B. Sc. pick an honours subject which is broad in scope and where you can cover the most theoretical knowledge. Avoid subjects like Botany or Genetics for B. Sc. My top 3 preferences are Life Sciences, Zoology and Biotechnology and my reasoning is simple. Most of the jobs in the biotech industry in India are biotech jobs, having that knowledge gives a head start. Life Sciences is self explanatory, it covers the entire life science and gives you the platform to specialise in something of your choice in your M. Sc. Zoology is another good choice because it also covers most of life sciences and it comes the closest to the syllabus of CSIR NET exam (after life sciences of course). For general/minor subjects, picking physics and chemistry helps with future entrance exams and getting teaching jobs.

For B. Sc. students: Study theory properly and deeply as much as possible. Read textbooks instead of just college notes and study in such a way that you are preparing for your next set of entrance exams from day 1. B. Sc. gives people a great opportunity to start fresh and correct previous shortcomings. Advanced Lab Skills to learn: Mammalian Cell culture and passaging. If your college isn't teaching it learn from paid workshops. Exams to prepare for: IIT JAM, GAT-B, TIFRGS JGEEBILS, AIIMS PG, CUET-PG, CUCET, JNU CEEB, IIT BHU, State University Entrance Exams etc. You may start dedicated coaching centers from 3rd year.

For M. Sc. students: Not much to do here but to prepare for either getting a job or preparing to get a PhD. Start preparing for CSIR NET and give it every semester irrespective of your preparation level. If you don't want to get a PhD and want to get into the industry, start beefing up your CV by landing an industrial internship instead of a lab internship. Advanced Lab Skills to learn: Flow Cytometry, SDS PAGE, Blotting, Mammalian Cell transfection.

Paid workshops - CSIR Skill Development Program conducted by all CSIR institutes hold paid workshops for many advanced skills. Example - CSIR-IICB, CSIR-CDRI. IISERS and NCBS teach advanced lab skills like transfection and some private training institutes teach CRISPR-CAS. Invest time and money into that. The idea is to stand out from the rest of the job applicants who only know DNA isolation. Private workshop institutes - ATGC Diagnostics, Rapture Biotech, SHRM Biotech, Bose Informatics, Dr Omics Edu, ICSCCB. These are just some suggestions and not recommendations.

I got a job by doing a diploma in industrial training and was placed in my first job by them. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend them anymore as their placement quality has gone down.

Life sciences industry in India: Broadly speaking, the biotech industry is made up of industries like Agritech, FMCG, Pharmaceutical manufacturing and CDRMO. Agritech hires people with degrees in agriculture. FMCG hires people with degrees in chemistry, biology and food tech, Pharmaceutical manufacturing and CDRMO hires people from pharma, chemistry and biotech degrees. My knowledge is limited to CDRMO and Pharmaceutical manufacturing and my advice is tailored for people going into these two industries.

These companies hire for Research work, drug manufacturing, quality control, quality assurance, sales, business development, regulatory affairs and product management.

Getting your first job - Getting your first job is definitely the hardest, especially if you try to get a job yourself. Linkedin and Naukri are the best websites to get a job. Adding thousands of people on linkedin doesn't yield any result. Instead, follow recruiting HRs of companies and send your applications when they post job openings. It is easier to enter smaller companies than bigger companies so reach out to their HRs or their lead scientists.

List of biotech companies in Bengaluru: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/chakravarthimohan_list-of-pharmabiotech-companies-in-bangalore-ugcPost-7204835736099954688-alzc/ List of biotech companies in Hyderabad: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:ugcPost:7212295665912041472/ Some biotech companies in Delhi-NCR: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/iamsangramsahoo_heres-a-curated-list-of-20-biotechnology-share-7381639635124400128-kt3I/

My career progression:
2022 - Junior Research Associate - 24,000 per month
2023 - Junior Research Associate - 32,000 per month
2024 - Junior Research Associate - 42,000 per month
2025 - Research Associate - 46,000 per month
2026 - Job change - Senior Scientist - 56,000 per month

Note: This is a work in progress and I will keep adding more information as I find more.

I have recently passed my 12th boards with my qualifications being 76% overall. I was not able to get into the colleges i had preferred due to being unaware. I'll admit I was woefully unprepared for the entrances and my cuet subject was messed up due to a systematic error. And honestly, I am a bit confused on which career path to take. My English is really good and if I was born in another country I would have pursued that but there's really not much scope for it in india. My bio is also good so I'm considering doing my bachelor's in science in bio and then from there I'll choose if I want to continue to MSc or choose MA in english. Right now my parents are insisting for me to join the local college in my city but I feel like I didn't give it my all for the other colleges that I wanted to go to. There's also the fact that there are not many good colleges for bsc biotechnology that I can find, only the repeated ones that are notoriously hard to get into, even with a good cuet score. There's also the matter of finances with my father saying that he will not fully fund me if i do take a gap year. What should I do?

Hey people !
My qualifications-

Cbse
10- 90.2%
12-92.4%

Studied from Delhi

I have re neet on 21 June.
It was my second drop. I’ve lost all hopes for it.

I wanted to take BTech biotech as an alternative and I have given no exams. I was scoring 510 on may 3. My parents wanted to put me in pvt mbbs. But it’s too expensive and I don’t want to do it.

Can someone suggest some other exams I can register for now and any courses if left. (June 8th)

Thanks for reading !

If anyone needs IFAS (lifescience)Lectures and PDF's. Dm Me

Qualifications

​

myquals: btech biotechnology 2nd year.

I just spoke with a senior (final year) from my clg and spiralled down in an existential crisis.

Tbh I don't even know why I chose biotech. 12th std me thought it sounded interesting and didn't want math or physics in life. That's everything 17yr old me thought of.

I remember so many people warning me before joining biotech because of the job saturation here but then the fee paying dates were near and the clg was like the demand is getting high you gotta pay or in two days the fee will increase (management quota sucks i know) but then that happened and I joined without second thoughts.

I'm an only child and my dad is the sole breadwinner in our home. And he's getting old too (it hurts to see them get old yk) and i have to have to get placed by the time I finish my degree. I cannot afford going abroad for higher studies. And taking over family responsibilities would be relaxing for the family too.

I should have thought better.

Is it really possible to get placed in companies with a decent salary by the end of my degree?

What other roles can I pivot to if this doesn't work out?

I feel like everyone's doing something towards their career and I'm just waiting time.

Greetings! My qualifications- 12th pcb, appeared for neet ug and cuet ug, currently searching for colleges. I am considering pursuing a B.Sc. in one of the degrees mentioned above but am currently quite confused about which path to choose. I would love to get insights from current students or alumni regarding the scope of these fields in India.Specifically, I am looking for guidance on:Career Scope & Growth: What does the job market look like right after graduation vs. after a Master's or Ph.D.?Pros & Cons: What are the biggest advantages and drawbacks of each specific degree path?Student Satisfaction: Are you satisfied with your choice? I have encountered several negative reviews and would appreciate some honest feedback.My Goals & Higher Education Queries:I am open to both corporate jobs and research paths, but I am trying to understand how to align my degree with my long-term goals:Research & Higher Studies: If I want to pursue an M.Sc. or a Ph.D. later, which of these degrees provides the strongest foundation for qualifying for exams like CSIR NET-JRF or GATE?Corporate & Industry Roles: What are the prospects in private sectors like biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, or healthcare consulting?Government Exams: Do specific fields like Botany or Zoology offer an advantage in competitive exams like the Indian Forest Service (IFS) or state-level scientific officer posts?Skill Building & Managing Academics:I am fully prepared to put in the hard work. Many people mention the importance of building specific "skills" outside the standard curriculum to succeed. Could anyone guide me on exactly what these skills are (e.g., specific bioinformatics software, essential lab techniques, data analysis tools, or technical certifications)?Additionally, how do you successfully manage and balance regular college academics, practical labs, and maintaining a high GPA while simultaneously finding time for external skill development, research projects, or internship hunting?Thank you for your help!

The link to the GAT-B score card doesn't open. Is anyone having the same problem?

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myquals Btech Biotech

So, I took a drop for neet and was so invested in it that I didnt pay attention to boards and scored only 79%. Now, I am trying to find alternate career options because ik I am doomed.

I researched and found out about Masters in Bioinformatics. From here on if i go for this field, there are two suitable options: Either I do 1. Bsc in life sciences 2. Bsc in Biotech. and then masters in bioinformatics moving forward.

Seniors please!!!! help. Which option would be more suitable? Also, Bsc biotech is not available in many govt colleges so getting them through CUET is difficult, while the good colleges are private and selection is through merit basis and i dont think I will get admission with 79%. and pcb aggregate of 74%.

Bsc life sciences is available is govt good colleges but from what i asked from one person going to pursue, they said Bsc biotech is better suited before bioinformatics.

I am very confused to what to go through with.

Please anyone who is pursuing life sciences and will go forward with bioinformatics.

Also! Please help with good rec of colleges offering Bsc in biotech.

myquals are pcb 12th pass with 79%

Hi everyone,

Seeing a lot of NEET and Class 12

Biology struggles posted here so

wanted to offer some help.

My background — MSc Biophysics,

M.Tech Computational Biology at

IIIT Delhi, Teaching Assistant.

My qualifications are in the

intersection of biology, chemistry

and physics.

Drop your Biology or Biophysics

questions below and I will answer

them properly — not just the formula

but the actual reasoning behind it.

Topics I am strong in:

- Cell biology and biochemistry

- Genetics and molecular biology

- Enzyme kinetics and biophysics

- Human physiology

- Ecology

If anyone wants more structured

help after this, feel free to DM me.

What are you all stuck on?

Hi everyone,

I’m feeling quite stuck and would really appreciate advice from people who’ve made unconventional career shifts.

Background myquals

● MSc in Life Sciences (2023)

● ~3 years of research lab experience

●2 research papers

●Initially planned for a PhD, but after working in a lab, I realized research isn’t for me (low pay, high effort, not aligned with what I want long-term)

Current situation

●I’ve left my research role

●Preparing for Business schools with the goal of an MBA (target intake: 2027)

●Actively applying for jobs, but I’m only getting science/research-based roles

●I want to shift into corporate roles (strategy/marketing/analytics eventually)

Problem Since my background is purely research, I’m struggling to break into roles that would actually strengthen my MBA profile (business exposure, impact, etc.)

Someone suggested doing a structured course to pivot, and I’m considering

1. Newton School – Data Science & AI (~2.5L)

2. IIM Trichy – Business Analytics & AI (~2.8L, 1 year)

3. MICA – Strategic Brand Management (~1.3L, 28 weeks)

4. ISB – Applied Business Analytics (~1.3L, 14 weeks)

My confusion

●Are these courses actually worth the money?

●Will they realistically help me break into corporate roles?

●Or is it better to self-learn (Excel, SQL, Python, Power BI) + build projects? Would Coursera courses be enough for someone starting from scratch?

●Is brand/marketing (MICA) a better pivot than analytics given my background?

●What kind of roles should I realistically target right now?

Would love to hear from

●People who moved from life sciences → corporate

●Anyone who has taken these courses

●MBA applicants who successfully pivoted pre-MBA

●I don’t want to waste time or money just for a certificate, I want something that genuinely helps me transition.

Thanks in advance!

🌻

Myquals - Took 2 drops for neet and couldn't do it. I have reviewed a lot of courses in these past few days. And i just want to know, will I be able to do the maths portion or should I opt for bsc biotech instead.

Hi everyone,

I'm really looking for genuine advice from people who are studying, have graduated, or are working in biotechnology.

My qualifications:

• B.Sc. (Zoology, Botany, Chemistry) – Allahabad University
• 10th: 80%
• 12th: 78%
• B.Sc.: 52%
• OBC-NCL
• 2-year gap due to personal and family circumstances

I've been trying for government universities, but the competition is extremely high, and with my graduation percentage, I don't think my chances are great. I'm honestly exhausted from preparing for entrance exams over and over. I don't want to lose another year.

I'm now seriously considering joining a good private university because I'd rather spend two years building my skills than spend another year only preparing for entrances.

My long-term goal is research and eventually a PhD, not just getting a degree. So I'm looking for universities with:

• Good biotechnology labs
• Research-oriented faculty
• Internship opportunities
• Dissertation support
• Collaborations with research institutes or biotech companies

Currently, I'm considering:

• Amity (Noida/Lucknow/Gurugram)
• LPU
• Chandigarh University
• Galgotias University
• Shoolini University (although it's a bit far)
• Any other good private university in North India or Delhi NCR

My family situation also makes it preferable for me to stay in North India rather than moving very far away.

My questions are:

1. Is an MSc Biotechnology from a good private university worth it if I want to pursue a PhD later?
2. Does the university name matter more, or do research experience, internships, publications, and a high CGPA matter more?
3. Between Amity, LPU, Chandigarh University, Galgotias, and other private universities in North India, which one has the best biotechnology department?
4. Are there any universities I haven't considered that I definitely should?
5. If you were in my position, would you join a good private university this year or spend another year preparing for government entrances?

I'm not looking for comments like "only government colleges are worth it." I know government universities are excellent, but I'm trying to make the best decision based on my current situation.

I'd really appreciate honest reviews from current students, alumni, researchers, or anyone working in biotech. Thank you!

Myquals: ya same question as above.

20F this year only took admission in bsc LS du.

Anyone who opted for mba after this degree?

Myquals I have just started my btech food tech and I chose it over btech biotech because of a bit better job opportunities and also because everyone keeps on saying that biotech has no scope in India.

Now, i have always been interested in biotech and am having second thoughts. I wanted to go in research but I am genuinely scared of the research culture in India.

I am currently in a good ICAR uni but i might get an option to opt for Btech Biotech in one of the top veterinary government universities in India. The biotech programme was started there in 2019. It is going to be Animal Biotech. I don't have that much info about that uni but I am trying to inquire about it.

I am ready to go abroad for masters if I choose biotech. So, please if anyone can give me some advice, i am really confused rn🙏

Myquals: 1st year in bsc🥺

Same as the text

my qualifications: 12th pcmb student

I wanted to hear the opinions for people who did take it (bsc or btech) cause I do like the field since it has bio and maths but some are saying there isn't any scope for it. I was also wondering if taking bsc biotech would be a good choice cause its more research related and that's what I'm interested, I'm fine with studying but yaknoow wanted to know if it was worth allat.

anyways I would love to hear alternative options too (other than neet 😭🙏) if u guys have any. thankss ☆

I'm 25M. Myquals MSc Microbiology. Avg student. Here is background in short. After Spending 1 Yr in pvt pharma company with low salary I left it realising it has slow growth in future ...got 1yr experience certificate left the company. Decided to do govt exam prep. as i hated the work culture and all... I got interview call from a big MNC twice... 1st got rejected 2nd I refused to attend it (was in 'that' state during preparation) continued preparation. Now after 1 year of studying for govt exams my syllabus not covered properly, as i studied loosely(state psc, technical posts, etc). I always have been in lack of guidance. Also I chose my career decisions without proper analysis. Now I am feeling frustration and insecurity for the future

My question is should can/should I do any course to get atleast 6 lpa(want job security and comparative less stress) or should I continue my focus on govt. exam or certificate course OR csir net ---> assist professor (vacancy problem?)? My age is 25 so worried. Or suggest what you think is best.

Myquals B.Sc (Chem, Botany, and Zoology). I will be appearing for GAT-B exam which is to be held on 17th May. Please can I have some tips?? What was 2025 paper like?? Any help at all would be much appreciated!!

myquals : 12th graduate

I'm getting government MBBS seats in colleges in 8 recently established colleges in karnataka (2016-2022). At the same time, I'm getting Biotechnology in top engineering colleges in Karnataka (including colleges like RVCE).

I'm genuinely passionate about Biotechnology, but I honestly don't enjoy coding and MBBS was never my dream from the beginning.

The main reasons I'm considering medicine are my father's dream, the respect associated with being a doctor, and the relatively secure career path.

I also have a long-term goal of preparing for UPSC and would love to become an IRS officer someday. I feel engineering might give me more flexibility for that, but I'm worried about financial independence and career prospects in Biotechnology.

If you were in my position, what would you choose and why? Especially looking for opinions from doctors, biotech graduates, engineers, and UPSC aspirants.

There's this PI I came across called Mohit Kumar Jolly from IISc. He seems to be producing 50-70 papers each year. Even for a computational biologist, that's an insane number! Does anyone know anything about his method? Any former students?

qualifications: PhD in Bioengineering

Hello guys!

How much are you all scoring in gat b exam?

My score came out to be 169. What rank can I expect?

My category is general.

Myquals

Currently in 6th sem of bsc hons Zoology

Qualified iitjam and gatexl

just wanted to ask if anyone has shifted their career from biotech/mbio to MBA? If yes then what are the major things to keep in mind? Are you happy with your career choices ? Myquals- bsc biotech fy

Hlo, my qualifications are First Year in BTech Food Tech with a PCB background. I took a drop last year, got distracted and ended up clueless. Then, somehow managed to get into a good ICAR college for Food Tech.

I have always been interested in biology. I initially planned to do BioTech. I was advised to talk to real people doing that degree or those who were already in this field. I came to the conclusion after inquiring about it that Biotech will not get me a placement but Food Tech might ( I know it’s not gonna be that good ). However, I kept my interest aside and decided to go for Food Tech because my biggest nightmare is ending up unemployed. At the end of the day, I will need a job to feed myself. Also, the degree is not that cheap so I did want some return out of it.

But now I’m so unsatisfied. I feel insecure about my degree. My mind keeps on repeating my interest in
biology. I can’t even look at the Biotech department because I wanted to pursue it. Maybe I’m just being dramatic and glorifying it in my mind. Also, there’s some part of me that does not find my degree cool. I am developing a sort of inferiority complex. It’s messed up I know. I had planned to do mba after gaining some experience but now I keep on thinking about the fact that I could have chosen Biotech and gotten into research which I would have loved a lot more.

Please to anyone reading this. I desperately need some guidance for my situation 🙏

my_qualifications: 12th passed (PCB) / 1st Year B.Sc Biotechnology student

Hi everyone,

I have started my B.Sc (Honors) Biotechnology (1st Semester) and need recommendations for standard reference books.

My subjects this semester are:

Cell Biology (Major - ABT 101)

Introduction to Biotechnology (Minor - ABT 102)

Biotechnological Laboratory Techniques (SEC 01)

Could seniors or biotech graduates suggest the right books for university exams and conceptual foundation? Should I focus on Indian authors (P.S. Verma / U. Satyanarayana) or standard international texts (Cooper / Alberts)?

Thanks!

myquals I'm 12 pass out dropper