Experience & experiment

Bhupinder Singh Bhoop

Students on the threshold of college invariably opt for career recourses weighing prospects of earning a respectable living. The ones from non-medical stream mostly gravitate towards professional training in engineering, technology and management. The students of biology stream, however, tend to queue for medicine, as not only does this provide them with a sumptuous bread and butter, but an essence of public reverence too. In this process, most academically bright students miss the creativity of serving a potentially scintillating, rewarding and gratifying discipline of pure and applied science disciplines.

Courses to aim for

A bird’s eye view of various broad science stream options include the following areas: 

Basic Sciences

The “fundamental science”, a driving force behind the modern technological advancement, furnishes a systematic approach towards thorough understanding of various phenomena. Principal basic science disciplines encompass chemistry, physics, botany, zoology and agriculture. These offer one of the most viable and valuable disciplines, and  open doors to a gamut of careers.  Several universities offer programmes of ‘Honours’ bachelor degree — an academic distinction indicating relatively higher level of awareness and/or overall grade point average. While most of the colleges offer honours courses in physics, chemistry and biology, some also offer these in inter-disciplinary courses like biochemistry and biophysics. 

Almost all universities base their admissions on the marks secured by the applicant in the Class XII examination. The relevant scores are PCM (physics, chemistry, mathematics) and PCB (physics, chemistry, biology). The IITs and IISERs select students through entrance tests. The IITs and IISERs offer five-year integrated programmes, at the end of which one gets a master’s degree. In spite of the high prestige attached to these programmes, one should opt for these only if you are very clear about your career  aims.

Medical Technology

Dealing with management of health conditions chiefly by identifying the underlying cause of disease, it offers wide applications in diagnostics or therapeutics. Medical institutes like AIIMS, New Delhi, and PGIMER, Chandigarh, offer various applied undergraduate courses with high employment potential in laboratory technology, radiodiagnosis/radiotherapy, operation theatre, audiology, physical therapies, etc.

Biomedical Sciences

Further advancement of basic science has led to evolution of some different applied programme fields, biomedical sciences being the major ones. These offer a highly dynamic field, a variety of exciting career opportunities and prospects. Some of the undergraduate courses that they can choose among biomedical sciences include:

• Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Biophysics
• Bioinformatics
• Molecular cell biology
• Genomics & proteomics
• Neurosciences
• Biometrics

Healthcare organisations, government agencies, educational institutions or laboratories are common employers for biomedical specialists. Some possible career options include research technician, laboratory manager, biological scientist, clinical scientist, consultant, biomedical sciences educator and as medical science specialist.

Applied Biosciences

A vast range of inter-disciplinary career-oriented and experiential courses are offered in applied biosciences with wider career options. Bachelor’s degree in applied biology typically covers scientific research and development topics providing two prominent career routes as technicians and research scientists. Researchers formulate, direct and conduct studies in the field of applied biology, while technicians perform routine procedures and tests, maintain equipment and manage supplies. 

Major BSc options

• Applied biology
• Biotechnology
• Forensic sciences
• Anthropology
• Food processing & preservation
• Food storage & technology
• Applied nutrition
• Environmental sciences

After completion of the course, the jobs to the sector are predominantly available with governmental agencies or private industries. Some applied biology professionals also work in manufacturing labs, while some others opt for growing and maintaining sectors. Besides, other applied biology work options include being researcher, bioengineer, rural developer and environmental toxicologist. This is an ever changing and challenging field, providing attractive career opportunities in special laboratory and consultancies work, education and management, besides serving the human society. 

Applied Material Sciences

It is yet another interesting field, which underlines the science of high performance materials (including metals, ceramics, plastics, composites, nanomaterials, electronic materials and biomaterials), designing new applications, customising innovative processing techniques and predicting their performance. Materials scientists work in materials process engineering, research and development, quality, technical support, management, technical sales and marketing, and much more. Employers range from primary material producers and refiners to utility providers, transport industry, defence forces, research institutions and multinational technical consultancy firms. Geology, in particular, marks a key area with significant employment potential in oil and mineral industries. 

Key courses

• Applied Chemistry
• Physics with Allied Mathematics
• Fire Safety and Hazard Management
• Nuclear Sciences
• Physical Sciences
• Mathematics, Computer and Statistics

Sound advice

After choosing and joining a course, there should hardly be an attempt to look back, as per the adage, “one should do a thing which one likes, but like a thing which one does”. Be holistic and focused in your approach. Remember, “earning” precedes “yearning” and “learning”. Therefore, choose a career and make it your passion later. Whatever course or a college you opt for, competition for good opportunities would remain. Be sure that there is always room at the top, certainly for the best and the fittest. Go and get it... 

The writer is Chairman, University Institute of  Pharm Sciences, Panjab University and Coordinator, UGC Centre of Advanced Studies in Pharmaceutical Sciences and UGC Centre of Excellence in Nano Applications (Biomedical Sciences)

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Pharmaceutical Sciences

Pharmacy has always offered an exciting and rewarding career, the most sought-after, pursued and trusted fields in healthcare industry. Dealing with assorted aspects of diverse drugs and medicines, starting from their discovery, collection, isolation, preparation, evaluation and usage, this profession is attracting a major chunk of meritorious students. The B.Pharmacy course primarily caters to the needs of the pharmaceutical industry, considered as one of the biggest across the world. The graduates could be easily absorbed in industries, drug regulatory agencies, hospitals and pharmacies. Further, the aspirants can opt for post-graduation courses in various specialisations for taking up faculty jobs in pharmacy colleges, or MBAs for securing managerial positions in industry.  The University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS) at Panjab University, Chandigarh, is considered as the premier institute of pharmaceutical education and research across South East Asia. Besides high quality didactics, the UIPS also offers several attractive scholarship schemes to the needy and deserving candidates.  Besides, UIPS there are nearly a 100 pharmacy institutions, including a score of universities catering to pharmaceutical education in North India alone.

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Top science colleges

The Indian Institute of Science Education & Research (IISER), Mohali

www.iisermohali.ac.in/

Course: BS-MS Dual Degree Programme

Seats: 300 (approx) 

Cut-off: Merit in joint entrance test

USP:  A fully residential campus spread over 125 acres. The institute is among the top-notch institutes in the region because of cutting edge research in basic sciences.

PG Govt. College For Girls, Sector-42, Chandigarh

www.gcg42.ac.in 

Cut-off: Biotechnology (over 80 per cent in general pool)

USP: The college got 3.21 ranking by the NAAC peer team last year..

DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh

www.davchd.com

Seats: B.Sc. (Med., Non-Med., B.Sc. (Hons) Bio-Informatics - 25 ;  B.Sc. (Hons) Bio-Technology -  25

USP: The college offers a range of science courses especially in biotechnology, bioinformatics etc in the region.

Multani Mal Modi College, Patiala

http://www.modicollege.com 

Seats: B.Sc (180), B.Sc (Bio-tech) 40;

Cut-off: Over 60 per cent

USP: The college is conferred with the status of "College for Potential of Excellence" by UGC

Government College, Ludhiana

www.scdgovtcollege.org

Seats: B.Sc Med (120), Non Medl (180)

Cut-off: Over 60 per cent

USP: One of the oldrst colleges in Punjab it offers courses in pure as well as applied sciences. 

Pt Neki Ram Sharma Government College, Rohtak

www.nrs.com

Seats: 580

Cut-off: 70-80 per cent

USP: The college has produced eminent personalities, including Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, martyr Lt Kuldeep Singh Rathee and ex-state DGP P.C. Wadhwa. 

Government Mohindra College, Patiala

www.mohindracollege.in

Seats: 240 (BSc medi and non-med)

Cut-off: 60 per cent

USP: The Ministry of Science and Technology has recognised the institute as "Star College in Life Sciences". The Punjab Government has selected the institute as Community College to impart skill-oriented education.

DAV Post Graduate College, Dehradun 

www.davpgcollege.com

Cut-off:60 to 70 per cent

USP: It is the biggest college of Uttarakhand. A total of 18,000 students are enrolled in the college.The college is accredited by NAAC, an autonomous body of UCG in the year 2004, which given B+ grade i.e. 78.5 percentage. 

(Based on selected lists from national surveys)

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Skill-based courses

For easy and early recruitment of students, there are numerous associate and vocational courses available too. These are generally of six months to two years duration, commonly referred to as “Diplomas”. A few of these diplomas offered by various government/private institutes are:

• Actuarial Science
• Nursing & Midwifery
• X-Ray and ECG
• Dialysis Technician
• Prosthetics & Osthetics
• Health-Sanitary Inspector
• Industrial Microbiogy
• Radiologist
• Medical Record
• Forensic Science
• Environmental Studies
• Disater Management
• Parmacy
• Marine Science
• Medical Record Technician