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Can I take a biotechnology minor with an Electrical Engineering major?

Should I take up biotechnology engineering?

  • I just have appeared 12th boards. I have been selected for nit rourkela for Biotechnology. I have been informed scope inside india is limited while abroad demand for Biotech engineers is skyhigh.

  • Answer:

    Do you like Biology/ Biotechnology? Then go ahead, and do it! To me, passion and ambition are all that count in choosing a course.   And what is your definition of "scope"? Research? Jobs?   Research in Biotechnology in India is NOT as bad as many people say/ think it is. Look at the research activities in IISc, TIFRs, CCMB- they'll leave you speechless. And be assured that getting a position/ research opportunity there is not quite easy. Even state- level research organisations supported by DBT and CSIR are well- funded.   Work hard, be passionate- and your efforts won't go unrewarded.   There's GATE and CSIR-NET (LS), DBT- JRF and other exams which will allow you to pursue research in any of the DBT/ CSIR labs in India. Qualifying in those exams purely on the basis of luck/ guess work- fat chance.   As far as jobs are concerned, Biocon calls for freshers every year. GVK allows undergraduates to do their projects in their labs (under supervision of their scientists, of course); and if the student wants to, he/ she is allowed to join as a trainee there.   If you're not happy in India after your B Tech, go to the US. And those institutes do a thorough scan of your academic, co- and extra- curricular performance before they provide you admission.   So essentially, "scope" in question is not of BT, but of your skills. Your lab skills and understanding of the concepts will determine what scope YOU have in the field of Biotechnology. Whatever anyone tells you, keep in mind that as long as you're good, and you deserve it- no company will refuse you a job and no lab will refuse you an opportunity to work there.     Yes, there will be people saying BT in India is not good, there are no jobs etc. etc., but is everyone facing the same problem? It all depends on you, and you alone. Make the best use of your college facilities, learn everything your Professors can teach you, and you'll have nothing to regret.     PS: One of the questions you'll be asked in your very first test (if you take up Bioengg) will be "What is the scope of Biotechnology?". Miss not a single point and the answer would run into a minimum of three pages.

Mounika Goruganthu at Quora Visit the source

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The answer is based on my personal experience. Many people have had better experiences in this field. A BIG NO! If you are planning to pursue a career in India, the please don't go for Biotechnology. I am myself a Biotechnology post grad and I am stuck with a sales and Marketing job. Firstly, getting a job in the industrial research is very difficult, and even if you get a job then the pay is an issue. yes, there are people who are getting a good pay after completing Biotechnology but it is rare. I had a friend of mine working after B.Tech in a industry lab for just Rs. 7,000. She got fed up and changed the field. Another friend after Master got a job of 19,000 as a junior scientist. He was fed up and he left. Secondly, personally I have experienced that a Biotechnology graduate or Post graduate in India is not preferred for jobs. e.g. - In Biocon, they said a M.Tech candidate was not required, since he is overqualified! Yes, Overqualified! \EDIT\ But There are students who have got placed in Biocon after a Graduation as well as Post Graduation. So, tough personally I havent had the luck of getting one but people do end up with jobs even at companies like Biocon. Also Those who have attended the BCIL training and placement have ended up with good jobs at companies like Dr. Reddy's \EDIT\ Even breweries like Kingfisher don't employ Biotechnology grads. They prefer B. Sc Chemistry grads. Chances with a fermentation engineering in Biotechnology is much better that any other Biotechnology. We simply don't have enough industries and Money to hire Biotechnology grads. In short, if you opt for a Industrial Research career after Biotechnology, the average salary is around 15,000 and chances of growth very limited with just a Bachelors or Masters Degree. If you want to pursue Biotechnology very seriously, my advice would be that go all the way to get a PhD and preferably not in India. And yeah, the demand abroad is not skyhigh, its better than here but many of my friends have struggled a lot to get jobs and according to their standards they are not so great jobs.

Varun Tavargeri

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