Introduction to Botany
Botany is the scientific study of plants that helps us to understand the life of plants including their structure, functions and influencing factors. It classifies plant species on the bases of their similarities under a scientific system of taxonomic hierarchy.
Botany includes a wide range of scientific sub disciplines that study the structure of growth, reproduction, metabolism, development, diseases, ecology and evolution of plants. The study of plants is important because they are a fundamental part of life on Earth, generating food, oxygen, fuel, medicine and fibres that allow other life forms to exist.
Few lines about M.Sc Botany
M.Sc Botany is a 2-years post graduate course that can be pursued after the completion of undergraduate degree. The M.Sc Botany sometimes is also known as Plant Biology. The course gives an in-depth understanding of every aspect of plant physiology. The course covers every aspect of plant biology in great detail. It covers topics like Plant Physiology, Plant Kingdom, Taxonomy, microbiology, genetics and ecology.
The course gives an in-depth view of the structure and functioning of plants and helps the students to understand the plant life better.
Eligibility for M.Sc Botany
The students who have passed undergraduate degree with 50% aggregate of marks in cognate subject of botany from recognised university are eligible to apply for M.Sc Botany course.
Admission Procedure
The students can take admission to M.Sc Botany via two modes of admission processes. The two modes are (1) Merit admission (2) Direct admission.
1.Merit Admission
There are many reputed colleges and universities conduct entrance exams for the merit-seats available with them, such mode of admission is called merit admission. The students who are interested in merit seats are required to attend and qualify the institution-based entrance exams. The successful students who have qualified the entrance exams are allotted with merit seats. The main reason for entrance exams is to select right and serious candidates from the group of non-serious candidates. The fees are nominal in merit admissions.
2. Direct Admission
The second mode of admission is known as direct admission. Under this admission process the students can get direct admissions to their desired colleges without any entrance exams. The students under direct admissions are given special privileges where they can get direct admission under management quota without appearing for any entrance exams. Another benefit is that the students can confirm their seats in their desired colleges even before the starting of the academic year. The students interested in direct admissions can contact educational guidance centres to know more details about direct admissions.
Course Curriculum for M.Sc Botany
The students of M.Sc Botany will be studying the following subjects in their post graduate degree:
| Sl. No. | Subjects of Study |
|---|---|
| 1 | Microbiology |
| 2 | Bryophytes, Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms |
| 3 | Phycology |
| 4 | Cell Biology and Biomolecules |
| 5 | Plant Anatomy and Developmental Biology |
| 6 | Palaeobotany and Palynology |
| 7 | Taxonomy of Angiosperms |
| 8 | Mycology and Plant Pathology |
| 9 | Genetics and Genomics |
| 10 | Microbial Biotechnology |
| 11 | Plant Physiology and Pharmacognosy |
| 12 | Plat Molecular Biotechnology and Biology |
| 13 | Plant Physiology and Biochemistry |
| 14 | Computer Applications and Bioinformatics |
| 15 | Applied Virology |
| 16 | Molecular and Applied Phycology |
| 17 | Molecular Applied Mycology |
| 18 | Advanced Cell Biology |
| 19 | Advanced Palaeobotany and Palynology |
| 20 | Advanced Phytochemistry and Pharmacognosy |
| 21 | Taxonomy and Biosystematics |
| 22 | Microbial Biotechnology |
| 23 | Plant Protection |
| 24 | Green Nanotechnology |
| 25 | Plant Molecular Genetics |
| 26 | Plant Molecular Biology |
| 27 | Immunology |
| 28 | Molecular Stress Biology |
| 29 | Instrumentation and Biostatistics |
Career and Scope after M.Sc Botany
The M.Sc Botany students after the completion of their post graduation can find ample job opportunities across different sectors where plants are involved. They can join agricultural product companies, fertilizer companies, seed development companies, pharmaceutical companies, etc. If they are interested in research they can join PhD programmes and take up research activities in botany. If they are interested in in-depth study about botany then they can join M.Phil programmes. They can apply for UGC-NET exams and join as assistant professors in colleges and universities. They can also join as lecturers in colleges to take up classes related to botany subjects.
Job Roles available after M.Sc Botany
Some of the important job roles available after M.Sc Botany are:
- Agriculturalist
- Area Business Manager-Bio Products
- Medical Coder
- Diagnostic Specialist
- Clinical Data Analyst
- Pharmacologist
- Research Associate
- Associate Professor
How much do a M.Sc Botany student earn?
The salary for M.Sc Botany students ranges from 6 lakhs to 12 lakhs per annum. As a fresher one will be earning a salary of about 6 lakhs to 8 lakhs per annum, while the experienced professionals will be earning more. The salary also depends upon the recruiter and location.
Recruiters Hiring M.Sc Botany Students
Some of the top recruiters for M.Sc Botany Students are:
- Dabur
- Himalaya Drug Company
- Biocon
- Natural Remedies
- Bharat Biotech
- Serum India Ltd
- Patanjali
- Glenmark Pharmaceuticals
Concluding Words
The M.Sc Botany students have good demand in the industry. They are basically hired in many companies that are related to plants. Many drug companies are conducting research to develop new drugs for different diseases and health conditions. Many of the medicines today are prepared using plant extracts and hence the demand for M.Sc Botany students is more in today’s Pharmacy industry. So, the M.Sc Botany students can find ample number of job opportunities in this area. They are also hired in cosmetic companies as many of the cosmetic products are prepared using plant extracts. The demand for M.Sc Botany students is good and is increasing day by day.
The students who are interested in plants and are eager to make a career in the field of plant sciences can join the M.Sc Botany course and land in lucrative jobs that provide good career growth opportunities.