BSc Biochemistry is a 3-year undergraduate course in chemical and physio-chemical processes. It is a branch of science that deals with chemistry applied to the study of living organisms and the atoms and molecules which comprise living organisms.
The main eligibility criterion for this course is 10+2 from a recognized board with minimum passing marks. During the 3 years course, the students are trained about the Chemical processes & principles and why studying them is important. See Also: BSc Biochemistry Syllabus
BSc Biochemistry admission in top BSc Biochemistry Colleges is granted based on the individual’s performance in the entrance exam and personal interview. Sometimes the institutes also conduct counseling round which is conducted for the students who have cleared the entrance examination
4.1 Eligibility
4.2 Entrance Exams
4.3 How to Prepare for Entrance Exams?
4.4 How to get Admission in a good college?
8.1 Future Scope
BSc Biochemistry: Course Highlights
BSc Biochemistry is a very common course chosen by the students completing class XII from the science stream. Details about this program have been mentioned in brief in the table below:
| Course Level | Undergraduate |
| Duration of the Course | 3 years |
| Examination Type | Semester and Annual |
| Eligibility | 10+2 from a recognized educational Board (at least 50% marks) |
| Admission Process | Merit-based |
| Average Course Fee | INR 36,000 to 1.5 Lakhs |
| Average Salary | INR 1 Lakhs - INR 2.5 Lakhs |
| Top Recruiting Companies | AP Labs, Cipla, Ranbaxy, Biocon, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Aurobindo Pharma, Central Forensic Lab, Documentation Examination Laboratories at Central and State Level, etc |
| Top Job Areas | The medical industry, research labs, agriculture, pharmaceutical companies, or any academic institutions as well |
| Top Job Positions | Clinical Researcher, Biochemist, Medical Coder, Asst. Professor, Medical Review Officer, Research Analyst, Quality Assurance, Operations Manager, Product Development Manager, Medical Writer, Sr Executive Assistant, etc. |
BSc Biochemistry: What is it About?
- Biochemistry is the study of using Chemical processes and principles while studying biological processes and living matters.
- Biochemistry is a branch of science that involves chemistry which is applied to study the living organisms and the atoms and molecules which comprise living organisms.
- The students planning to pursue this course must showcase the right skills so that they can get hired by the top medical professional firms looking for graduates in the field of Biochemistry.
- The BSc Biochemistry graduates are eligible to build their careers as Clinical Researcher, Research Scientist, Lecturer, Professor, etc
- The graduates post completing B.Sc in Biochemistry can pursue M.Sc. in Biochemistry and PhD in Biochemistry, etc. These courses are available in various universities like the University of Delhi, Nagpur University, and Bangalore University, etc from where they can do this course.
- Having a degree in B.Sc Biochemistry will help the students to explore wider career opportunities in other fields also like dentistry, medicine, or veterinary medicine as well.
Why study BSc Biochemistry?
There are many benefits of pursuing BSc Biochemistry out of which a few are mentioned below:
- The graduates post completing the course can work in a government sector, medical industry, research labs, agriculture, pharmaceutical companies, etc as these companies hunt for qualified professionals in this field.
- It will further widen the possible career opportunities. The graduates post completing their studies in B.Sc Biochemistry course can go for higher studies like M.Sc, Ph.D. or MPhil as well.
- B.Sc Biochemistry degree holders can get many opportunities in different fields. Like they can work in fields like medical, agriculture, public health care, forensic environment, etc.
- Due to the nature of work, there is a tremendous scope of research for qualified professionals.
- Also, a person who has studied biochemistry as an undergraduate student can opt to study pharmacist after completing their graduation.
The admission to the students is granted based on the candidates’ performance in the entrance exam and according to the marks obtained in 10+2 level. Some of the universities like Aligarh Muslim University grant admission based on merit.
The candidates usually have to go through the following procedures to apply for this program:
Step 1: Apply
The students who are considering applying to this course at a particular college should check the eligibility and the kind of entrance exams conducted to shortlist the students. Students can apply online or can visit the college to fill the application form which is necessary to apply for the course.
Step 2: Give the entrance exam
Step 3: Shortlisting Process
The admission to BSc Biochemistry is granted based on merit. The universities start the admission process to the program after the results for HSC examinations are announced. Application forms are made available in May and on the completion of the application form, the universities start declaring their respective cut off which is the minimum required percentage for admission to the program. The cut-off list will be announced by the colleges and the shortlisted students are called for the next round of interviews which can be counseling or PI as well.
Step 4: Final Admission Round
The colleges conduct different rounds aiming to test the individual’s ability and skills through:
- Personal Interview (PI)
- Counseling
BSc Biochemistry Eligibility
The minimum eligibility to pursue BSc Biochemistry is:
- The students must have completed 10+2 from a recognized educational board with the minimum marks required.
- The minimum marks for admission into this course vary from institute to institute, but the students are expected to have at least 50% in PCB/PCM/PCMB group.
- The students are suggested to cross-check the minimum marks required while applying at a particular college.
- The candidates appearing for 10+2 examinations can also apply to this course, but they need to produce their exam scores at the time of counseling (with at least 50% marks required in the Science stream).
BSc Biochemistry Entrance Exams
There are many institutes that take admissions through entrance exams. Some of the entrance exams are mentioned below:
- IISER BSc Entrance Exam- ISER exam is taken to grant admission to the BS-MS degree program at one of the seven IISERs.
- UPCATET- UP Combined Agriculture and Technology Entrance Test (UPCATET) is an entrance exam conducted to provide admission to Uttar Pradesh State domicile candidates in different UG and PG programs offered at different colleges.
- MGU CAT- This test is taken to grant admission in various undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels in multiple subjects under the faculty of Arts, Science, Commerce, etc. The exam is conducted by Mahatma Gandhi University.
- LPUNEST – This test is taken by Lovely Professional University for offering admissions to Law, Applied Medical Sciences, MBA, Hotel Management, Ph.D., Design, Agriculture, etc.
| Name of the Exams | Registration Dates | Exam Dates |
|---|---|---|
| NPAT | December 01, 2022 – May 21, 2023 | January 04, 2023 – May 31, 2023 |
| CUET | April 2023 | May 21 – 31, 2023 |
| CUCET | November 28 - May 29, 2023 | November 28 - May 30, 2023 |
| SET | December 10 – April 12, 2023 | May 06, 2023 (Test 1) May 14, 2023 (Test 2) |
How to prepare for BSc Biochemistry Entrance Exams?
One of the most important steps to crack the exam is to study dedicatedly as per the latest exam pattern and syllabus. The students giving the entrance exams for this course need to prepare for four subjects i.e, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics.
Points to keep in mind while preparing for the Entrance Exams:
- The students must devote at least 2-3 hours each day to prepare for the exam in a dedicated way.
- The students can refer to the latest test papers and by solving them, they will be able to understand the course content and the latest style of the exam as well.
- They should attempt mock tests, to understand their mistakes, weaknesses, and strong points.
- They should have enough time to focus on the revision part as well; focusing only on the stronger sections while leaving the weaker sections might impact the performance greatly.
- Effective time management is important to qualify the entrance exam like an expert.
- The candidates need to stay motivated, as feeling low on the day of the exam will affect your performance badly.
BSc Biochemistry degree holders can explore numerous career opportunities in some of its specialized fields like Cell Biology, Bioinformatics, Energy and Metabolism, Development and Disease, Plant Biology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, among many others.
How to Get Admission in a College offering a BSc Biochemistry course?
To get admission in a good BSc College, the students need to follow the below-mentioned points.
- Securing scores above average in class XII is necessary. So the students should perform well in class XII examination since most of the colleges offer admission based on merit.
- The higher the scores, the more are the chances of getting admission to the dream college.
- Stay updated about the eligibility, course cut-off, application process at different colleges, deadlines, application fees, and other important instructions that can help to get closer to the admissions.
- Read newspapers, check the official websites, other educational magazines, to know about the B.Sc programs offered at different colleges.
- Staying updated with current affairs, that may be required in some exams and also during the entrance.
BSc Biochemistry Syllabus
The semester-wise breakup of the course’s syllabus stating all the subjects is mentioned below. The first-year deal with core subjects like Biomolecules, Chemistry-II, Environmental Studies, Lab in Biological Science-II, etc during the final year, subjects like Basic Immunology, Basic Biotechnology, Genetics, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, are introduced to the students.
The subjects might differ from college to college, but the majority of the course concepts remain the same in almost all the colleges.
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
|---|---|
| Language-I | English-II |
| Biological Science-I | Biological Science-II |
| Chemistry-I | Biomolecules |
| Cell Biology | Chemistry-II |
| Lab in Biological Science-I | Environmental Studies |
| Public Administration | Lab in Biological Science-II |
| Lab in Cell Biology | Lab in Biomolecules |
| Semester 3 | Semester 4 |
| Language-III | Language-IV |
| English-III | English-IV |
| Intermediary Metabolism-I | Analytical Biochemistry |
| Human Physiology & Nutrition | Lab in Intermediary Metabolism-II |
| Lab in Intermediary Metabolism-I | Lab in Analytical Biochemistry |
| Lab in Human physiology & Nutrition | Computer application in Biology |
| Semester 5 | Semester 6 |
| Molecular Biology | Basic Immunology |
| Clinical Biochemistry | Basic Biotechnology |
| Endocrinology | Biostatistics |
| Environmental Biology | Bioinformatics |
| Lab in Clinical Biochemistry | Lab in Basic Immunology |
Some of the books that the students will study during their course are:
| Name of the book | Author |
|---|---|
| Principles of Biochemistry | Albert L. Lehninger |
| Harper's Illustrated Biochemistry | Robert K. Murray |
| Lippincott's Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry | Pamela C. Champe |
| Essentials of Biochemistry | Mushtaq Ahmad |
| Biochemistry | U. Satyanarayana |
BSc Biochemistry Top Colleges
Numerous colleges are offering BSc Biochemistry courses to the qualifying students. Below is the table listing some of the top colleges for BSc Biochemistry.
| College Name | Location | Average Total Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Venkateswara College | New Delhi | INR 45,000 |
| Queen Mary's College | Chennai | INR 1,532 |
| Ethiraj College for Women | Chennai | INR 35,000 |
| Adamas University | Kolkata | INR 1,14,100 |
| St. Xaviers College | Ahmedabad | INR 9,985 |
| CMC College of Science & Commerce | Coimbatore | INR 42,000 |
| Vidyasagar College | Kolkata | INR 5,640 |
| St. Xavier's College | Mumbai | INR 7,147 |
| The Oxford College of Science | Bangalore | INR 75,000 |
| Sister Nivedita University | Kolkata | INR 79,000 |
| Jaipur National University | Jaipur | INR 1,10,000 |
| Vivekananda College | Kolkata | INR 8,320 |
| VELS University | Chennai | INR 3,65,000 |
| Mohamed Sarthak College of Arts and Science | Chennai | INR 67,000 |
BSc Chemistry College Comparison
A comparison has been made among some of the top BSc Biochemistry Colleges. The comparison is done on the basis of ranking, admission process, average fees, average salary, and top recruiting companies.
| College Name | The Oxford College of Science, Bangalore | Sri Venkateswara College, Chennai | St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | This college started with just 12 students and now they have more than 3,000 students. They offer various UG and PG courses in the field of arts, science, and commerce. | It is a private engineering college with an enrollment of around 4345 students every year. They offer courses in the field of science and technology. | It is a private autonomous college affiliated to Gujarat University. They offer UG and PG courses in the field of arts, commerce, and science. |
| NIRF Ranking | - | #14 | #59 |
| Admission Process | Merit-based | 50% marks in 10+2; eligible candidates need to appear for the entrance test conducted by the institute | 50% marks in 10+2; Merit-based |
| Average Fees | INR 75,000 | INR 45,000 | INR 1,30,000 |
| Placement package | INR 2 - 3 Lakhs | INR 4 - 5 Lakhs | INR 3 - 4 Lakhs |
| Top recruiting companies | AP Labs, EMC2, Aurobindo Pharma, BI, Central Forensic Lab, Documentation Examination Laboratories at Central and State Level | Cipla Ranbaxy, Biocon Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Lupin, Cipla, Sun Pharmaceuticals | Mu Sigma, Viacom, Reckitt Benckiser, Futuresetc, Science37, Allscripts, Apixio |
Course Comparison
BSc Biochemistry vs BSc Applied Chemistry
Below we are discussing a few differences between BSc in Applied Chemistry and B.Sc in Biochemistry. The comparison has been made based on the parameters like course duration, course outcomes, fees, job options, and salary package.
| Parameters | BSc Applied Chemistry | BSc Biochemistry |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | This course educates about the fundamentals of science and how chemical actions take place in living and non-living matter. | The course in Biochemistry educates the learners about the structure, composition, and chemical reactions taking place in biotic compounds. |
| Course duration | 3 years UG course | 3 years UG course |
| Learning | Nanotechnology, Drugs, New Materials, Computer-Designed Molecules, Bio-Transformations | Chemical Processes, Biological Process |
| Cost | Government-aided colleges range between INR 10,000 and 20,000. For private institutions, the fee may be as high as INR 1.5 Lakhs. | Between INR 10,000 to 1,50,000 |
| Areas of employment | Bioinformatics, the medical field, education sector, and so on. | The medical industry, research labs, agriculture, pharmaceutical companies, or any academic institutions |
| Job Options | Lab Supervisor, Researcher, Technician, Teacher, Scientists, Consulting Physicist, Senior Physicist, Analytical Chemist, Lab Chemist, etc. | Clinical Researcher, Biochemist, Medical Coder, Asst. Professor, Medical Review Officer, Research Analyst, Quality Assurance, etc |
| Average Annual Salary | INR 2-8 Lakhs | INR 3-4 Lakhs |
BSc Biochemistry Jobs & Career Options
BSc Biochemistry graduates can easily get employed within the organizations after completing their studies. Some of the sectors which offer employment to BSc Biochemistry graduates include Medical Industry, Agriculture, Research Labs, Pharmaceutical Companies, Academic and educational institutions, etc.
Besides these, there are many other sectors that hunt for qualified graduates that have completed studies in this course. The table below describes some of the few job positions that can be considered by the BSc Biochemistry graduates along with the Average Salary Scale.
| Job Position | Job Description | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Researcher | They are supposed to work in the labs and carry out experiments and research. The kind of jobs play an important role in contributing to the biochemical sector | INR 3 Lakhs |
| Research Scientist | A research scientist is appointed to perform in the field and design and conduct experiments that can help in researching the biochemicals. | INR 4 Lakhs |
| Lab Technician | Lab Technicians are appointed by the pathology labs and they are involved in testing and preparing diagnoses reports for patients. | INR 3.5 - 4 Lakhs |
| Medical Coder | A Medical Coder translates the descriptions of medical diagnoses and procedures into universal medical code numbers. | INR 3-4 Lakhs |
| Scientific Editor | A Scientific editor is appointed with Scientific journals and magazines for editing and compiling articles and research papers submitted for publication. | INR 3-5 Lakhs |
BSc Biochemistry Future Scope
The demand for B.SC Biochemistry graduates is growing day by day and providing employment across different fields. The pharmaceutical, healthcare, and scientific industries look for graduates in this field who can help in taking important decisions for the betterment of society.
Some of the top recruiters include Cipla, Ranbaxy, Biocon, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Aurobindo Pharma, etc. There is various scope other than just doing jobs in the above-mentioned sector. Some of them are:
-
Higher study options - The graduates can go for higher studies and can do courses like MSc Biochemistry, M.Sc. Biochemistry (Integrated), MSc Medical Biochemistry, Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Biochemistry, and Post Graduate Diploma in Biochemistry.
Check for top MSc Biochemistry Colleges in India.
Check for top MSc Medical Biochemistry Colleges in India.
- A career in Research or Educational sectors - Further study at the Masters or Ph.D. level is needed in case you want to have a career in the research industry. A Ph.D. will help to start a career as an academic lecturer. Even to start publishing, science communication, or clinical careers, further qualifications will prove to be an asset and are becoming increasingly important.
- With a biochemistry degree in hand, they can also apply for graduate entry to medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science.
- Biochemistry mostly includes manufacturing of biochemical products and the graduates post completing their studies will get a chance to experiment, analyze, research on different products. Biochemistry is also required in the clinical and forensic fields.
So there are endless career opportunities post completing higher studies in Biochemistry.
BSc Biochemistry: FAQs
Ques. What is the course content?
Ans. The entire course includes topics on biochemistry, like the structure and function of biochemical molecules. The knowledge obtained can be applied to varied fields. Some of the sectors offering employment to a B.Sc. Biochemistry graduates include Medical Industry, Agriculture, Research Labs, etc.
Ques. What is the exam date of LPUNEST?
Ans. The exam dates are yet to be released for Schedule-2.
Ques. What is the scope of doing this program in India?
Ans. Various job opportunities can be considered by graduates who have successfully completed this course from a recognized college or university.
Ques. What careers can be explored post completing B.Sc in Biochemistry course?
Ans. The B.Sc Biochemistry graduates are prepared to take up the challenging role within an organization. They can work as a Clinical Researcher, Research Scientist, Lab Technician, Medical Coder, Scientific Editor, etc.
Ques. Which are the Best Places to Pursue B.Sc?
Ans. The Oxford College of Science- Bangalore, Sri Venkateswara College- New Delhi, Ethiraj College for Women- Chennai, St. Xavier’s College- Ahmedabad, Jaipur National University- Jaipur, etc.
Ques. What are the minimum requirements of a B.Sc in Biochemistry?
Ans. The candidates must have completed 10+2 with at least 50% marks (science stream) from a recognized board.
Ques. What is the entire duration of the program?
Ans. The Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in the Biochemistry program is a three years UG course.
Ques. When the cut-off list is declared?
Ans. Once the application process is complete, different universities and colleges announce their respective cut off which is the minimum required percentage for admission to the program. Universities such as Aligarh Muslim University and many others take their own entrance test for admission to the program.
Ques: What are the salary trends in the B.Sc. Biochemistry sector?
Ans. The Biochemical industry has increased at a CAGR of 15.7% in the last couple of years and is anticipated to grow at a steady rate in the next five years.
Ques: Is maths needed at 10+2 level to study B.Sc Biochemistry?
Ans. Maths is not a prerequisite at the 10+2 level to pursue BSc Biochemistry. However, in case you have an option to study Maths and Biology, then you must opt for it. Many fields like Biotechnology, Biophysics, etc. need a strong understanding knowledge of mathematics and many colleges require mathematics at 10+2 level for such courses
Ques: Is it difficult to study biochemistry?
Ans. No, studying biochemistry is not that difficult. All you need is to build your understanding of biochemical pathways rather than just memorizing it. Biochemistry is a subject that can’t be learned in isolation and rather you can make it more interesting by focusing on the practical part as well.
Ques: I have completed doing a Ph.D. in biochemistry. What are the job opportunities that can be explored?
Ans. Some popular options include professor, patent lawyer, healthcare professional, etc.
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