Every now and then the public and the corporate leaders indicate that our biotech graduates are not industry ready and curriculum should be modified.  But the harsh truth is that neither does the biotech industry have a clear understanding of the manpower they need nor are the skills required for employability understood by academicians.

Here are some tips to select the right universities.

Reputation: This is the first thing a recruiter would look for. An IIT degree is considered the best and deservedly so since IIT's take great care in the way, they launch a course and select students. For example, IIT, Delhi took nearly five years to design and develop a curriculum before initiating a degree in biochemical engineering and biotechnology courses.

Faculty:  Qualified faculty is a must for any programme, if it has to offer you value. Look for the ratio of PhD to non PhDs. Higher the PhD numbers, better would be the research environment on the campus. Look for the credentials and achievement of the faculty. Better faculty means better learning experience.

Infrastructural facilities: A good lab is a sine qua non for a research based programme like Biotechnology. Some of the private universities might score high on their infrastructure. Go behind the imposing structure, and look around actual equipment, level of supplies, ease with which a lab lets a student perform an experiment all that counts. Hands on experience will be the most important asset you would bank on.

Teaching style: This is a very important but most difficult factor in assessing an institute. Some universities like MKU, JNU and TNAU have established a healthy participatory learning process.  Ask students who are already pursuing a programme to ascertain, if the learning goes beyond books. Hands on training and live projects are a must.

Industry interface: Find out if the faculty is encouraged to take-up consultancy, funded projects, sabbaticals in firms and overseas training.  Higher the level of interaction with the industry better would be your chances of finding employment.

How to prepare for the entrance?

In India entrance exams are held for admissions to all top colleges and universities. The main topics for the entrance exams at the under-graduate level include the basic topics of physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology. Clearing the entrance exams require in depth knowledge of concepts and the ability to think logically. The best way to prepare is to solve previous years question papers. Coaching centers might help, but again be wary of parting with your money, when an institute promises you a 15 day crash course to success. 

Do you fit the bill?

This is the function of what domains; you want to enter, within the sector.

Domain knowledge:  This is a no brainier. But there are an astounding number of students who think their communication skills and inter personal skills would see them through. Not in a science based industry like biotech.

Research skills: If it is a hard core research function, the primary requirement is an analytical mind and loads of patience. The ability to persevere with a problem for long periods of time without tiring is a must for any researcher. So is the ability to quickly assess the level of difficulty in a problem. Research by its very nature is risky, and the ability to minimize that risk would go a long way in boosting your career.

Drafting skills: Since biotechnology is a heavily IP based industry, ability to work on built up research finding, without impinging on previous protected research is a skill in great demand. The skill to communicate precsely is also equally important.

Soft skills: Increasingly research in organised large scale endeavors are places where multidisciplinary teams from multiple geographies work and collaborate real time. So ability to work as a team is a very crucial attribute for a successful biotechnologist.