Postgraduate Teaching Programme (M.Sc./ M.Tech./ M.VSc.): India can take pride in being one of the first few countries in the world to start Post Graduate courses in biotechnology. Department initiated postgraduate teaching Program in 1985-86 to ensure high standard of teaching and to generate critical mass of trained manpower in country. These programmes are conceived as collaborative, inter-departmental, inter institutional programme and initiated on the basis of core strength in the area in terms of faculty expertise, infrastructural facilities, R&D grants on competitive funding basis received, nearby institutions engaged in biotechnology R&D. These programmes played a catalytic role and inspired other institutes to initiate these programme on their own. Liberal grants were provided for establishment of specialized laboratory infrastructure, equipment, recurring grants for consumables, studentship, books and journals, travel, visiting faculty, contingency, thesis grant etc. India is a vast country and keeping in mind the demand for trained manpower, these programmes have been expanded in general biotechnology as well in niche area such as medical, agricultural, marine, veterinary, industrial biotechnology, bioprocess technology computational biology, food science, bio-informatics and nutrition biology. A total of 72 courses are being offered under this programme. The location of universities/ institutes offering M.Sc./ M.Tech/M.VSc. teaching programmes in biotechnology in country with DBT support is depicted in Map.

Selection of students

To provide All–India representation, maintain uniformity and ensure selection of quality students, admission is done through Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by Jawaharlal Nehru University at more than 50 centers in country. Admission to other universities or IITs are made through joint entrance test conducted by IIT or tests conducted by respective universities. The selection is very stringent and all selected students are paid studentship.

Course Curriculum

Model course curricula have been developed by Department of Biotechnology through a consultative process to maintain uniformity and ensure minimum standard of education. The curriculum revision exercise is undertaken periodically to incorporate the latest developments and to rationalize the disparities in theoretical and practical training. In order to match the course contents with the upcoming trends, model course curriculum for thirteen PG courses have been developed in 2017-18. Model course curriculum is available on DBT website for access.

Link: Model course curriculum for M.Sc./M.VSc./M.Tech. Programmes

In-house dissertation: Six months in-house dissertation is mandatory for all the students admitted in DBT supported teaching program (M.Sc./M.Tech/M.VSc).

Monitoring of programmes

To ensure uniform standard of teaching, these teaching programs are periodically reviewed by in-house advisory committees comprising of outside experts from teaching institutions and industries, and DBT-HRD Task Force.

Online Feedback System

Feedback mechanism is an essential component for implementation and management of quality education and training programme. Department of Biotechnology has developed a web based dynamic portal PROMPT (Review of Mechanism & Protocols of Teaching) for effectively capturing feedback of postgraduate students admitted under DBT supported teaching programmes in universities about quality of teaching programme. Feedback is being collected at end of every semester for eliciting information about learning experience from students across all DBT supported universities and institutions on Theoretical Courses, Practical Courses, Dissertation, Academic Activities and Departmental/Institutional Facilities. The feedback received from the students of all the DBT supported universities and institutions are analyzed to gain critical insights about the ongoing teaching programmes for further improvement of quality of teaching and learning under DBT support.

Concerned Officer for more information

Contact Person for Common Entrance Test conducted by JNU (JNU-CET):