c m y b

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Hansraj College,New Delhi www.hansrajcollege.co.in

Seats: 340

Cut off: 95 per cent

USP: One of the largest constituentcolleges of Delhi University thiscollege is ranked among the top 10colleges in the country. One of the fewcolleges in the country to posses anindoor badminton court and a state-of-the-art indoor shooting range.

DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarhwww.davchd.com

Seats: B.Sc. (Med., Non-Med., B.Sc.(Hons) Bio-Informatics - 25 ; B.Sc.(Hons) Bio-Technology - 25

USP: The college offers a range of sci-ence courses especially in biotechnol-ogy, bioinformatics etc in the region.

Government College for Girls, Sector 11, Chandigarhwww.gcg11.org

Seats: 300

Cut-off: 70 per cent

USP: Grade A Grade bythe National Assessment andAccreditation Council (NAAC).

PG Government College For Girls, Chandigarhwww.gcg42.ac.in

Seats: BSc (Non -Medical) 160;Medical- 120; Biotechnology - 30;Biotechnology -40; Bioinformatics - 30;Microbiology - 30;

Computer Science - 40

Cut-off: Biotechnology ( 61.6% UTPool; 86.6% General Pool); USP: First city-government college tostart PG course in science. The onlycollege in the city to have FunctionalHindi Language Lab. Wi-Fi Campus.

Multani Mal Modi College, Patialahttp://www.modicollege.com

Seats: B.Sc (180), B.Sc (Bio-tech) 40;

Cut-off: Over 60 per cent

USP: The college is conferred with thestatus of "College for Potential of

Excellence" by UGC.

Government Mohindra College, Patialawww.mohindracollege.in

Seats: 240 (BSc medi and non-med)

Cut-off: 60 per cent

USP: The Ministry of Science andTechnology has recognised theinstitute as "Star College in LifeSciences". The Punjab Governmenthas selected the institute asCommunity College to impart skill-oriented education.

Khalsa College,Amritsarkhalsacollegeamritsar.org

Seats: B.Sc. (Med, non med); BCA(150); B.Sc. (Food Sc. and Tech.)40;B.Sc. (Biotechnology)40; B.Sc. (Hons.)Agriculture 70; Bachelor of

Physiotherapy 40;

Cut-off: 70 per cent

USP: NAAC re-accredited 'A' Grade (CGPA),College with Potential for Excellence'Status Conferred by UGC.

Government College, Ludhianawww.scdgovtcollege.org

Seats: B.Sc Med (120), Non Medl(180)

Cut-off: Over 60 per cent

USP: One of the oldrst colleges inPunjab it has produced eminentpersonalities including SahirLudhianvi, K.P.S.Gill, film producerDavid Dhawan and Kapil Sibbal.

Pt Neki Ram Sharma Government College, Rohtakwww.nrs.com

Seats: 580

Cut-off: 70-80 per cent

USP: The college has producedeminent personalities, includingHaryana Chief Minister BhupinderSingh Hooda, martyr Lt Kuldeep SinghRathee and ex-state DGP P.C.Wadhwa.

D.A.V PG College,Dehradunwww.davpgcollege.com

Seats: 1300

Cut Off: 60%

USP: One of the oldest Colleges inDehradun and has strength of30,000 students in the ongoingsession.

(Based on selected lists from India Today, Outlook andother national surveys)

Science colleges

TOP

Mohan Prasad

TAKING up Science after Class X is adecision that is quite rewarding forstudents mainly because sciencestudents have the option of switch-ing career streams easily later on. If

you have taken up physics, chemistry,maths and/or biology in Class XI, thenyou are not only eligible to apply to engi-neering streams, medicine, nursing,physiotherapy, occupational therapy,nutrition and dietics, veterinary sciences,audiology, architecture etc, but can alsoapply for courses like literature, sociolo-gy, psychology, economics, history, com-merce, political science, geological sci-ences etc. Science students can also takeup mass communication, photography,cinematography, law, etc.

BSc not a poor choiceThere are a lot of misconceptions amongstudents as well as parents when it comesto choosing BSc after Class XII. The mostcommon misconception is that a BTech(engineering) degree is better than BSc(pure science) because BTech is a profes-sional degree that allows the student togain expertise in the area of his interestfaster than a student who graduates in puresciences. BSc is also considered to be aneasy choice or the road taken by those whofail to get into engineering or medical col-leges. This is not completely true as boththe options have their merits and de merits.

A student can complete graduation in Sci-ence in 3-4 years. Some universities alsooffer specialised (honours) courses like BSc(Honours) zoology/ botany/physics/chem-istry/computer application/applied sci-ences/ physical sciences etc where the students get to specialise in the subject oftheir choice.

Other universities offer a generaloverview of all the science subjects in thisdegree, giving the students freedom toapply for a master’s course to specialise inthe subject that interests themthe most.The curriculum is broad and mainly theo-retical. If the student is more inclinedtowards the non-technical aspects of a sub-ject and wants to go for further researchstudies in science, then BSc. is a good wayto start. You can opt for a master's courseand then enrol for a Doctoral programme.Alternately, you can also enrol into MTechor ME programme after graduation.

Add an extra punch to your degreeSpecialisations are the key to financial suc-cess in careers today. Therefore, you mustconstantly update your knowledge base bytaking up a course that will add weight toyour resume and to your knowledge. BScstudents can take up postgraduate degreesand gain some technical knowledge in thefield to be a cut above the rest.

However, if you feel that a simple BSc isnot your cup of tea then there are a numberof professional courses other than medicaland engineering that science students canopt for. Some major ones worth having alook at are:

NanotechnologyNanotechnology is the study of functional sys-tems at the molecular scale. This newsphere of scientific innovation has abroad scope. Several institutes haveintroduced degree courses in Nanotech-nology at both the UG and PG levels. Theareas covered in nanotech are Food andBeverages, Bio-Technology, Forensic Sci-ences, Genetics, Space Research, Envi-ronment industry, Medicine, Agricultureand Teaching. Nanomedicine is the mostimportant field of Nanotechnology. Nanolevel gadgets and materials are beingused for diagnosis and treatment of dis-eases. Nano-pharmacology has generateda specific category of smart drugs withnegligible side effects. The use of nan-otech has also helped in the detection ofnarcotics and fingerprints of the suspect-ed criminals.

The Council of Scientific and IndustrialResearch, also known as CSIR has set up

38 laboratories in India dedicated toresearch in Nanotechnology. This tech-nology will be used in diagnostic kits,improved water filters and sensors anddrug delivery. The research is being con-ducted on using it to reduce pollutionemitted by the vehicles.

Looking at the progressive prospects ofNanotechnology in India, NanobiosymInc., a US-based leading nanotechnologyfirm is planning to set up India’s first inte-grated nanotechnology and biomedicinetechnology park in Himachal Pradesh.

Biotechnology This research-oriented field is a blend ofbiology, mathematics, physics, chemistryand engineering principles. Most of thework is carried out at research institutesand laboratories.

The eligibility criterion for getting into anundergraduate programme varies from oneinstitution to another. In some colleges theeligibility criteria includes a Plus II with 50per cent marks in physics, chemistry, biolo-gy and mathematics. In some other institu-tions, the Plus II pass percentage requiredis 55 per cent. While some colleges considerphysics, chemistry and biology combina-

tion of subjects as a basicentry level qualifica-

tion, others take intoaccount the physics,

chemistry and mathematics combination.Once this eligibility criterion is met, you canget admission into the BSc programmes.

Once you have earned a graduate degreein this field you can go for the master’s lev-el (MSc, ME, MTech). A graduate degree insubjects such as biochemistry, biology,botany, chemistry, microbiology, pharmacy,veterinary sciences or zoology is acceptablefor entry into a post-graduate programmein biotechnology.

Apart from undergraduate programmes,many colleges and universities offer fiveand five-and-a-half year integrated pro-grammes (BTech/MTech) for students. Itshould be kept in mind that a post-graduatequalification in biotechnology is a must toenter the profitable and ever-expandingfield of biotechnical applications.

MicrobiologyIt is the study of living organisms whichcan be a cell cluster, single cell or may be nocell at all; these are invisible to naked eyesuch as fungi, bacteria and viruses. Medicalmicrobiology is the most popular field as itdeals with the human illness. There areample career opportunities and jobs formicrobiologists in pharmaceutical, food,research and development laboratories inhospital, beverage and chemical industries,research organisations, agriculture andhealthcare research. Graduation level

courses include BSc in Microbiology, Diplo-ma in Clinical Microbiology, Diploma inClinical Pathology, Diploma in IndustrialMicrobiology etc.

ZoologyIt deals with the study of living and extinctanimals their evolution, structure, behav-iour, function and interaction with environ-ment. One can become zoologist, lecturer,ornithologist and even wildlife expert aftergetting a BSc in this branch of science.Those interested in zoology can opt for BScin Zoology, Aquaculture (Fishery Microbi-ology), Advanced Zoology and Biotechnol-ogy and Animal Biotechnology.

Dairy SciencesStudents who have completed Plus II withphysics, chemistry and mathematics asoptional subjects are eligible to choose aBSc or BTech programme in dairy sci-ence. The selection in the BTech course isbased on the rank obtained in the com-mon entrance examination.

A professional degree programme likeBTech. in dairy technology or dairy sci-ence and technology offers intensivetraining in milk processing and qualitycontrol, and engineering aspects of dairyprocessing equipment. The course dura-tion is four years.

Students who complete their B.Tech.degree in dairy technology can go for Mas-ter’s degree in dairying. The course offersintensive training in various aspects ofproduction, processing and management.

National Dairy Research Institute(NDRI), Karnal, Haryana, is a leader inresearch and education in the field ofdairy science and technology. It offersB.Tech. in dairy technology, and master’sand Ph.D. programmes in dairying. Somestate universities and a few institutionsalso offer B.Tech. or BSc. Dairy Scienceand Technology courses. Among them, theNational Dairy Research Institute (Karnaland Bangalore) and the Sheth MC Collegeof Dairy Science (Anand) have been iden-tified as centres of excellence.

In most states, admission is made on thebasis of entrance examination. The eligi-bility requirement is a pass in Plus II withminimum 50 per cent marks in physics,chemistry and mathematics.

— The writer is IIT-JEE Expert, Meritnation.com

There is no dearth of courses and opportunities for students in the science stream. You just have to select the field that matches your natural talent as professionals with a science background are always in demand

The Science of Success

FRIDAY | APRIL 18 | 2014THE TRIBUNE GUIDE TO BEST COLLEGES Science06

BPharmaPharmacy is one of the main disciplinesunder pharmaceutical and biomedicalscience industry. Pharmacists areresponsible for the preparation,dispensing and appropriate use ofmedication and provide services toachieve optimal therapeutic outcomes.Generally the job of the professionals inthis field is to prepare, mix, compound ordispense drugs and medicines, ointments,powder, pills, tablets and injections on theprescription of a medical practitioner,dentist or veterinarian. Those who areengaged in research, particularly in thisarea, concern themselves with synthesisof new drugs, clinical testing of the effectsof such drugs on animals and humans,and obtaining the required licenses fromthe drug-control authorities.

Colleges imparting pharmaceuticaleducation must be approved by All IndianCouncil of Technical Education (AICTE) orPharmacy Council of India (PCI). For astudent to be eligible for registration as apharmacist in India, the college fromwhich he/she graduated must beapproved by the Pharmacy Council of India.

How to get inTo go for a BPharmacycourse, one need to pass inClass XII with a minimumaggregate of 50 per cent inphysics, chemistry and biology.Candidate must additionally havepassed English as a subject of study(core or elective) in the qualifyingexamination. The duration of a BPharmacourse is four years and a diplomaprogramme is of two- year duration. Insome states it is mandatory to take anadditional pharmacy entranceexamination in order to be eligible for the course.

Where to studyNIPER, Mohali (www.niper.nic.in)

Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciencesand Research, New Delhi (www.du.ac.in)

University Institute of PharmaceuticalSciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh(http://puchd.ac.in/)

Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar(www.lpu.in)

Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar(http://www.gndu.ac.in/)

Meteorological SciencesMeteorology is a sub-discipline of atmosphericscience that mainly focuses on various aspectsof the atmosphere, especially that of theweather and climate. Those who specialise inthe field of meteorology are calledMeteorologists or Climatologists orAtmospheric scientists.

Meteorology as a career deals with study andresearch of the atmosphere, prediction of theweather, identification and interpretation ofclimatic trends etc. As such, the field ofmeteorology includes both weather and climateand is concerned with the physical, dynamicaland chemical state of the Earth’s atmosphereand interactions between the atmosphere andthe Earth’s surface. There are three aspects ofmeteorology — observation, understanding andprediction of weather. Career aspirants in thisfield must be good at mathematics and

science. A course in meteorology will help in thedevelopment of various skills like datacollection, data analysis, forecasting andcomputer modelling. Subjects covered by acourse in meteorology include Fundamentals ofMeteorology, Global Atmosphere, WeatherMeasurement & Analysis, Atmospheric

Thermodynamics, Atmospheric Physics,Weather Analysis and Forecasting, MarineMeteorology etc. A number of universitiesincluding IITs are offering undergraduate andpostgraduate programmes inMeteorology/Atmospheric Sciences. Thestudents with physics, chemistry andmathematics and biology in Class XII areeligible for getting into a BSc course. Thebachelor’s degree is of four years’ duration.Besides this a diploma in meteorology is alsooffered by some institute. Master levelprogrammes are of two-year duration.Candidates aspiring to become researchersand scientists must complete a PhD inmeteorology.

Where to study■ Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology,

Pune (www.tropmet.res.in)■ IIT, Delhi

SCIENTIFIC TEMPER: OPTING FOR A DEGREE IN SCIENCE OPENS DOORS TO A FUTURE WITH VERSATILE AND VAST SCOPE

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