|
|
||||||
|
ONE of the peculiar features of the higher education scene in India is the high value attached to the engineering, medicine and management courses, both by students and parents. Every year, lakhs of students take entrance tests for engineering and medicine, and a majority of them are disappointed. Yet, very few of these students, who have studied science in school up to Class XII, think of making a career in the basic sciences. The reason for this lies in the content of the school science curriculum and the way it is taught. But there are reasons why students should pursue the sciences as the stream does offer a world of career options. Why study science Why should one study the basic sciences such as physics, chemistry and biology? One reason is simply that these disciplines seek to address some of the oldest and deepest questions that human beings have asked. How did the world begin? How will it end? What are things made of? What is life? These questions continue to fascinate and attract some of the best minds on the planet. At another level, the study of basic sciences is indispensable since these provide the base for technology. A hundred years ago, there were no computers, artificial satellites, mobile phones, TVs, microwave ovens etc., and life was indeed very different. The advent of modern technology, largely based on a foundation of physics, has changed our world beyond recognition. Similarly, the promised revolution in biotechnology, which has just got underway, is based on the foundation of modern life sciences. The last few decades have seen the emergence of exciting new areas of study, such as material science, molecular biology and brain studies, which draw upon multiple disciplines. For example, the emergence of brain studies as a field of study, has required the joint efforts of physicists, biologists and computer scientists. There is yet another reason for students to take up science. The great impact of science and technology in everyday life leads to political, legal and ethical issues related to science. Are large dams good or bad? Where should a nuclear reactor be located? Should human cloning be made legal? Very often, people who have to make decisions on such issues are ill-equipped to do so and informed public opinion is non-existent. There is, thus, a great need for professional science communicators. What after a BSc After a first degree in science, apart from the usual ‘general’ jobs available to all graduates, one can take up other branches of study. A second degree, of course, opens up many specialised careers. Before talking about MSc degrees, we must remember that there are possibilities of changing streams. In the Indian system, switching from science to humanities is possible, while the reverse is not. For example, the University of Delhi (DU) allows a student with a physics degree to take the test for admission to MA in Economics, but not the other way around. The student who decides, after a BSc degree, to stay on for a career in science, will have to go for an MSc. The menu for MSc courses is even longer than that for BSc and includes both traditional as well as non-traditional courses. A traditional MSc in physics or chemistry, from a good institution, will usually have built into it a number of options related to specialised fields. In the life sciences, there is a case for going in for non-traditional courses like microbiology. However, the number of seats available in MSc in botany and zoology is likely to be much larger. Workplace options It is natural for a student to ask: "After this five-year journey with two degrees, what is my likely place of work going to be?" The largest number of openings for those working in the pure sciences is in the university system. To enter the system, one has to clear the National Eligibility Test (NET) in the chosen subject. Some states also have their own equivalent tests. A large number of government laboratories are also among major employers of scientists in India. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) system of around 60 institutions, and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Indian Space Research Organisation networks are some examples of possible workplaces. For those who have studied biology, private industry is also a possibility, with pharma companies being major players. There are now a (growing) number of institutes of ‘pure’ research. Some examples are the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (Mumbai), Institute of Mathematical Sciences (Chennai), Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (Kolkata), National Centre for Biological Sciences (Bangalore) and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (Hyderabad). The Indian Institute of Science (Bangalore) is a unique example of a teaching institution with the ethos of a research institute. These, incidentally, are some of the most sought-after addresses for working scientists in India. Payoff Prospective science students may wonder what kind of salaries and working conditions they can hope for. Since most of the options listed above are in the government sector, salaries do not reach the ‘golden’ figures of the corporate world. However, with any of these jobs one can make a decent living while doing something that one enjoys. In addition to the above an increasing demand for science communicators, both in mainstream media and web-based ventures, would scale up the demand for science professionals and consequently. Overall, as the value attached to knowledge increases, both the number and variety of jobs for science graduates would also increase. — Amitabha Mukherjee is Professor, Department of Physics and Astrophysics University of Delhi
...And the realm beyond
Biochemistry A simplistic definition of this amalgamation of two basic sciences — biology and chemistry — would be that it is a study of the chemistry of living things such as substances, compounds and processes. Biochemists combine the fields of microbiology, cell biology, genetics, chemistry, cell biology, and physics in their day-to-day work or experiments. They get into the most minute characteristics of organisms and their biological processes. They identify the way in which DNA, which carries the genetic information, is transferred between cells and can be manipulated. Biochemistry finds application in clinical and forensic science and in the food and pharmacological industries. Biochemists are contributing to advances in a wide variety of areas, including health, agriculture and the environment. The screening of unborn babies for diseases and investigation of possible cures for illnesses such as cancer and AIDS have been made possible due to progress in the biochemical understanding of disease. The work environment could be the government, private sector, laboratories, hospitals, universities etc. Catalysts While the spirit for research, problem-solving, strong analytical mindset, and curiosity are important traits for future biochemists, verbal and written communication skills are also important, as many scientists work as part of a team, write research papers or proposals and have contact with clients or customers with non-science backgrounds. Roadmap The physics, chemistry, biology and maths combination in Plus II is a good foundation for a future career in biochemistry. Although some universities do offer biochemistry during graduation, post graduation really establishes one as a biochemist. MSc. Biochemistry is offered in several universities. You can opt for a JRF after MSc. by appearing for the UGCCSIR JRF/NET exam. This could lead to a lectureship and a career in research and development, consulting or allied work. Some medical colleges also
offer MD biochemistry open to MBBS graduates. Central Drug Research
Institute, Industrial Toxicological Research Institute, National Botanical
Research Institute, etc. would offer scope Biophysics This fascinating and intellectually challenging field of scientific study is a bridge between biology and physics. It is concerned with the applications of the principles and methods of physical sciences to biological problems. This branch shares a strong bond with other advanced biological fields like biochemistry, bioengineering, systems biology, nanotechnology and agro physics. Biophysics incorporates the study of all levels of biological organisation — from molecules to ecosystems. It applies the principles of physics and chemistry and the methods of mathematical analysis and computer modeling to understand how biological systems work. One of the first major findings in biophysics was the discovery of the double helix structure of the DNA molecule in 1953. Biophysics helped create powerful vaccines against infectious diseases. Biophysical methods are increasingly used to serve everyday needs, from forensic science to bioremediation. Medical imaging technologies including MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), CAT (Computed Axial Tomography) scans etc. are the invention of Biophysics. Biophysicists study how organisms develop, see, hear, think and live. They investigate how the brain processes and stores information, the heart pumps blood, muscles contract, plants use light in photosynthesis, genes are switched on and off and many other questions. Biophysicists usually work with groups or teams of other scientists and professionals with other backgrounds to collaborate on solving common problems. For example, they work along with those in medical and criminology fields to find solutions to various problems they come across. MSc biophysics is offered at Panjab University, Chandigarh; All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi; University of Mumbai; and University of Madras amongst others.
|
||||||
| HOME | 
|
|||||
