Infotech is passe, biotechnology is the rage. It is in the forefront of research in developed countries and the trend is catching on in India. In a decade from now, the mantra would be bioinformatics, a fusion of infotech and biotechnology, writes Manish Kumar Singal

ONE bright morning, a group of go-getters in Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University came running out of their class, jabbering excitedly. The reason was not far to seek: A month from now, all of them would be heading for foreign shores on scholarship.

When GGS Indraprastha University had launched its Biotech Engineering course, there was no dearth of skeptics. But suddenly the university has turned the spotlight on itself. Reason: Twelve out of 30 students of its Biotechnology Engineering batch have bagged scholarships in Germany and the USA to pursue Ph.D courses. Mind you, the university had started just a couple of years ago and no one expected such a phenomenal response abroad.

A faculty member puts the trend in perspective: ''Infotech is passe, biotechnology the rage. It is in the forefront of research in developed countries and the trend is catching on in India.'' A lot of this has to do with the economics of it: It makes more sense cost-wise to hire biotechnologists from India than elsewhere. As is the case with infotech, biotechnologists in the subcontinent enjoy a strategic advantage over their counterparts in the West. In fact, in a decade from now, the mantra would be bioinformatics, a fusion of infotech and biotechnology.''

But Amit Tuli, who has bagged a scholarship in Biochemistry and Molecular Sciences, would rather give credit where it is due. He says: "The fact of the matter is that we have a reservoir of talent waiting to be harnessed. When the representatives of the foreign university talked with us, they were so impressed with our curriculum that they took a few seconds to select us for their Ph.D. programme.'' He adds with a glint in his eye: ``I am happy and exited at the prospect of going overseas, but believe me the curriculum of Biotechnolgy in IP University is such that no university in the world can even compete with us.''

The lucky biotech bunch which is heading overseas on scholarship.

Biotechnology is a science in which biological systems or processes are exploited for the benefit of humankind. It is an amalgamation of all sciences such as physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology as well as engineering technology. The history of biotechnology is akin to the history of humankind: both have been propelled by the survival instinct to harness the forces of nature and life. It is, however, the discovery of genetic engineering techniques via recombinant DNA technology, which is responsible for the current biotechnology boom. Using laboratory skills, which were unheard of a generation ago, scientists have isolated, put together and manipulated genes to clone life itself.

Any person with a science background can take up a course in biotechnology, though with increasing thrust on specialisation biotechnologists with knowledge of engineering are being preferred. Many universities are offering a B.Sc in biotech, which one can pursue after Class XII. At the PG level one can do M.Sc or M.Tech in biotech. One can also take up a five-year integrated course in M.Tech at the IITs. A combined biotech exam is conducted by the JNU.

However, it is important to be discerning while selecting an institute. Says Prof K. Kannan, former Dean of Biotechnology in Indraprastha University: "There are scores of biotechnology institutes in India. But the students should opt for one that imparts in-depth practical knowledge. Here, the approach of the faculty is crucial.''

Says Sukriti Dewan, who has won a scholarship for a Ph.D programme at Osaka University, USA, "Our university faculty was very cooperative and they really worked hard on us. Generally, the thrust is on classroom coaching, not on practical training. But here, it was otherwise. It is not my success, rather it is that of the faculty." This view is reinforced by Amit, "Our university has an excellent infrastructure for biotechnology, which should be the main consideration for an aspiring research scientist. Otherwise, you could end up becoming a biotech professional without any practical experience."

The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) also underscores the need to have sound practical training. The trade chamber say that it has been observed that the majority of the institutes offering biotechnology courses do not provide practical training. And that is why the students, even after completing their degree, do not get suitable jobs.

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has also decided to limit the grant of approval for UG Engineering course in Biotechnology to only those colleges that have a strong chemical, engineering or pharmacy programme as they alone can provide practical training to the biotech students.

To meet the industrial requirements, the AICTE has approved around 100 institutions, which are providing courses in biotechnology. These institutes are offering the courses under different heads: B.Tech, M.Tech, B.Sc, M.Sc etc.

In fact, there has been a concerted government bid in the last decade to create a large pool of biotechnologists within the country. The process began with the formation of the National Biotechnology Board in the early 1980s. Later, the board became a full-fledged Government Department of Biotechnology. The department has developed seven centres of Plant Molecular Biology for generating improved varieties of plants through unconventional breeding techniques. These are at the JNU, New Delhi, South Campus, Delhi University, NBRI, Lucknow, MKU, Coimbatore, and Bose Institute, Kolkata. The centres have produced excellent results within a span of seven years.

In plant tissue culture, India has always been at the forefront compared to the rest of the world. Besides, it has spawned the growth of life sciences, agricultural science, vaccine formation etc. A fine example is the newly invented vaccine for Hepatitis B that was has been now approved by the WHO also.

In India, where the human resource is available at a comparatively lower cost, more and more biotechnology companies are setting up their units and it has become an over $400 million industry (2002-03) and is expected to grow at the rate of 25 to 30 per cent this year. The growth rate itself shows that there is a big demand for technical hands in this field. As per the CII estimate, the total investment in the biotechnology sector is over $140 m, which has gone up by 25 per cent over the previous year. Experts say that there would be a steep growth in the biotechnology sector with good career prospects in the coming years.

Earlier, biotechnology used to be a part of chemical engineering, but keeping in view its importance and demand, the subject came into its own after 1970.

A number of institutes in north India, affiliated to Punjab University, Kurukshetra University, IIT-Delhi and Kharagpur, CITM, Faridabad, Punjabi University, Patiala, Roorkee University, JNU, Himachal Pradesh University etc, are offering biotechnology courses.

Besides, there are a host of institutes in other parts of the country like the NBRI, Lucknow, MKU, Coimbatore, and Bose Institute, Kolkata.