BSc Botany

Bachelor of Science in Botany is an undergraduate program that is of three year duration that focuses on Study of Plant Sciences and various aspects associated with it. Candidates who have completed their class XII with a combination of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics or Biology subjects are eligible to enroll for this course. Admission to BSc Botany program across various Colleges and Universities can happen either through an entrance exam or even based on merit. For admission to some Universities/Institutions for BSc Botany program they conduct their own exam, for few others a generalized exam is conducted at either national or state level. This article will provide you a comprehensive account about the BSc Botany program from admission to future prospects, etc.

BSc Botany course covers academic activities within the classroom sessions along with practical concepts at laboratory sessions. Infield, outstation activities and projects are also organized for real-life experience and learning. Candidates who have curiosity in Plant Kingdom, Ecosystem, Love Exploring Exotic Places and wish to work as Researchers or professions like Botanist, Conservationist, Ecologist, etc can choose BSc Botany course. 

After completing their BSc Botany degree, the candidates can also pursue higher education by taking up courses such as MSc Botany and MSc Environmental Management. This will aid the candidates to get an exposure to improved jobs and research opportunities in the near future.

What is Botany?

Botany is considered Plant Sciences orPhytology which is all about plant life. Botany, a branch of Biology, focuses on the scientific learning of plants and their related aspects including plants and their diseases, growth, etc. In this 3-year degree course, candidates learn about the different types of plants, their features, and uses. In today’s Plant Sciences, Molecular Genetics, and Epigenetics are important domains the candidates are taught about. There are many branches in botany like Agronomy, Biotechnology, Dendrology, Arboriculture, Astrobotany, etc.

Some of the general pointers that would help the candidates who would want to pursue the BSC Botany program are listed below:

• BSc Botany broad overview includes the categories range of the Plants, Algae and Fungi that are present on planet Earth.
• BSc Botany mainly covers the domain of plant sciences that includes Growth, Structure, Reproduction, Metabolism, Diseases, Physiology, etc.
• This program includes aspects of Plant Physiology and Anatomy.
• BSc Botany is a diverse program that starts from the basic details of a plant cell structure and function and goes on to the higher levels including evolution of the plant kingdom.
• BSc Botany includes Plant Science/Biology, Plant Biotechnology (Plant Breeding, Genetics, Biochemistry), Plant Ecology Plant Interactions with the Environment), Mycology (Study of Fungi), Phycology (Study of Algae).

Some of the important highlights relating to BSc Botany course are mentioned in the following table: 

Now by this time the million dollar question that might be arising in the reader’s mind is why should one invest all the time and energy in the BSc Botany program. To answer this question we suggest that the aspirant should go through the following section:

• BSc Botany course will help a person get an understanding of how even the tiniest immobile entities of the plant kingdom work and interact with one another.
• It will provide a perspective as to how human beings can preserve and conserve the plant kingdom in the midst of increased degradation of the same.
• Students who go for BSc in Botany course will acquire a diverse range of skill sets in areas of Agriculture, Floriculture, Forestry, etc that will open a number of new opportunities for them.
• A candidate with a BSc Botany degree can work with various Government and Non-Government organizations with diverse job profiles.
• Botany is regarded as one of the core subjects of sciences therefore studying it can help students enter any field of specialization after graduation.

Check the minimum eligibility criteria to apply for BSc Botany courses:

• Candidates must have completed intermediate (10+2) studies. 
• Candidates must have studied English, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics or Biology at an intermediate level. S
• The minimum percentage required in 10+2 may vary college wise. The range of percentage required for admission is 55% to 60%. 

BSc Botany course can be completed in 3 years. The course is divided in 6 semesters. Check the important topics that are covered throughout the BSc course: 

BSc Botany 1st Year Syllabus

BSc Botany 1st Year Syllabus has been provided below:

BSc Botany 2nd Year Syllabus

BSc Botany 2nd year syllabus has been provided below:

BSc Botany 3rd Year Syllabus

BSc Botany 3rd year syllabus has been provided below:

Admission in BSc Botany courses is acceptable on through merit- basis or entrance exam. Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria are considered for admission into a specific college/ institute. All the interested candidates should meet the minimum cut-off score, expected by various colleges offering BSc Botany courses.  Therefore, a student can get admission either by appearing in the respective entrance examination or based on merit. If the student falls in the cut-off criterion, then he/she may be granted admission based on the merit list.

For the merit-based entrance exam, the marks of previous qualifying exams are considered. In entrance-based admission, candidates are admitted based on the scores earned in the respective entrance exams. Elaborated below are both the admission processes:

BSc Botany Merit-Based Admission Process

In the merit-based admission process, colleges declare a cut-off mark. Candidates who meet the cut-off mark set by the top BSc Botany colleges and other eligibility criteria are offered final admission for the BSc Botany courses.  

BSc Botany Entrance-Based Admission Process

Admission process for BSc Botany entrance based examination is mentioned below for the convenience of the candidates:

• Candidates register for the BSc Botany entrance exam through the exam portal
• They fill up the application form with the required personal and academic details
• Within the deadline, candidates submit the form along with all the required documents and prescribed application fees
• On the scheduled date, candidates appear in the entrance exam
• On a pre-decided date, colleges declare the results, and candidates are given ranks
• The selected candidates are then invited to the counseling session
• Post document verification, candidates are offered seats and asked to pay the admission fees
• Final admission is done after the fee payment

To get BSc Botany admission, some colleges require the candidates to appear in the BSc Botany entrance exams. Listed below are some of the common entrance exams that one can check before applying for the BSc Botany course:

BSc Botany courses are available on the distance learning mode also. In this open learning platform, emphasis is given to the study of plants as well as the physiology of plants. Apart from that, all the related aspects are covered in the BSc Botany Distance Education. BSc Botany Admission for Distance Education is done based on the merit of the previous qualifying examination. The time duration for the course is about 3 to 6 years. There is no specific age limit for the course. After pursuing the BSc Botany Correspondence course candidates can begin their career in both Government and Private jobs. Those who want to pursue further studies can enroll in the Master’s programme provided they secure the required marks in the final exam.

Listed below are some of the colleges that offer BSc Botany Distance Education in India:

The books are not fixed for the BSc Botany courses. The book recommendation may differ from university to university. However, listed here are some of the books useful for BSc Botany courses:

Be it Botany or any other subject or skill to acquire knowledge about the same one needs to possess certain skills which can either be inherent or acquired over a period of time. It is important to have the following skill set for studying BSc Botany course:

• Analytical and Research related skills.
• Skill set that allows a thorough/critical evaluation.
• Strong and impressive communication skills.
• Giving importance to every minute detail while observing.
• Logical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills.
• Patience and Perseverance to carry out various scientific processes.

This section of the article will cover some of the top-most colleges and universities in India from where a candidate can pursue BSc Botany program.

BSc Botany Top College

Some of the top BSc Botany Colleges of India to enroll for candidates are mentioned below:

Top BSc Botany Universities to Pursue the Course

Some of the top universities of India to enroll for BSc Botany program are mentioned below:

Some of the top colleges/universities located abroad to enroll for BSc Botany program are mentioned below:

BSc Botany and BSc Zoology are the most preferred courses by the candidates after the 12th. Though both the subjects are offered under Life Sciences, there are huge differences between them. Detailed below is the comparison between BSc Botany courses and BSc Zoology:

Various job profiles after pursuing BSc Botany degree are mentioned below:

Some of the common industrial sectors where BSc Botany graduates can work are mentioned below:

The average starting salary ranges between INR 2.50 lakhs and INR 5.0 lakhs. With experience, a researcher can earn upto 12.00 lakhs per annum. There are various options to do after pursuing a BSc Botany course. Scopes of BSc Botany graduates are not restricted to a single career path. Listed below are various scopes that a graduate can march out after receiving a BSc Botany degree:

Higher Education Opportunities

After BSc Botany candidates can opt for higher education:

• As a higher study, candidates can apply for a B.Ed course and teach as a Biology teacher in a school
• They can choose MSc Botany for higher education
• After MSc, candidates can enroll in PhD courses

Career Opportunities

After BSc Botany, if anyone wants to join a govt job they need to appear for the Civil Services exam, State Government exam for Teacher recruitment, Public Service Commission exam, etc. The field of Botany has diverse scopes to offer. Apart from the govt. jobs, a BSc Botany graduate can start working as an ecologist, plant pathologist, farming consultant, and in various other job profiles as mentioned before.