The advancement in Biotechnology and the research factor of Genetic Engineering has made it popular in such a limited duration of time. So, the course is taught in almost every major science university. The Genetic Engineering syllabus and subjects are a blend of practical and theoretical approaches.
Students can pursue B Tech in Genetic Engineering which is an undergraduate programme that includes different topics in genes, heredity, variations and others. The undergraduate programme is divided into four years or eight semesters. Genetic Engineering can also be pursued at the master’s level as MTech or MSc programme. The MTech or MSc in Genetic Engineering is a two-year long programme divided into four semesters.
Genetic Engineering is a four-year undergraduate course which can be pursued after scoring a minimum of 50-60% aggregate in the 12th grade. The syllabus of the same has been divided into eight semesters and discussed below for better clarity on the syllabus of each semester.
The first-year Genetic Engineering syllabus for semesters 1 and semester 2 is given below:
Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
---|---|
Mathematics 1 | Mathematics 2 |
English | Material Science |
Physics | Principles of Environmental Science |
Chemistry | Biochemistry |
Basic Engineering 1 | Basic Engineering 2 |
- | Cell Biology |
- | Value Education |
The second-year Genetic Engineering syllabus has been segregated into semesters 3 and semester 4 below:
Semester 3 | Semester 4 |
---|---|
Enzyme Technology | Molecular Biology |
Genetics & Cytogenetics | Stoichiometry and Engineering Thermodynamics |
Immunology | Bio-press Principles |
Microbiology | Biostatistics |
Mechanical Operations & Heat Transfer | German Language Phase 2 or Japanese Language Phase 2 or French Language Phase 2 |
German Language Phase 1 or French Language Phase 1 or Japanese Language Phase 1 | - |
Computer Skills | - |
Basic Molecular Techniques | - |
The third-year Genetic Engineering syllabus for semesters 5 and semester 6 is discussed below:
Semester 5 | Semester 6 |
---|---|
Advanced Molecular Techniques | Personality Development |
Functional Genomics and Microarray Technology | Recombinant DNA Technology |
Momentum Transfer | Bioinformatics |
Bioprocess Engineering | Chemical Reaction Engineering |
Biophysics | Gene Therapy |
Plant Tissue Culture and Transgenic Technology | Biosensors and Biochips |
The fourth-year Genetic Engineering syllabus is segregated below into semesters 7 and semester 8:
Semester 7 | Semester 8 |
---|---|
Bio-separation Technology | Project Work |
Animal Cell Culture and Transgenic Technology | Bio-Safety, Bioethics, IPR & Patients |
Nano-biotechnology in Healthcare | - |
Stem Cell Biology | - |
As the field is still emerging, Genetic Engineering offers limited specialisations as listed below:
Specialisations | Subjects | Details |
---|---|---|
Biostatistics | Statistical Methods for Quality Management Sampling Theory Time Series Index Numbers | Biostatistics includes the study of the application of statistical approaches to scientific research in health-related subjects such as medicine, biology, and public health. It also includes the development of new instruments to explore these areas. |
Molecular Biology | Comparative Genomics DNA Forensics Functional Genomics Genomics Molecular Genetics Pharmacogenomics Proteomics
| Molecular biology is a branch of science that highlights the understanding of the nature and behaviour of macromolecules and the methods of gene replication. The students will also get to study the concepts related to the specialization such as biochemistry, basic microscopy and microbiology, among others. |
Plant Tissue Culture | Totipotency Differentiation Redifferentiation Plant Physiology Plant Biotechnology Applied plant tissue culture
| Plant tissue culture is a specialisation that focuses on the several techniques that are used to maintain and grow plant tissues, cells, and organs under various conditions. The Students will be able to better understand how to develop newer, genetically-identical plants, such as tomatoes, apples, bananas, and others. |
Biophysics | Computational Biology Bioinformatics Crystallography Molecular and structural biology Pharmacology
| Biophysics is a combination of the concepts of Physics with biological processes to understand its impact. The field also includes research which sometimes overlaps with other specialised areas such as biochemistry, nanotechnology, molecular biology, biomechanics and others. |
While there is ample study material available on the internet and libraries, it is recommended to study a few specific books designed for the in-depth understanding of genetics study. Listed below are the most popular Genetic Engineering important books with their author names:
TitleBook | Author | Description |
---|---|---|
An Introduction to Genetic Engineering | Desmond S. T. Nicholl | The third edition of this book focuses on in-depth information about genetic engineering. Divided into 3 major parts, it focuses on delving deep into concepts such as molecular biology, gene manipulation and its general applications. |
Genetic Engineering | Michael Burgan | This book offers a deep understanding of the basic concepts related to Genetic Engineering along with the challenges in the industry. |
Concepts of Genetics | William S. Klug | This book provides a broad overview of the field of genetics. It also analyses the modern-day applications to make them crystal-clear for students. |
Transgenic Animal Technology: A Laboratory Handbook | Carl A. Pinkert | This book covers the technical elements of gene transfer for significant laboratory and domestic animal species. It also covers everything from molecular approaches to complete animal issues. |
Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry | Albert L. Lehninger | This book includes detailed explanations of complex concepts, effective problem-solving support, and insightful delivery of contemporary biochemistry's basic ideas. It also helps students overcome the challenges associated with biochemistry. |
Genetic Engineering is carried out as a distance course in various institutions. Though the teaching of the course might be different from the regular full-time classes, the course consists of similar subjects and syllabi. The eligibility criteria for this course include students having Physics, Mathematics, and English as compulsory subjects and optional subjects such as Chemistry, Biotechnology, Biology, or others.
The top colleges offering distance learning in Genetic Engineering are listed below:
These colleges take direct admissions or offer entrance exams and the syllabus is offered from basic to advanced levels for enriching students with new skills.
Yes, B Tech in Genetic Engineering is good. As technology is advancing, Genetic Engineering has also gained recognition in the world. Moreover, the job opportunities after completion of B Tech are immense. Graduates can work in numerous sectors such as research, agriculture, development, food industries, genetic research centres, pharmaceutical industries and various others.
For pursuing B Tech in Genetic Engineering, students have to appear for IITJEE. It includes JEE Main and JEE Advanced. To get into IIT, students have to clear JEE Advanced. While other institutes offer admissions based on JEE Main scores. The state-wise entrance exams such as WB JEE and UP State entrance exams are required to get into colleges in the respective states.
A Genetic Engineer needs to have collective skills including scientific, analytical, problem-solving, and mathematical skills. These skills will help students show exceptional results in the professional world. They also need to have designing and technical skills such as graphics or photo imaging skills, and software programmes along with others.
Genetics is the study of genes and heredity. Those willing to pursue a career in Genetic Engineering can pursue the programme at undergraduate, postgraduate, and diploma levels. Well, the highest degree in Genetics is the Doctoral degree. Aspirants can either go for the traditional Doctoral degree which is research-oriented while the other option is a PhD.
After completing the B Tech in Genetic Engineering in India, a typical student can earn between INR 2 and 7 LPA. However, with experience, students can climb to higher positions and earn a higher salary package. Moreover, with the growth of Genetic Engineering even the demand for Genetic Engineers has increased.
No, it’s not necessary to have a background in Biology for pursuing Genetic Engineering. The student who wants to pursue Genetic Engineering must have Maths or Biology as a core subject in their 12th grade. The Genetic Engineering field includes a significant blend of biology and technology in it, so having a previous foundation in the same will be beneficial.
Genetic Engineering has slowly taken a significant part in the world and many countries are renowned for this course. Some of the countries where students can pursue Genetic Engineering courses are the USA, Switzerland, Scotland, England, Canada, Sweden, Australia, Denmark, Singapore, France, Netherlands, Japan, Saudi Arabia and others.
A Genetic Engineer can work in both private and government sectors. The fast-emerging field offers a wide range of opportunities across various fields. After pursuing Genetic Engineering at any level graduates can work in research labs, the food industry, the agriculture sector, the biotechnology industry, forensic labs, the pharmaceutical sector, related universities, and others.
Genetic Engineering is a combination of theoretical and practical concepts. It includes a blend of both Biology and Technology subjects. Genetic Engineering is a growing field and it includes subjects such as Plant tissue culture, Molecular Biology, Biophysics, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Engineering Mathematics, Nano-biotechnology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Transgenic Technology, Stem Cell Technology, Immunology and others.
Genetic Engineering is not supported by some people because they think it’s morally wrong to be involved in such a programme. It is considered to be hindering the way God has gifted us. People also consider it harsh to play by manipulating genes in living organisms which may result in difficult situations for both humans and the environment.
Yes, as the Genetic Engineering field is growing rapidly and the demand for Genetic Engineers is also increasing. The field is also making its way towards different sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, medicine, and others. As this field is enhancing in the world, the salaries of the demanded Genetic Engineers will be highly competitive.
Both the degrees are good but according to study, a B Tech degree in Genetic Engineering is more preferred than a BSc degree. As the BSc only covers theoretical aspects of the domain whereas the B Tech degree offers equal importance to both practical and theoretical aspects of the field.
Yes, Genetic Engineering is good for a professional career. The field is growing at a good rate and is promising to bring better and more advanced results in the future. Those with a keen interest in understanding genes, DNA and other genetic terminologies are on the right pathway if pursuing Genetic Engineering.
Bharath University is good and it offers good placements. Bharath University is accredited by NAAC and is UGC recognized. The placement cell of the university is good and approximately 80 % of the students are placed. The average package of the University is 4.5 LPA. The University has also had the highest package of around 47 LPA.
The eligibility criteria for getting admission to M Tech in Genetic Engineering require students to have B.E or B. Tech in Genetic Engineering, Biotechnology, and either Industrial, Medical, Bioinformatics, Food Biotechnology, Biochemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, B. Pharm, MBBS, or MSc in any branch of Life Sciences or similar discipline and a minimum score of 50% aggregate.
Yes, SRM University offers M Tech in Genetic Engineering. The University is said to be the pioneer in offering this course in the world since 2008. The core curriculum and syllabus of the course were revised by the University in 2019 highlighting the latest and new developments in the research field of Genetic Engineering.
The placements offered in Genetic Engineering at SRM University start with an average salary of 4LPA. The high percentage of approx 7-10% of students have received placements in different firms. The students are offered different roles as Junior Scientists, Research Associates, and others. Moreover, students who pursued a master’s degree in Genetic Engineering are listed to receive admissions from everywhere across different streams.
Many colleges offer Genetic Engineering but the ones popular will uniquely enhance learners’ skills. The popular colleges for Genetic Engineering include SRM University, Shardha University, Bharath University, Lovely Professional University, Delhi University, Aryabhatta Knowledge University, and Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research among others.
Genetic Engineering has both advantages and disadvantages. It can be used as a powerful and significant tool for improving the quality of the food supply but it may also result in allergic reactions. With various benefits extracted from Genetic Engineering, there is a repetitive question about the human right to manipulate the law of nature.
Yes, Biology should be pursued as a major subject in 12th grade for being eligible for the B Tech in Genetic Engineering. Also in the core syllabus of Genetic Engineering, biology is present as a significant subject, so a prior basic understanding of the same will add to student’s knowledge.