How to Become a Botanist: Career Guide, Courses, After 12th, Jobs, Scope, Salary

What Does a Botanist do? 

The following are some of the most important job role of pomobilogist

• One of the most important duties of a Botanist is the development of new cultivation related to the plants that produce nuts, berries and fruits. .
• They are responsible for producing new and improved varieties of nuts and fruits. They must ensure that the newer breed of fruits are disease resistant and the overall yield also increases
• Botanists also study pruning and fertilization methods, in order to recognize those that keep the trees productive and healthy. And on the same line they also study about diseases, pests, infections, and change in weather conditions that may affect yields. Thus they are responsible for understanding the various environmental conditions that would be ideal for the production of the fruits.
• For a Botanist it is not actually required to take the produce to the supermarket but they are important in determining how to transport the harvested nuts and fruits. Usually they are responsible for developing special crates to transport the produce without spoilage or damage to the products.
• They also record and observe shelf storage and life conditions of the various fruits and berries and check on check what will keep the products stay fresh longest post-harvest.
• Botanists also study the growing condition of different nuts, trees and fruits, they also are pruning, transplanting crops and watering. And at the same time when they are studying, Botanists constantly look for new ways to grow more sustainable crops which have less of an impact on the environment.
• A Botanist has a great understanding of the chemical and physical properties of trees and fruits that bear it. A Botanist who has done specialization as a scientist in maturation, pollination and plant genetics makes newer varieties of fruits produce better yield.
• The importance of pomology in agriculture and horticulture can't be stressed enough. Without the study of pomology, there would be very little varieties of fruits. And the quality of fruits and nuts would not be as exquisite as it is now.
• Another job of the Botanist is to understand the various analysis of the soil and water to understand the ideal fruit with respect to the environmental condition

How to become a Botanist: Steps to Follow

The following are some of the steps that the candidates must follow in order to be a successful Botanist in India

Decision making

• The first thing that the candidates must make is the decision. The Candidates are required to understand what could be the consequences if they choose pomology as the career.
• They should make a SWOT analysis of their career as a Botanist. They should look at their strengths and weaknesses and weigh them with the opportunities and threat that the careers as Botanist will offer.
• Aspirants must also decide that they have to take up science in their 10+2 level which is a much tougher prospect than commerce or arts.

Subject Choice 

• In order to become a Botanist the candidates need to take up science as their stream in the 10+2 level. The candidates must have biology as their elective subject.
• In their graduation level the candidates are required to choose BSc Horticulture, BSc Botany or related subjects.
• Similarly at the PG level the candidates are required to carry on with the similar choice of subjects such as MSc Botany or MSc in Horticulture. One thing that must be kept in mind is that the candidates must have biology as their main subject at any level.

Entrance Exam 

• Many colleges and universities conduct entrance exams to choose students for admission in this course.
• The candidates need to start their preparation for the entrance examinations that are relevant for the pomology courses. The candidates can take up entrances at both the undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The most popular entrance exams for this course are HORICET, CGPAT, UPCATET, BHU PET, etc.
• The preparation of this entrance examination requires the candidates to focus on the fundamentals of the core subjects as well other auxiliary subjects.
• The candidates are required to study for the entrance examination by taking out the previous years papers that are available on the agency’s website.

Selection of correct colleges

• The candidates can make a list of some of the top institutes on national, state and city level and compare them. They can compare the universities/colleges on the basis of the ranking done by the different agencies, fee’s structure and the final placement records. It would really help them to understand which college would be more suitable for them.
• The candidates must also look for the various alumni of the colleges and try to get information about the various colleges’ faculties as well as research facilities.

After Passing the Course

• After passing a bachelor's degree program, an individual can resume her or his education without taking any break during their academic careers.
• Other than that he or she can begin working in the industry and gather some experience before starting their master level programs. The candidate needs to carefully select the proper specialization for the master level program. The popular courses are Msc Botany, MSc Horticulture, MSc Agriculture, etc
• In case the candidates decide to pursue work after the completion of their degree then the candidates must start for an entry level job that would be necessary for them to gain experience.
• The candidates should look for internships or any time or part time jobs after the completion of the course to avoid creating a gap in their resume.

Advancement of career 

The aspirants should look for opportunities to make advancement in their overall career

• The candidates should look to gather as much work experience as possible because it could help them become a senior Botanist where they can be in charge of research programmes or a team of Botanists.
• Career advancement opportunities can also be available to aspirants who have completed their PhD .The candidates who have completed doctoral degree can make a very strong case for lecturing positions at colleges and universities around the world.

Types of Botanist

The main jobs of the Botanist include curating and maintaining the proper growth of the fruit bearing plants. There are several career pathways in this field depending upon the strengths and interests of individuals and the firms which hire Botanists. The pay scale for each job profile is different from the other.

The following are some of the types of Botanist in India:

Agriculture Officer 

• An agriculture officer is responsible for confirmation that all farming activities and goods meet specific standards with local and state regulations.
• Agriculture Officers are well trained in biology, geology, geography, economics, genetics and chemistry, as well as other relevant subjects.
• Agricultural officers make sure the municipal and state laws are followed on all agricultural products and operations.
• The agricultural officers are responsible for the distribution of agricultural inputs like seed, planting material, fertilizers, bio-fertilizers, pesticides, implements etc.
• They are responsible for monitoring the quality of the farm inputs and the maintenance of water and natural resource management in the various agricultural fields.

Agriculture Inspector

• Agriculture inspectors take proper care of food production practices like planting, and cultivating to confirm that food passed on to the consumers is pure and hygienic and is safe for consumption
• Agricultural inspectors confirm that companies follow state and federal regulations governing the safety, consistency, Hygiene and protection of dairy products, fruits, vegetables and other products. They also ensure processing of the food plants conform to the existing standards.
• They are also responsible for writing the reports received from the reports received from the various laboratories and putting required recommendations for the changes that the farmers should make.

Farmer 

• A Botanist can become an entrepreneur by growing orchids and fruits or berries for selling in the market.
• A Botanist farmer uses modern farming techniques to grow better varieties of product that is free from diseases as well as high in nutrition value.
• The Botanist farmer is responsible for analysing the various natural resources as well as the soil so that the overall yield increases.

Fruit Scientist

• Fruit Scientists are experts, who apply their knowledge of skills to improve the production of the fruit crop.
• They are responsible for doing studies in the genetic structure of fruit crops and observing the changes that can be made on the genome of the plants for improved production.
• They also play a vital role in the treatment of crop and fruit disease by giving different solutions for the treatment.
• Most pomology scientists work in horticulture/agriculture universities and institutes. Like ICAR, laboratories and research centres.

Check Out: Career as a Scientist

Pomology Technician

• The Pomology technician is responsible for coordinating with the scientist and other higher authorities and carrying out their various instructions as well as the guidance provided to them.
• They are responsible for handling various tools, technologies that are needed for the maintenance of the plants as well as the overall quality of the farms.
• They play an important role in the scientific research related to fruits and assists the fruit scientist in their research.

How to become a Botanist in India?

Career as a Botanist is a niche career option in India. The candidates who want to become a Botanist in India should start with their preparation at the 10+2 level itself. The following are some of the preparatory steps that the candidates must take in order to be a successful Botanist in India

School level preparation

• The preparation to become a Botanist should start from the school level itself. The individual should take up the Science stream after the completion of the 10th. The candidates should have Biology if they want to pursue career as a Botanists
• The aspirants should start preparing for the entrance examination needed to take admission in the various colleges at the undergraduate level.
• The candidates are required to follow the syllabus for the different entrance examinations and check with the different patterns that are followed by the universities.
• It would also be advisable that the candidates should read various magazines related to Pomology and other courses related to it to gain a deeper understanding of the course.

How to become a Botanist after 12th?

After completing their 12th or equivalent examination the candidates can take up many courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate level. The following are some of the preparatory steps that the candidates can take in the UG and PG level

Undergraduate Level Preparation 

Some of the preparations that the candidates may take during their graduation degree are mentioned below:

• It is highly necessary that the candidates must obtain an overall score of 65% or more in their undergraduate level.
• Internships during undergraduation are a good idea to look for to get higher chances of getting selected during placement drive.
• During the final year of the course the candidates can prepare to sit for entrance examinations pertaining to PG Courses such as MSc in Horticulture, MSc in Agriculture MSc Botany and many more..

Postgraduate Level preparation

After the competition of the UG courses the candidates can enroll in post graduate courses. Some of the companies prefer candidates with postgraduate qualifications. The candidates can use the post graduation courses for better job prospects.

Here are some of the preparatory steps

• The candidates should try to maintain at Least 55% or more marks so that they have better scope in research or job prospects..
• The candidates should try to avail internships at different companies so that they can gather experience before they start with their work life.
• Candidates who wish to go into the field of research can take up a PhD course and start preparing for the entrance examination like UGC NET, JRF and many more.
• During post graduation one can prepare for the PhD entrance exam and solve previous year mock tests to get an idea about the pattern of exam paper.

Courses to become a Botanist 

In India many courses are available for the candidates at the undergraduate, post graduate, diploma, and doctorate level to the aspirants who want to become a Botanist. It is advisable for the candidates to go for proper full time degree courses

Candidates can pursue any of the following courses to become a Botanist in India

B.Sc. Horticulture

Bachelor of Science in Horticulture Science, also known as BSc Horticulture, is a 3 to 4 years undergraduate degree course that trains the candidates with the science of breeding various fruits, vegetables, berries, nuts and Orchids. The candidates are trained in both traditional as well as unconventional methods.

The following are some of the important points that the candidates must keep in mind about the B.Sc in Horticulture course

• The candidates who have completed their 10+2 Level or equivalent examination with Physics, chemistry and Biology should take up the BSc in Horticulture. The candidates need to score 50% or more.
• Some job options after the completion of the course are Plant Breeders, Gardeners, Agricultural Researchers, Horticulturist, Botanist, among others.

BSc Horticulture Course Highlights 

MSc Horticulture

MSc Horticulture is a 2-year postgraduate course which involves the study of plant harvesting including Storage, Breeding, Shortage of Vegetables and Fruits. This course teaches the candidates in the areas of perennial and seasonal crops (that includes fruit and Nuts). They also taught concepts pertaining to techniques such as eco-friendly harvesting and production techniques.

The following are some of the important points that the candidates must keep in mind before applying to MSc Horticulture Courses

• The candidates should have passed their graduation in Botany, agriculture or horticulture or any other relevant degree courses from a recognized university with a minimum score of 50%.
• The job positions after the completion of the course are Scientist in Research Facilities, Horticulturist, Floriculturist,Botanists, Food Processing Units, Food Processing Plant etc.

MSc in Horticulture Course Highlights 

Important Links

BSc Botany

Bachelor of Science in Botany is an undergraduate degree course of 3 years. Pursuing this stream allows the aspirants to get knowledge in the field of agriculture, Plant and Plant Physiology. The aspirants get hands-on experience about the basic cell structure, metabolism and plants and the various environmental conditions and diseases.

The Following are some of the important points that the candidates must keep in mind for the BSc Botany Course:

• The candidates who have completed their higher secondary education or equivalent examination in Biology, Physics, Chemistry can choose BSc Botany. Candidates must have 50% or more in their 12th exam.
• Top Job Positions are Plant Pathologist, Botanist, Conservationist, Ecologist, Botanist, Ethnobotanist, Forester, Ecologist, Farming Consultant, Horticulturist, etc.

BSc Botany Highlight 

Important Links:

What is the Application Process

The admission process for the different courses pertaining to the career as a Botanist are done in the basis of merit list or entrance examination

In the following section we will discuss the admission process in detail

• The candidates are required to visit the college or university website and check out the eligibility criteria required for the courses pertaining to the different colleges.
• In this step the candidates are required to find out about the entrance examination that is accepted by the college. And in the case of merit based admission, the candidates should try to know about the previous years cutoff.
• The candidates are then required to register themselves either with a particular college or the authorities that conduct the entrance examination.
• The candidates are required to have an active email ID as well as mobile phone number so that they can create a login ID.
• The candidates are required to keep the login ID for future reference.
• After creating the login ID the candidates are required to fill up the application forms with exact details and upload the necessary documents.
• After the completion of the form fillup the candidates are required to make the payments and take opu the receipt of the documents for future use.
• In case of admission through the entrance exam the candidates are required to take out the admit card and sit for the entrance examination.
• In case of merit list, the college would publish the list of qualified candidates, the candidates are then required to confirm the admission by paying the admission fee for the first year or semester.

Preparation For the Entrance Examination 

The candidates are required to take the following steps in the case of preparation of the entrance examination

• Make a timetable for The entrance exam and follow it strictly. Cover every topic in each subject and assign them a particular slot in the timetable. This will ensure that the entire syllabus is covered at least once
• The candidates need to find out about the weightage of various sections and start preparing accordingly.
• Candidates are suggested to read the newspaper daily to attain good marks in the current affair section. Candidates are suggested to recollect national prize winners of current and former years.
• Practice, practice, practice. Take mocks and try to solve as many sample papers as possible.
• Allocate more time to the harder topics. If necessary take up tuitions or coaching for the comparatively tougher subjects, Or one can look for tricks in solving the various problems in online youtube videos.
• Try to complete the preparation at least one week before the final examination and keep the last week entirely for revision.

How to become a Botanist abroad?

Candidates often prefer to study abroad to become Botanists. The reason behind this is foreign countries provide better infrastructure opportunities, research facilities and chances of better placements. However the cost of studying abroad is quite high. Candidates often need to get hold of scholarships to study abroad.

Also the candidates are required to give english proficiency tests such as IELTS and TOEFL. Some colleges ask the candidates to produce their bank statements as proof of their financial capabilities and proof of the work experience if any.

There are various bachelor, masters and doctoral degree courses proposed by many international universities and colleges. Admission process and other details of these universities and colleges of UK,USA, Canada and Australia are given below-

USA 

Candidates who want to study in the USA should keep the following things in mind before applying to the courses relevant to the career as a Botanist

• If a candidate is interested in taking the admission in bachelor degree programs, the candidates should pass at least the 12th or equivalent exam with approx. 80 % marks. Most of the Bachelor Courses in the USA are of 4 year. However in some institutes the courses can be for 3 years.
• For admission to the undergraduate program the candidates are required to have mathematics, biology, physics and chemistry in their 12th or equivalent level. Also some of the colleges require the candidates to have in-depth knowledge of calculus.
• For the PG course, the duration is 1 to 2 years. Candidates must clear their graduation in the relevant stream. The candidates are required to score at least 65-70% in their undergraduate programs. However, to get admission in the top level universities the candidate needs to score over 85-90%.
• All the aspiring candidates must clear the English proficiency examination with minimum score of TOEFL IBT (79 OVERALL), IELTS (6.0 TO 6.5 overall).

Top colleges 

UK

Candidates who wish to study in the UK should keep the following things in mind before taking admission in the top colleges

• In case of admission to the Undergraduate level, the candidates must pass class 12th and equivalent examination with at least a minimum score of 65-70%. In some cases, the average score is up to 80%. Some of the colleges and Universities should require the candidates to have an International Baccalaureate diploma.
• In case of admission to the PG Level , the candidates must clear their graduation from a recognised university with a 2:1 or 2:2 level score. 2:1 score means 60% or above score.
• The candidates are required to have graduation in the relevant stream such as Botany, Plant Science or Horticulture, etc.
• Most colleges accept both IELTS and TOEFL as proof of an English proficiency. Generally the university asks for the clearing score of IELTS (minimum 6.0) & TOEFL (minimum 83 to 87).

Top colleges

Canada

Candidates who wish to study in Canada should keep the following things in mind before applying to the courses related to Pomology in the canadian universities.

• Candidates opting for the Undergraduate programs should have completed their 12th or equivalent level course from a recognised board or institution, Candidates with international Baccalaureate diploma are eligible to apply.The candidates must have a minimum score of 70% in their 12th.
• For admission to the Postgraduate level courses the candidates are required to pass their undergraduate programs in relevant streams such as agriculture, botany, horticulture, etc from a recognised university. The cutoff scores are generally declared by the colleges. But most of the colleges prefer candidates with an aggregate score of more than 70%.
• In all cases the candidates need to submit their english proficiency tests such as IELTS, TOEFL or PTE. In case of IELTS the minimum score required is 6.5 and in the case of TOEFL the minimum score required is 75-80.

Top colleges 

Australia 

Candidates who wish to study in Australia should try to keep the following things in mind before taking admission in Australian universities.

• For the undergraduate programs, candidates must complete their 12th or equivalent examination from a recognised board with a minimum aggregate marks of 67.5% or more. For state boards, the minimum criteria of percentage is 77.5%. The duration of UG level is 3 to 4 years.
• For the Postgraduate level Program , candidates must complete their UG programs in agriculture, horticulture or relevant streams. In case of M.Sc. horticulture course, bachelor's degree in agriculture science, animal, biology, zoology, plant science, etc. is required. The duration of PG level is 2 to 3 years.
• Candidate must clear the English proficiency Entrance exam (eg. TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) IELTS: overall score must be 6.5 and minimum 6.0. TOEFL: (internet based) candidate must score overall 87..

Top colleges

Benefits of career as Botanist

The career as a Botanist is quite niche in India. It allows them to work in the agriculture field that helps them to sustain the food security of the country.

Let us understand the benefits of careers as a Botanist

Positive impact of career

A career in pomology can have a positive impact on the individual because they are responsible for the growth of fruits at an affordable rate for the population. Thus feeding nutritious food to a billion plus hungry population creates a positive impact on individuals. Also they have the opportunity to carry on with research providing them further growth opportunities in the future.

Unique experience

Botanists travel from place to place to conduct research. This creates a unique experience for the Botanists as they get chances to meet people from various departments and skill sets that allows them to gather information that would only help them to improve their research.

High Salary

A Botanist in India can earn around INR 2,00,000 per annum in the very beginning to INR 6,00,000 per annum as the senior, and beyond. The top recruiting companies offer a good package to the candidates who are looking for opportunities after the completion of their degrees.. They pay 10 Lakhs per annum for higher level positions like fruit scientist, pomology technician, etc.

Job Security

As farming and agriculture is an important driving factor for India's economy, Botanists in the future will always have a huge potential of growth.The overall demand of the Botanist is expected to grow by 7% per annum. Since the career option in the agriculture sector is growing (opportunity in newer fields such as sericulture, agronomy, horticulture), the candidates would have better job security. Also they can work with the big corporate houses such as ITC (e Choupal), Godrej Agro, etc, who are known to provide job security to their employees.

Frequent Travelling

People who select a career as a Botanist have to travel to the farm site because the work required travelling based on the different location of the farms

Flexible Work Schedule

Botanists work both full time and part time jobs. The work schedule of the Botanist varies according to the seasonality of the crops. Thus the duty of the Botanist varies. The Botanist can take up their work schedule according to the requirements of the types of plant they are working with.

Skills required to be a Botanist

Some of the prerequisite skills for being a Botanist have been discussed in this section.

• Communication skill: It is highly important for a Botanist to communicate efficiently and effectively. The Botanists are required to handle people from different departments . The Botanists are required to display effective communication skills as they have to interact with the local farmers, to communicate the effective methods of cultivation and ways to control pests.
• Active learning: The Botanist would have to display active learning because they work in a field where the benchmark is set frequently and it requires them to come up with innovations that allows them to mitigate risk of reduced production of fruits and losses.
• Science skills: The candidates need to have strong analytical skills that allow them to understand the requirements of each and every plant. By science skills we mean that the candidates should be well versed with the theoretical aspects of plant genetics that forms the basis of most research.

Apart from these the candidates needs to show other skills such as:

Top Recruiting Companies/ Agencies/ Organizations 

The following are some of the top companies that hire Botanists in India:

• ICAR- Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
• IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Limited
• Rajasthan Subordinate and Ministerial Services Selection (RSMSSB)

Employment Sector/Industry for Botanist 

Here are the list of sectors or type of organisations where Botanist can be hired:

• Agricultural Organizations
• Greenhouse
• Laboratories
• Research Institutes
• Colleges and Universities
• Vineyard
• Orchards

Botanist Salary in India

The salary of Botanist in India has been described according to their experience, gender and Specialisation

Experience Wise salary

Specialisation wise 

Gender wise salary

After becoming Botanist

Candidates after becoming Botanists can either pursue jobs or go for further studies.

Start Jobs 

Candidates often start their work life immediately after the completion of their academic career. They can either start with internship programs in top companies or look for full time jobs. Getting full time jobs might be a tougher proposition, so the candidates should look for part time job profiles so that they can put their experience in their CVs. Also the candidates can start preparing for various government examination after the conclusion of their academic career

Higher Studies

Also there is always the option for higher education. Candidates who have completed their Bsc Program can always go for the relevant MSc program. Similarly Candidates who have completed their masters can opt for research courses such as PhD and MPhil. Several candidates opt to study abroad as they provide them with better learning opportunities as well as employment options.