Ph.D. in Botany is 3-year doctorate degree in Botany. Botany is a branch of biological science that focuses on the study of plants and how they survive and interact with other living and nonliving components of the environment. At undergraduate and graduate levels, the curriculum of the course typically consists of lecture-based lessons, lab sessions, and field research. Doctoral programs however, focus more on research.
Eligible candidates aspiring to pursue the course need to have attained a Master’s degree in the relevant discipline with a minimum aggregate score of 55% (50% for SC/ST/PH candidates) or an equivalent grade from a recognized university/institute of higher learning, besides a 5-year teaching/ industry/ administrative/ professional experience at a senior level.
Such postgraduates are hired in capacities such as Mycologist, Administrator, Ecologist, Fruit Grower, Plant Biochemist, Forester, Researcher, etc.
The average tuition fee charged for the course in India ranges between INR 2,000 and 8 Lacs for a span of 3 years. Such professionals in India are offered an average annual salary ranging between INR 15,000 and 80,000, with the pay scale varying across private and government sectors, and depending on factors such as the candidate’s qualification, designation, experience and skillset.
Ph.D. in Botany: Course Highlights
Listed below are some of the major highlights of the course.
| Course Level | Doctorate |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Examination Type | Semester System |
| Eligibility | Post Graduation |
| Admission Process | Based on short-listed candidates’ performance in the round of interview. |
| Course Fee | INR 2,000 to 8 Lacs |
| Average Starting Salary | INR 1.5 to 6 lacs per annum |
| Top Recruiting Companies | Biotechnology Firms, Seed And Nursery Companies, Plant Resources Laboratory, Educational Institutions, Plant Health, Inspection Services, Oil Industry, Arboretum, Forest Services, Land Management Agencies, National Parks, Chemical Industry, Food Companies, Biological Supply Houses, etc. |
| Job Positions | Mycologist, Administrators, Ecologist, Fruit Growers, Plant Biochemist, Forester, Researchers, and such. |
Ph.D. in Botany: What is it about?
The discipline’s coursework primarily allows students to conduct independent research. Doctorate scholars may also enroll to graduate-level courses focused on more advanced concepts in Botany. The course’s curriculum typically covers the following components of study:
- Foundations of medicine
- Biomedical research
- Nomenclature
- Biological conservation
The course is designed for scholars interested in studying on an advanced level about animal behavior, evolutionary trends, species, characteristics, and the structure, functioning, behavior, and evolution of animals, including living beings.
Popular areas of employment for such scholars would include biotechnology firms, seed and nursery companies, plant resource laboratories, educational institutions, plant health inspection services, oil industry, arboretum, forest services, land management agencies, national parks, chemical industry, food companies, biological supply houses, etc.
They may also choose to work as teachers/ lecturers in schools and colleges, often upon qualifying the NET.
Ph.D. in Botany: Who should opt?
Ideal candidates for the course would possess:
- data-handling skills such as recording, collating, and analyzing data using appropriate techniques and equipment.
- written communication skills
- presentation and oral communication skills such as to present research findings and make presentations in a clear, succinct way.
- project management skills, such as organizing and undertaking research projects, experiments, etc. (including budgeting, contingency planning, and time management).
- good understanding of information technology
- ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
Top Institutes offering Ph.D. in Botany
Listed below are some of the top institutes in India that offer the course.
Eligibility for Ph.D. in Botany
As a minimum criterion of eligibility, aspiring candidates need to meet the following minimum eligibility criteria:
- Postgraduate degree in a relevant discipline, completed from a recognized institute/university.
- A minimum aggregate score of 55% (50 % for SC/ST candidates) or equivalent grade at the level of post-graduation.
- At least 5 years of teaching/ industry/ administrative/ professional experience at a senior level.
Ph.D. in Botany: Admission Process
Admission to the course in India is made on the basis of the candidate’s performance in a relevant written test and/or a round of Personal Interview and/or performance in a relevant qualifying examination. Candidates are shortlisted based on both academic record and performance in a relevant nation-wide screening test, such as:
-
CSIR NET- which is conducted twice a year. Qualifying candidates can apply for government-funded scholarship to pursue the course.
- DBT- which is a national-level entrance examination conducted for supporting shortlisted candidates in pursuing advanced research work in the discipline.
- UGC NET- also conducted for supporting shortlisted candidates in pursuing advanced research work in the discipline.
Latest Ph.D. (Botany) Admission Alert
- IIT Madras Course Admissions 2024 (Open): Selection Criteria, Dates, Eligibility, Cutoff
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Ph.D. in Botany: Syllabus and Course Description
A semester-wise breakup of the course’s syllabus is tabulated here.
Semester I |
Semester II |
| Research Methodology | Taxonomy, Biodiversity & Conservation |
| Research Proposal | Recent advances in Ecology |
| Recent advances in Plant Physiology | Trends in Biotechnology |
| Recent advances in Mycology and Plant Pathology | - |
Ph.D. in Botany: Career Prospects
For successful Botanies, careers opportunities abound in the discipline, in capacities such as Soil and Plant Scientist, Biophysicist and Biochemist, Biological Technician, Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Mycologist, Plant Breeder, and Horticulturist.
Botany involves observation and also management of fossils, living plants, and their relationship with nature. Specializations in the discipline include Taxonomy, Physiology, and anatomy of plants and their life processes.
Some of the popular professional avenues open to such postgraduates are listed below with the corresponding job descriptions and salaries offered for the respective positions.
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| Job Position | Job Description | Average Annual Pay Scale in INR |
| Taxonomist | Taxonomists research about, and sub-divide types of plants into classifications, subsequent to observing their species and grouping them based on similitudes. | 4,80,000 |
| Agronomist | Agronomist are soil and plant researchers who work to enhance the yield of field crops like grain and cotton. They develop techniques that help farmers in creating more yield and avoiding harvest-failures. | 6,45,000 |
| Ecologist | Ecologists observe and research on plants’ relationship and behavior with the soil and with other living beings. They research on the biological categories of plants with the objective of explaining their life phenomena. | 6,70,000 |
| Mycologist | Customarily, Mycologists consider growth patterns and how harming living beings harms vegetation. Mycologists are a kind of Microbiologists that observe and analyze microscopic organisms and green growth in relation to microorganisms. | 6,60,000 |
| Plant Breeder | Plant Breeders apply customary hybridizing and crossbreeding methods, instead of hereditary building, to enhance plants for human use, with focus on nature’s conservation. Plant Breeders are a type of Plant Geneticists, and Geneticists work directly in the science of plant genomes. | 5,50,000 |
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