Ph.D. in Plant Sciences Course, Eligibility, Syllabus, Career, Admission 2023

PhD Plant Sciences is a Doctorate Plant Science that deals with the study of plants by gaining the knowledge about plant morphology, biogeography, classification, histology, physiology, and plant pathology. The subjects taught in this discipline are genetic engineering, insect physiology etc.

Few Colleges grant admission to the students completely on the basis of the entrance test which is followed by a round of personal interview. Candidates must have passed a Master’s degree in relevant discipline pursued from a recognized university to be eligible for PhD Plant Sciences.

Below given is a list of PhD Planet Science Colleges in India.

College	City	Fee Structure	Average Salary Package
Central University of Punjab	Bathinda	INR 16,795	INR 3.5 Lakhs
University of Hyderabad	Hyderabad	INR 11,210	INR 5 Lakhs
Central University of Kerala	Kerala	INR 34,640	INR 5.5 Lakhs
Madurai Kamaraj University	Madurai	INR 113,650	INR 2.16 Lakhs
Manipal Academy of Higher Education	Manipal	INR 19,667	INR 6 Lakhs

PhD Plant Science fees differ from university to university. The average course fee for PhD in Plant Sciences courses ranges from INR 8,000- INR 15,000 annually.

The job opportunities in this field of plant science depend on the basis of academic and technical skills of the post graduates. The PhD in Plant Sciences course post graduates can work as a Lecturer, Professor, Researcher, Agronomist, Agricultural Consultant, Soil Scientist, Botanist, Food Scientist, Agriculture Manager etc. and they get hired in the areas such as Colleges and Institutes, Research Labs and organizations etc.

The salary of a PhD in Physiology degree holder will differ with field and position. The average salary for PhD in Physiology will range between INR 4 Lakhs to 8 Lakhs.

Checkout: Top PhD in Plant Sciences Colleges in India

What is the PhD in Plant Sciences Admission Process?

Most colleges and institutes offering PhD in Plant Sciences courses admit students based on the entrance examinations to judge a candidate’s capability. The following are the major pathways through which PhD in Plant Sciences admissions takes place:

Candidates who are applying for the PhD in Plant Sciences program should beforehand have their results from the respective Entrance Exams required by the selected/opted Universities.
Applications for admissions can be availed either from the university/college website or by visiting the admissions office of the same.
Candidates will have to fill out the required details in the application form with the documents required.
Candidates are advised to have a look at the list of Entrance Exams applicable for PhD in Plant Sciences for various Universities.
After clearing the entrance exam the aspirants need to appear for the personal interview round.
Candidates should also make sure they qualify in the PhD in Plant Sciences criteria with the minimum required marks.

What is the PhD in Plant Sciences Eligibility Criteria?

The common PhD in Plant Sciences eligibility criteria to be successfully admitted into a college offering this course is as follows:

Candidates must hold a master’s degree in a relevant field or in an equivalent subject from a recognized university.
Candidates should have at least 50% marks in aggregate in their master’s degree.
Candidates should clear the common entrance exam conducted by the university/ college for the course.

How to Prepare for a PhD in Plant Sciences Entrance Exams?

Students who are applying for a PhD in Plant Sciences need to prepare for the entrance exam. The subjects that need to focus on are: chemistry, physics, biology, current affairs, etc. Here are a few familiar preparation tips candidates should follow to clear the exams of PhD in Plant Sciences course:

Make a plan: Make a course plan that can help you in planning according to the study of the work which enables you to keep both balanced.
Connect to the fellow students: Start connecting with those peers who can help you to reduce stress at the time of entrance.
Interact with professors: The interaction with the professors can bring a new insight into the subjects of the course you want to pursue.
Practice a lot: Programming and developing a lot of practice and hard work to put into to expand the horizon of the applications learning.
Look on to Journals: Since this degree program involves a lot of research-based studies, the candidates can subscribe to weekly journals to keep updated in the fields.

ALERT: Checkout the PhD Admission Process

How to Get Admission in a Good PhD in Plant Sciences College?

If you wish to get admitted to a top-notch PhD in Business Economics College or university in India, then you really need to work very hard. Given below are some of the important guidelines that you must follow to get admitted to one of the top colleges or universities of the country.

Prepare well for the entrance examination.
Start preparing for the entrance examination at least a year before the exact date of the examination. This will definitely increase your chances of performing well in the entrance examination of PhD Plant Sciences and will also increase your confidence level.
There are a number of colleges and universities in India which conduct an interview after the entrance examination. So, you must be prepared for the interview round as well.
You must also find out whether the college/university where you wish to get admitted to is good enough for you or not. Check out the course curriculum offered by the college/university. Also, you should get to know about the type of faculties employed by the institution.
Get a complete idea about the placement scenario of that particular college or university. This is a very important factor in determining whether your college/ university is up to the mark or not.

PhD in Plant Sciences: What is it about?

PhD Plant Science program provides wide training in plant science through the elective and core coursework and in-depth research training opportunities in molecular, genetic, cellular, physiological and genomic, aspects of plants, including the model of crops, organisms, and wild relatives.
Core coursework is small and it has cross-training in plant microbiology, to make sure a solid foundation in most of the plant biotic interactions.
The main objective of PhD training is to develop both practical and deep theoretical understanding through research into aspects of Plant Sciences, augmented by right lecture courses delivered in the Department, or generally in the Postgraduate School of Life Sciences.
PhD in Plant Sciences is designed in a way that it equips the student with the aspects related to plants such as plant biotechnology, plant production, plant protection, etc.
The primary aim of PhD in Plant Sciences courses is to make well trained plant scientists that together work for the sustainable management of agro-ecosystems.
The course is a combination of research as well as theory and the candidates have to present a theory at the end of their academic curriculum.
Its aim is producing quality scientists who have the full knowledge about the domain and can address the problems in this field through an interdisciplinary approach to arrive at the best possible solutions.

PhD in Plant Sciences: Highlights

The major highlights of the PhD in Plant Sciences course are provided in the table given below:

Course	PhD in Plant Sciences
Level	Doctorate
Examination Type	Semester wise
Duration	3 years
Eligibility	Masters degree
Admission Process	Entrance test followed by interview
Average tuition fee	INR 8,000- INR 15,000 annually
Job Positions	Lecturer, Professor, Researcher, Agronomist, Agricultural Consultant, Soil Scientist, Botanist, Food Scientist, Agriculture Manager, and more.
Top recruiting areas	Colleges and Institutes, Research Labs and organizations etc.
Average salary	INR 3.5 Lakhs to 4.5 Lakhs

Why Study for a PhD in Plant Sciences course?

Some of the popular reasons why PhD in Plant Sciences must be pursued are as follows:

PhD in Plant Sciences helps you in investigating the many wonders of plants and prepares you to become a leader in the field of plant science.
Students in Plant Science will also develop modern skills through taking additional relevant papers, such as bioinformatics (computational analysis of protein sequence and nucleic acid), which assists in understanding biodiversity and enables input into bio-conservation issues.
It is beneficial to provide training in transferable skills, such as project planning, critical thinking, data analysis, and spoken and written communication, which is useful in whatever career direction you choose.
Graduates can find employment in plant-based industries, technical work, primary and secondary teaching, media, and the business.
Other possible careers include science administration, management, and science policy.

Readmore: Top Ranked PhD Colleges in India

PhD in Plant Sciences vs. PhD in Botany: Which is Better?

PhD in Plant Sciences and PhD in Botany may seem a bit similar, but there is some difference between them. Here we have discussed the major points of difference in these two courses:

Course	PhD in Plant Sciences	PhD in Botany
Level	Doctorate	Doctorate
Duration	3 years	3 years
Overview	PhD in Plant Sciences is a program that is designed in such a way that it equips the student with the aspects related to plants such as plant production, plant protection, plant biotechnology etc.	The course is designed for the scholars who are interested in studying on an advanced level about animal behaviour, evolutionary trends, species, characteristics, and the structure, functioning, behaviour, and evolution of animals, including living beings.
Eligibility	Masters degree	Post graduation
Admission Process	Entrance test followed by interview	Entrance test/ Written test/ Personal interview
Average tuition fee	INR 8,000- INR 15,000 annually	INR 2,000 to 8 Lakhs
Job Positions	Lecturer, Professor, Researcher, Agronomist, Agricultural Consultant, Soil Scientist, Botanist, Food Scientist, Agriculture Manager, and more.	Mycologist, Administrators, Ecologist, Fruit Growers, Plant Biochemist, Forester, Researchers, and more.
Top Recruiting Areas	Colleges and Institutes, Research Labs and organizations etc.	Biotechnology Firms, Seed And Nursery Companies, Plant Resources Laboratory, Educational Institutions, Plant Health, Inspection Services, etc.
Average salary	INR 3.5 Lakhs to 4.5 Lakhs	INR 1.5 to 6 Lakhs per annum

What are the Top PhD in Plant Sciences Colleges?

The table below gives a list of top colleges and universities in India, where one can take admission for PhD in Plant Sciences course. Find the details related to fees, admission process, location and average annual salary package offered by these colleges and universities.

College	City	Fee Structure	Average Salary Package
Central University of Punjab	Bathinda	INR 16,795	INR 3.5 Lakhs
University of Hyderabad	Hyderabad	INR 11,210	INR 5 Lakhs
Central University of Kerala	Kerala	INR 34,640	INR 5.5 Lakhs
Madurai Kamaraj University	Madurai	INR 113,650	INR 2.16 Lakhs
Manipal Academy of Higher Education	Manipal	INR 19,667	INR 6 Lakhs
Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University	Bareilly	INR 7,500	INR 4 Lakhs
Navrachana University	Vadodara	INR 90,000	INR 4.2 Lakhs

PhD in Plant Sciences: College Comparison

The given table shows the comparison made among the three top PhD in Plant Sciences colleges and universities in India.

Parameter	Central University of Punjab	University of Hyderabad	Madurai Kamaraj University
Overview	The Central University of Punjab offers various courses at the PG and PhD levels in various disciplines. The Central University of Punjab has a library, an auditorium and hostels for boys and girls.	University of Hyderabad is one of the Premier institutes in South India for Postgraduate Degrees. The University of Hyderabad has been Accredited by NAAC 'A' Grade. It is also approved by UGC and AICTE.	Madurai Kamaraj University is a UGC approved State University which was established in the year 1966. The University has been accredited Grade 'A' by National Assessment and Accreditation Council [NAAC] in the year 2015.
NIRF 2021 ranking	101	15	84
Location	Bathinda, Punjab	Hyderabad, Telangana	Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Admission process	Entrance based	Written test followed by interview	Entrance based
Average annual fees	INR 16,795	INR 11,210	INR 113,650
Average annual package	INR 113,650	INR 5 Lakhs	INR 2.16 Lakhs
Top recruiters	No placements	Freescale, IBM, oracle, Qualcomm India Pvt. Ltd., Google, HSBC, Microsoft, TCS, Works Applications, Honeywell etc.	IBM, TCS, IBM, Wipro, ICICI Bank, Cognizant, Nest Technologies etc.

What is the PhD in Plant Sciences Syllabus?

The PhD in Plant Sciences course curriculum may vary from college to college. The table below shows common subjects that are included in the PhD in Plant Sciences degree program's syllabus and subjects included in it:

Subjects of Study
Research Methodology in Biological Sciences
Frontiers and Techniques in Plant Biology
Plant Growth analysis and Nutrition
Insect Physiology
Biotic and Abiotic Stress Resistance
Plant Biochemistry
Genetic Engineering
Environmental Plant Physiology
Plant Virology

What are PhD in Plant Sciences Books?

Tabulated below is some of the PhD in Plant Sciences subject books that can help students to have a broader and better understanding of the course. Students of PhD in Plant Sciences courses must refer to other books along with their textbooks. They are:

Name of the Book	Author
Plant pathology-	Alice
Plant Science JRF	Elangovan
Objective Genetics and plant breeding	Phundan Singh
Principles of plant breeding	BD Singh
Seed technology	P.K Agarwal

What is the PhD in Plant Sciences Job Prospects?

There are many job opportunities for PhD in Plant Sciences post graduates. The students become eligible enough to get job opportunities in various private and public sectors in relevant sectors.

The graduates of PhD in Plant Sciences can find jobs in the areas like Lecturer, Professor, Researcher, Agronomist, Agricultural Consultant, Soil Scientist, Botanist, Food Scientist, Agriculture Manager, and more. The salary of the post graduates depends on various factors including experience, skills and job profile.

Some of the popular jobs available to a PhD in Plant Sciences graduate along with the corresponding salaries are provided in the table given below:

Job Position	Description	Average Annual Salary
Plant Care Specialist	The plant care specialists largely spent outdoors hauling sod and fertilizer as well as digging for new plantings or performing maintenance for the existing.	INR 3.78 Lakhs
Agriculture Manager	Agriculture managers are responsible for developing the long and short-term budget goals for the farm, formulating policies and best practices procedures for the efficient and safe farming procedures.	INR 6 Lakhs
Professor	A professor is responsible for imparting the knowledge about morphological and anatomical complexities of plants in the young students	INR 4 Lakhs
Agronomist	Agronomists prepare and manage the plans for crop improvement and enhanced production.	INR 6.43 Lakhs
Researcher	A researcher perform detailed research in their assigned field, analyze the gathered data, and present your findings	4.50 Lakhs

What is the PhD in Plant Sciences Future Scope?

The scope of PhD in Plant Sciences is very wide and after pursuing PhD in Plant Sciences course, candidates can get so many best opportunities in many fields anywhere in the world. The scopes after this course are:

Several different career paths are available for the plant scientists and if someone interested in the outdoors can get a career as a field botanist, forester or ecologist.
There are career opportunities in teaching as well, both at the high school and college levels to work as a teacher and professors.
For anyone who is interested in maintaining plants, a career in a nursery, herbarium, nature preserve or botanical garden is a good option.
The Geological Survey employs plant scientists. There are also so many private companies available such as paper and lumber processing plants, breweries, nurseries and consultants who hire plant scientists for fieldwork, restoration or for conservation work.
The Nature Conservancy is a non-profit organization that works specifically with the preserving and managing land areas.

PhD in Plant Sciences: FAQs

Ques. What is Plant Science?

Ans. The plant sciences deal with the study of plants by gaining knowledge of plant morphology, biogeography, classification, histology, physiology, and plant pathology.

Ques. What are some of the subjects taught in PhD in Plant Sciences degree programs?

Ans. The subjects taught under this degree are genetic engineering, plant biochemistry, plant virology, insect physiology etc.

Ques. What is the duration of PhD in Plant Sciences?

Ans. The duration of PhD in Plant Sciences degree program is 3 years.

Ques. What is the qualification criterion for PhD in Plant Sciences?

Ans. The eligibility criteria for PhD Physiology degree program is holding a master's degree in relevant subject or equivalent with at least 60% marks in aggregate.

Ques. What are the best jobs after PhD in Plant Sciences jobs?

Ans. After the completion of a PhD Plant Sciences course, you may get entry-level jobs in various sectors. Some of the popular job profiles include Lecturer, Professor, Researcher, Agronomist, Agricultural Consultant, Soil Scientist, Botanist, Food Scientist, Agriculture Manager, and more.

Ques. What is the average salary after completion of PhD in Plant Sciences?

Ans. The average salary is anything between INR 3.5 Lakhs to 4.5 Lakhs per annum.

Ques. Which is the best university in India for a PhD in Plant Sciences?

Ans. If you wish to study PhD Physiology in India, then you can choose universities and colleges such as Central University of Punjab, University of Hyderabad, Central University of Kerala, Madurai Kamaraj University etc.

Ques. What is the average annual fee for a PhD in Plant Sciences course?

Ans. The average fee charged by PhD Physiology colleges range between INR 2,000 to 5 Lakhs Per Annum. It can be higher in the case of private colleges ranging from INR 8,000 to 15,000 per annum.

Ques. Is there any delay in the admissions of PhD in Plant Sciences due to the outbreak of COVID 19?

Ans. Yes colleges have extended their admission for the course till further update, due to the spread of Covid 19.

Ques. How can I crack the entrance exam to take admission in a PhD in Plant Sciences degree course?

Ans. You have to upgrade observation & visualization; you should improve your speed and try to solve maximum mock test papers and previous year’s papers.

Ques. What are the top entrance exams for a PhD in Plant Sciences course?

Ans. RET, CSIR NET, CUCET, and PET etc.