To be honest, this is probably the first time, since I have been admitted in this discipline, that I have thoroughly researched my graduation course, ‘Life Sciences’ and now, with utmost confidence, I can say that I made the right choice. I never knew that there is so much to it. So, to all the people who have mocked at me and have been neglecting the significance of this discipline for years now, here is my word and to the students pursuing Life Sciences or planning to pursue it, this article should and will help you plenty much.
Everyone, at this point in his or her life, must have heard the phrase ‘These few years will decide your future.’ being repeated by their parents or close ones, every now and then. It can get irritating and frustrating at times too but you know that they are right. This is one of the most crucial times in your life, where your decisions will guide you to a bright and wonderful future if taken wisely, or not so wonderful and bright, if taken poorly. As soon as you are done with your class 12th exams, the one and only thing that does and should persist on your mind is ‘Career Prospects’. People who take up their hobbies and passions as their career options are happier than the ones who walk around in a flock of sheep, a trail of ants. There are thousands of options out there to choose from, and if you explore enough, you can easily find the right path for yourself, that would lead you to a jovial life. This article will tell you about one of the most popular science courses nowadays, that is Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences (B.Sc. Life Sciences)
Technically, Life Sciences is an undergraduate Aqua Science course ( a Multi-disciplinary study of Earth’s processes, life forms, and system), dealing with the scientific study of all different life forms (Plants, Animals and Human Beings). The duration of the course is 3 years and is very important and career originating in nature, that opens many career scopes for the students. You need to have studied Physics, Chemistry, and Biology in your 10+2 to be eligible for admission in this discipline, and there are various institutions around the world, where you can pursue this course, Harvard University, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, etc. abroad and (University Of Delhi) Sri Venkateswara College, Acharya Narendra Dev College, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Hans Raj College, Jai Hind College, Cochin University of Science & Technology, etc. in India, to name a few.
Basically, Life Sciences, as a course of study, deals with three primary/core subjects, Chemistry, Zoology and Botany. During the three years one studies life sciences, he/she explores the various aspects of these three subjects, with a broader perspective of everything. You don’t specialize or major in any one of the subjects but go through everything that a student pursuing Honours from the same subject does, in all 3 subjects. At the end of three years of graduation, a Life Science student acquires as much knowledge as 3 Honours student do. In Life Sciences, we don’t dig too deep into the subjects but study only the significant part of the respective subject and hence, we can go through more aspects in less amount of time. So, after graduation, a Life Science student has the opportunity to choose from any of the three subjects to pursue his/her masters in, if they go for studying Masters of Science(M.Sc.).
When asked to the students pursuing Life Sciences, some of them told that they took up the subject because they couldn’t qualify Pre-medical entrance exams and want to give it another try. So, Life Science is a backup option for them. Some said, they want to continue studying sciences but they cannot stick to one single subject, so they opt for this field. Few people were focusing on future career prospects and chose to study Life Science, just for graduation purposes. The ones who were passionate about intense research work and broader scale of studying spoke enthusiastically of Life Sciences. People who have a keen interest in genetics, forensics, and biotechnology want to do something different with their lives, experience theoretical and practical science in a combined way also choose life sciences, as this path is less travelled by, and if not more, then equally rewarding as well.
Students pursuing life sciences tend to develop an analytical and practical mind. They don’t just stick to one subject but widen their approach and mind with various skills and knowledge imparted by various courses of study. During the span of three years, the three core subjects branch to a number of relevant and constituent chapters and units, including Biochemistry, Biodiversity, Nutrition, Immunology, Medical Diagnostics, Physics, Microbiology and Taxonomy, etc., that covers about anything and everything under the term ‘Life Sciences’, in its scientific and environmental aspect.
People would ask, what is so interesting about Life Sciences? Scientists and researchers, all around the world are busy discovering phenomenon in space, new galaxies and stars, making technological breakthroughs, but something that needs attention is Life. Study about life is something that is ignored by the people but somewhere or the other, is the most interesting area of research. One of the students pursuing life sciences shared her views, as ‘Imagine if you discover a new species of an animal or a plant someday and, if you are fortunate enough, it gets named after you, then that would be the most precious feeling that one can ever savour. ‘It’s true that studying sciences of Life is unique in itself because it gives you an insight of yourself, your being, your existence, your body, your mind, everything and about every other form of life. Aerial life forms, aquatic life forms, terrestrial life forms, that include the organisms and their habitats too, nature, environment, their body functions, appearance, organs, evolution, relative study, everything that one can think of is covered under Life sciences. So, the subject is nothing but interesting.
Life Sciences is an undergraduate course, and just completing your graduation with it is not a reassuring prospect, with respect to your career. A student will need to go for further studies, in the respective stream they choose. They can go for M.Sc. in Zoology, Botany or Chemistry or they can continue with Life sciences at master’s level. MBA, LLB, UPSE, NDA, B.Ed., etc. are some of the other options too but if you want to continue with Life sciences, then the field is so mammoth that you can choose from plenty of subjects that Life Sciences branch to, as mentioned above. A Life Sciences student can be an agronomist, studying agriculture, Biochemist(Medical and Plant), Biomedical Engineer, dealing with forensics, Biophysicist, study bioinformatics, Epidemiologist, Food Scientist, Horticulturist, Immunologist, Nutritionist, Paleontologist, Pathologist, Researcher(Neurosciences, Ecology, molecular sciences), Science Teacher, etc., anything that he/she wants. The field is huge and with a little effort, you can get yourself a goal for your life, that you would love to pursue, with passion and interest. Biotechnology is the second fastest growing sector in the world and has great prospects in corporate and government sectors. So, you can be a part of something big, revolutionary, and that can help make the world a better place if you choose to pursue this subject and have a secured future too.
Universities around the world are offering Life Sciences as an undergraduate and postgraduate subject. The most renowned ones include Harvard University, University of Cambridge, Oxford University, etc. but these universities are suggested to pursue further studies in the given discipline and India has one of the finest universities to pursue undergraduate course in Life Sciences, including the University of Delhi which is an esteemed university all around the world for undergraduate, postgraduate, Ph.D. studies. Life Sciences is one of the most sought-after courses there, along with many others. Other famous universities in India include Christian Eminent College and Devi Ahilya University(MP), Cochin University of Science and Technology(Kerala), Dayananda Sagar University(Karnataka), Manipur University(Imphal), MATS University(Chhatisgarh), etc. For Post-graduation and Ph.D., Jawaharlal Nehru University(New Delhi), C.S.J.M University(UP), Gujarat University(Ahmedabad), St. Xavier’s College(Mumbai), etc. are the best universities in India. Entrance exams and merit are the criteria for admission in them.
Life Sciences, technically, dates to Darwin’s and Mendel’s period, the 1800s, when they were studying evolution and coming up with thesis on animals and plant development. Their fields of study are exactly what Life Sciences constitutes of. Life sciences combines all those hours of hard work put in by scientists and researchers that ultimately led to the ‘Science’ that we study today. We are grateful to scientists like Rachel Carson, Robert Hooke, Edward Jenner, Antoine Lavoisier, Robert Brown, etc. They are the ones who laid the foundation, unknowingly perhaps, for the discipline Life Sciences that students study today, combining studies of all the afore-mentioned aspects. The university of Delhi introduced Life Sciences as an undergraduate program, in the year 2005, and since then, it has been one of the most popular courses around the country. Students from almost all the states of India pursue this discipline at different universities and with the growing scope and future prospects of Biological and life sciences, it can only progress further in the coming years.
The only problem faced by Life Sciences students in India is that there is no particular scope for Life Sciences in India. The fore-mentioned sectors, where students can see themselves in the future, are based on higher studies, primarily in universities abroad. There is scope in India too but not to a successful extent. This field has not been enough worked upon, yet in India. Even today, students, as soon as they complete their school, follow the flock and sought after Engineering and Medical and so is the mindset of the parents. The government is also focusing on these sectors only, since the past many years. It’s a trend which needs to be altered really soon. Life Sciences is one of such new trend subjects, that will form the basis of our country tomorrow. So, with enough work, education can be transformed in India and students can be guided on their journey to this new and excitement-filled path. It won’t be easy but this is what we are looking at in the future, to revolutionize the education system of our country. Considering the way, It is progressing, with more and more students getting interested in this field and taking it up as a career option and also, as career planning in India is waking up and taking notice of the life sciences with Newspapers, dedicating entire sections to the breakthroughs in the biological sphere — from advancements in stem cell technology to GM foods and oil-spill cleaning bacteria, this field is making waves like never before, with a wide variety of career options, it’s not far in the future where we see a society full of laureates and achievers, who will actually have an understanding of life and will contribute a major deal in the betterment of their society.
Life Science is a wonderful career option if one really studies it with interest and aspires to do something unique for him/herself and for the society. A little effort and deviation from the flock and you can see yourself standing apart from everybody else.
Thank You.
Bibliography
http://entrance-exam.net/what-to-do-after-b-sc-life-science/
http://entrance-exam.net/best-colleges-for-doing-b-sc-life-science/
http://www.du.ac.in/du/uploads/old-ug-courses/04082010_lifesci.pdf
https://targetstudy.com/courses/bsc-life-sciences.html
http://parentedge.in/exploring-careers/life-sciences/
How I Wish! 