How to become a Scientist in India? A 12-Step Complete Guide for Success

Scientists find the reasons behind what happens around us. They answer the how and why questions – how does the Earth move around its axis? How is a butterfly born? How do we send a spaceship to Mars and beyond? Why is the sky blue? All these answers come from years of studies and research. Interesting? Do you want to know how to become a Scientist?

Scientists carry out studies, research, and experiments to create new methods for doing things – such as a better method to kill cancer cells using radiation without affecting healthy cells in the human body.

Scientists carry out studies, research, and experiments to create new things and applications – such as a bio-engineered artificial limb, a new source of energy, new materials, new use of humanoid robots, and so on.

Scientific inquiries and studies to find the answers are what set humans superior to any other animals

How to Become a Scientist: 12 Steps You Must Take

Step 1: Ask yourself the question – do you really love Science? Marks in examinations are one aspect but do you really love solving problems in Mathematics and understanding the theories of Physics and Chemistry? Do you think Biology is super interesting?

Step 2: Ask yourself another question – are you really curious and inquisitive about what happens around us? Studying Science subjects in school is one thing, but do you really want to know how and why things happen?

“I am neither clever nor especially gifted. I am only very, very curious.”
Albert Einstein

Step 3: Find out whether you really have what it takes – find out objectively and scientifically. Take the help of expert counselors. Do you really have the aptitudes, skills, interests, and personality suitable for a career in Science?

Step 4: Take Science and Mathematics courses in School – in the middle (class 6-8) and high school (9-12). If you are in India, then in upper primary (class 6-8) and secondary (class 9-10). Don’t you like Mathematics? Or Physics? Or Biology? Or Chemistry. This simply won’t do. In school, you must do well in all. These are basics for a future career in any scientific field.

Step 5: Do very well in the basic Science courses in School; this is a MUST – don’t like Mathematics? Or Physics? Or Biology? Or Chemistry. This simply won’t do. In school, you must do very well in all. These are basics for a future career in any scientific field.

Step 6: Choose Science Stream Subjects in Class 11-12 wisely – of course this doesn’t need a mention. Just an important input: It makes sense to keep both Physics and Chemistry along with Mathematics or Biology. You may keep an additional subject such as – Biotechnology, Environmental Science, Computer Science, etc. depending upon your area of interest.

Step 7: Choose an appropriate Bachelor’s or Integrated Master’s degree after class 12th – now, the important point here is to choose the major or honours subject as per your future career plan. A future plan is vital at this point. You can still experiment a bit at this level and keep minor or pass subjects – but all these subjects should be able to help you in the future.

Step 8: Specialise in a field of your choice in the Master’s level and build expertise – you have 2 options here – a) If you have done a Bachelor’s, then you can opt for a Master’s degree or an integrated Ph.D. degree. In the USA, this is called a Graduate Degree; b) if you have done an integrated Master’s, go for a Ph.D.

Step 9: Internship – during your Bachelor’s and Master’s degree, internship at research labs of universities or companies is very important. You must be exposed to research methods, procedures, and scientific equipment.
After your Master’s you may find work as a Research Assistant. You may also get a job as an entry level Scientist/Associate but a Ph.D. is a must to make a rewarding career in Science.

Step 10: Attend Seminar, Conferences, and Symposiums; network – during your college degree programs and also afterward, attend seminars, conferences, symposiums, and exhibitions in your areas of interest. Network with Scientists in your areas of interest. Keep yourself up to date with the knowledge of what’s happening in your areas of interest.

Step 11: Obtain a Ph.D. – Ph.D. is a tough call if you are in a premier institution in India or abroad or even at an average university in the USA or UK. A Ph.D. after a Master’s may take about 3-5 years. An Integrated Ph.D. after a Bachelor’s may take about 5-7 years. You will be lucky if you can complete within 3/4 years.

Step 12: Do a Post-Doctoral Fellowship – you may get a good job position as a Scientist after your Ph.D. If you do not get, then you must do a Post-Doctoral Fellowship and gain critical research experience. If your work is good, you will definitely get an opportunity in a university, research organisation, or in a company.

15 Best Study Options to Become a Scientist: Educational Pathways

There are several qualification pathways to become a Scientist in India or abroad. The top 15 of the pathways are mentioned below.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 1 – Biology/Physics/Chemistry/ Other

To become a Scientist, you should get ready for a long haul in preparation. Almost all rewarding jobs come after at least a Ph.D. degree. In this pathway you may take about 8-11 years to obtain a Ph.D. after your senior secondary school. The pathway is given below:

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 2 – Biology/Physics/Chemistry/ Other

In this qualification pathway, instead of doing the Ph.D. directly after an M.Sc. / M.S. degree, you can do an M.Phil. first. An M.Phil. is a research-based degree and can be done in 1 or 2 years.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 3 – Engineering/Technology/Engineering Science/Applied Science

This is a qualification pathway to pursue a career in research in Engineering Sciences / in a field of Technology / in a field of Applied Sciences. In this pathway, B.E./B.Tech. courses are of 4 years duration and M.E/M.Tech. courses are of 2 years. So, you will take not less than 9 years to complete a Ph.D.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 4 – Biology/Physics/Chemistry/ Other

This qualification pathway to become a Scientist involves doing an Integrated M.Sc. or M.S. course straight after your senior secondary school. However, in this pathway too, you will not take less than 8 years to obtain a Ph.D. after your class 12.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 5 – Engineering/Technology/Engineering Science/Applied Science after Master’s in Physics/Chemistry/Biology/Other

This qualification pathway to become a Scientist involves switching from a basic Science area of study into a field of Engineering Science/Applied Science or Technology. In this way, you will take about 10-12 years to obtain a Ph.D. after 12th.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 6 – Biology/Physics/Chemistry/ Other

This qualification pathway to become a Scientist involves opting to do an Integrated Ph.D. program right after your bachelor’s degree (either a 3-year B.Sc. degree or a 4-year B.S. degree).

What are the best options for you? To know, click here and seek advise from Top Career Counsellor in Mumbai

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 7 – Biology/Physics/Chemistry/ Other

This is a qualification pathway to pursue a doctoral degree in a University in the USA or Canada which requires a 4-year bachelor’s degree for admission into graduate degrees. They refer to post graduate degrees (as in India) as graduate degrees. Graduate degrees include an M.S., M.S. Ph.D. or a Ph.D. degree. For all these, the minimum eligibility requirement is a 4-year bachelor’s or undergraduate degree.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 8 – Engineering/Technology/Engineering Science/Applied Science

This qualification pathway shows an option to go for a Ph.D. degree directly after a B.E./B.Tech. /B.S. or a similar bachelor degree which is of 4-year duration. Some Indian Universities offer Integrated Ph.D. You can opt to go for a graduate degree in a University in USA or Canada too after a 4-year bachelor’s degree.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 9 – Medical Science/Biological Science (Non-Clinical)/Healthcare Science

This qualification pathway is specifically for those who want to work in front-end areas of research in Medical Science/ Biological Science (Non-Clinical)/ Healthcare Science. This is a long duration pathway. You will not be able to obtain a Ph.D. before 11 years for sure.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 10 – Medical Science/Biological Science (Non-Clinical)/Healthcare Science

This qualification pathway too is for those people who want to work in front-end areas of research in Medical Science/ Biological Science (Non-Clinical)/ Healthcare Science. This is also a very long duration pathway. You will not be able to obtain a Ph.D. at least before 12 years of study.

But for Medical Science research, this is one of the two best qualification pathways.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 11 – Pharmaceutical Sciences/Healthcare Sciences

This qualification pathway is for those who want to pursue a career in research in the areas of Pharmaceutical Sciences or Healthcare Sciences. To obtain a Ph.D. through this pathway, you will take about 9 -10 years.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 12 – Pharmaceutical Sciences/Healthcare Sciences

This qualification pathway too is for those who want to pursue a career in research in the areas of Pharmaceutical Sciences or Healthcare Sciences. To obtain a Ph.D. through this pathway, you will take about 9 -12 years.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 13 – Mathematics / Statistics

This qualification pathway is for those who want to pursue a career in research in various specialised areas of Mathematics or Statistics. To obtain a Ph.D. through this pathway, you will take about 8 -10 years.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 14 – Data Science

This qualification pathway is for those who want to pursue a career in the various areas of Data Science. To obtain a Ph.D. through this pathway, you will take about 8 -10 years.

Qualification to become a Scientist: Option 15 – Social Science (Economics /Psychology /Sociology/ Other)

This qualification pathway is for those who want to pursue a career in the various areas of Social Sciences such as Economics, Psychology, Sociology, etc. To obtain a Ph.D. through this pathway, you will take about 8 -10 years.

How to be a Scientist: Entrance Examinations

Entrance Examinations after 12th

• If you want to do a B.E./ B.Tech. / B.Tech. – M.Tech. / Integrated M.Tech. / Integrated M.Sc. in any of the IITs and NITs, then you will have to appear for JEE Mains. For IITs, if you qualify in the JEE Mains, then you have to appear for the JEE Advanced.

• If you want to get admission to the 4-Year B.S. program of the Indian Institute of Science, then you have to qualify in the KVPY examination / JEE Advanced examination / NEET examination.

• For admission to the 4-Year B.S. or 5-year B.S. M.S. programs of the Indian Institutes of Science Education & Research (IISER), you will have to qualify in JEE Advanced / KVPY examination / IISER Aptitude Test.

• If you want to study in the USA or Canada, you will have to appear in the SAT examination. Some Universities also ask for SAT Subject test scores along with SAT scores. You will have to appear for the TOEFL examination / IELTS too. Alternatively, many Universities also accept ACT score and PTE (Pearson Test of English Language) score.

• If you want to study in countries like the UK, Australia, France, etc., you will have to appear for the IELTS (some Universities may ask for SAT score as well as SAT subject score).

• For admission to a B.Sc. program in India, most colleges and universities do not take any entrance examinations except a few premier colleges.

Entrance Examinations after B.Sc. or B.S.

• If you want admission into a 2-year M.Sc. / 5-year M.Sc. – Ph.D. / Integrated Ph.D. program at the IITs and Indian Institute of Science, you will have to qualify in the JAM (Joint Admission Test).

• If you want admission into an Integrated Ph.D. program or an M.Sc. – Ph.D. program at elite research institutions in India like Bose Institute, IISER, IISc., etc. then you will have to qualify in the JEST (Joint Entrance Screening Test).

Entrance Examinations after B.E. or B.Tech.

• If you want admission to an Integrated Ph.D. program or an M.Tech. – Ph.D. program at elite research institutions in India like Bose Institute, IISER, IISc., etc. then you will have to qualify in the JEST (Joint Entrance Screening Test).

• You can qualify in the GATE examination and apply for an M.Tech. degree in select Engineering discipline at IITs, NITs, and some other engineering institutes.

Entrance Examinations after M.Sc. / M.S.

• You can qualify in the NET (National Eligibility Test) conducted by UGC-CSIR and start working as a Junior Research Fellow or Doctoral Fellow with a University or a research organization and work towards completing your Ph.D.

• You can qualify in the GATE examination and apply for an M.Tech. degree in a select Engineering discipline at IITs, NITs, and some other engineering institutes.

• You can appear for GRE (Graduate Record Examination) and TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and then depending upon your scores in these examinations, apply for a Ph.D. or MS-Ph.D. in a University in the USA or Canada.

How to be a Scientist: Job Opportunities

After M.Sc. or M.S.

To become a Scientist, after your M.Sc. or M.S. degree, you can have the following options:

• You can get a job as a Research Assistant or as a Research Associate with a research organisation, University department, or in the R&D department of a company.

• You can qualify in the NET (National Eligibility Test) conducted by UGC-CSIR and get a job as an Assistant Professor or a Lecturer in a college or as a Scientist (entry level) with a research organisation.

After Ph.D.

To become a Scientist, after your Ph.D. degree, you can have the following options:

• You can get a job as a Scientist with a research organisation or with the R&D department of a company.

• You can get a job as an Assistant Professor at a University.

• You can go for a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at a University or with a research organisation.

ALSO READ:

• Computer Science vs Information Technology in 2020: What to Study for Career Success?
• All You Need to Know About a Career in Life Science
• Mastering Data Science in 2020: Introduction, Courses, Jobs and Salaries (With 6 Hacks To Stay Ahead)
• Fancy Being a Professor & Shape Young Minds?
• All You Need to Know About a Career in Material Sciences

Top Fields of Science for Building a Rewarding Career

If you are wondering about how to become a Research Scientist, the first thing you must do is have a good idea about the top fields of studies and work in Science.

How to Become a Scientist in Mathematics: Top 15 Fields of Mathematical & Computational Sciences

You can specialize in any one of the following fields of Mathematical and Computational Sciences in your Master’s and Ph.D. studies to become a Scientist.

1. Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
2. Biostatistics
3. Cloud Computing
4. Computational Mathematics
5. Computational Natural Sciences
6. Computational Physical Sciences
7. Computer Science
8. Computer Vision
9. Cryptology
10. Cyber Security
11. Data Sciences
12. Financial Mathematics
13. Mathematics
14. Quantum Computing
15. Statistics

How to Become a Scientist in Biology: Top 25 Fields of Biological Sciences

You can specialise in any one of the following fields of Biological Sciences in your Master’s and Ph.D. studies to become a Scientist.

1. Astrobiology
2. Bio Nanotechnology
3. Biochemistry / Biophysics
4. Bioenergy
5. Biological Imaging, Signals & Sensors
6. Biomedical Sciences
7. Biopsychology
8. Biotechnology
9. Brain Science
10. Cell & Tissue Engineering Sciences
11. Cellular and Molecular Biology
12. Cognitive Sciences
13. Computational Biology
14. Computational Neuroscience
15. Conservation Biology
16. Ecology & Biodiversity
17. Food Sciences & Technology
18. Genetics / Genomics / Proteomics
19. Immunology
20. Marine Biotechnology
21. Marine Ecology and Conservation
22. Microbial Biotechnology
23. Microbiology
24. Molecular Biology
25. Neuroscience & Neurobiology

How to Become a Scientist in Physics / Chemistry / Related Field: Top 25 Fields of Physical Sciences

You can specialise in any one of the following fields of Physical Sciences in your Master’s and Ph.D. studies to become a Scientist.

1. Astronomy and Astrophysics
2. Atmospheric Sciences
3. Cheminformatics
4. Chemistry
5. Climate Sciences and Climatology
6. Computational Physics
7. Earth Sciences
8. Environmental Sciences
9. Forensic Sciences
10. Geosciences
11. Geospatial and Geographic Information Systems
12. Materials Sciences
13. Mechanics
14. Medical Physics
15. Meteorology
16. Nanoscience
17. Neurochemistry
18. Nuclear Physics
19. Ocean Sciences
20. Particle Physics
21. Physics
22. Planetary Science
23. Quantum Mechanics
24. Space Sciences
25. Toxicology

How to Become a Scientist in Engineering Sciences: Top 30 Fields of Engineering and Engineering Sciences

You can specialise in any one of the following fields of Engineering and Engineering Sciences in your Master’s and Ph.D. studies to become a Scientist.

1. Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing
2. Aerospace Engineering
3. Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
4. Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Engineering
5. Bioengineering
6. Biomedical Engineering
7. Bionics
8. Cloud Computing & Information Security
9. Computer Science & Engineering
10. Cyber Security & Forensic Computing
11. Data Science & Engineering
12. Distributed & Parallel Computing
13. Embedded Systems and VLSI Design
14. Geomatics and Geomatics Engineering
15. Green Technology
16. Human-Centered Computing
17. Industrial Automation
18. Internet of Things
19. Jet & Rocket Engineering
20. Manufacturing Engineering
21. Materials Science and Engineering
22. Mechatronics Engineering
23. Molecular & Cellular Engineering
24. NanoEngineering and Nanotechnologies
25. Neural Engineering
26. Quantum Computing
27. Renewable Energy Technology
28. Robotics
29. Space Engineering
30. Transportation Engineering

How to Become a Scientist in Medical Sciences: Top 30 Fields of Medical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Healthcare

You can specialise in any one of the following fields of Medical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Healthcare in your Master’s and Ph.D. studies to become a Scientist.

1. Aerospace Medicine
2. Bacteriology
3. Cancer Biology
4. Cardiovascular Science
5. Clinical Epidemiology
6. Clinical Translational Science & Research
7. Diabetes Sciences
8. Genomic Medicine
9. Haematology
10. Human Genetics and Medical Biotechnology
11. Immunology
12. Kinesiology
13. Medical Bioinformatics
14. Medical Biochemistry/Medical Biophysics
15. Medical Microbiology
16. Mobility Science
17. Molecular Medicine
18. Molecular Oncology
19. Medical Epigenomics
20. Neurobiology
21. Neuroscience
22. Oncology
23. Palliative Medicine
24. Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry
25. Pharmacogenomics & Genetics
26. Pharmacology
27. Regenerative Medicine
28. Reproductive Medicine
29. Sports and Exercise Sciences
30. Virology

How to Become a Scientist in Social Sciences: Top 25 Fields of Social Sciences

You can specialise in any one of the following fields of Social Sciences in your Master’s and Ph.D. studies to become a Scientist.

1. Applied Sociology
2. Behavioral Economics
3. Clinical Psychology
4. Community Science
5. Criminology
6. Cyberpsychology
7. Developmental Economics
8. Econometrics
9. Economics
10. Family Science / Home Science
11. Financial Economics
12. Gender Studies
13. Globalization Studies
14. Health Economics
15. Human Ecology
16. Industrial and Organizational Psychology
17. Industrial Sociology
18. International Economics
19. International Studies
20. Political Science
21. Population Studies
22. Psychology
23. Rehabilitation Science
24. Social Epidemiology
25. Social Science

List of the Top 60 Research Institutions and Research Universities in India

The following list does not indicate any ranking order.

1. Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital
2. Bose Institute Kolkata
3. CSIR-Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (CSIR-AMPRI), Bhopal
4. CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow
5. CSIR-Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CEERI), Pilani
6. CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), Mysore
7. CSIR-Centre for Cellular Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad
8. CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (CSIR-IICB), Kolkata
9. CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT), Hyderabad
10. CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), UT of J&K
11. CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi
12. CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (CSIR-IMTECH), Chandigarh
13. CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL), Bengaluru
14. CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune
15. CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (CSIR-NGRI), Hyderabad
16. CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram
17. CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO), Goa
18. CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL), New Delhi
19. Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad
20. Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai
21. ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata
22. ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai
23. Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore
24. Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal
25. Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata
26. Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali
27. Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune
28. Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram
29. Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupathi
30. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
31. Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram
32. Indian Institute of Technology Chennai
33. Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
34. Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
35. Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
36. Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
37. Indian Institute of Technology Mumbai
38. Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
39. Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam
40. Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar
41. Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar
42. International centre for theoretical sciences (TIFR), Bangalore
43. Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune
44. Jadavpur University Kolkata
45. Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore
46. Jawaharlal Nehru University Delhi
47. National Brain Research Centre, Manesar
48. National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, TIFR, Pune
49. National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar
50. Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad
51. Presidency University, Kolkata
52. Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore
53. Raman Research Institute, Bangalore
54. Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata
55. Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata
56. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai
57. The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai
58. TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Hyderabad
59. UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Indore
60. Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, Kolkata

Conclusion

You should be pretty clear now about your query on how to become a Scientist or how to become a Scientist in India. You know about the qualification pathways to pursue a career in Science. But to be honest, not everyone has what it takes in terms of aptitudes, personalities, and interests.

If you still want to say, ‘I want to become a Scientist’, then you must assess your true potential from a professional career counsellor. Understand what it really takes and whether you have it in you. You can avail iDreamCareer’s special services for that. Choose one:

A Few More Exciting Articles for You!

• Top Medical Courses Without NEET
• Ultimate Guide to Build a Career in Healthcare Management
• How to Become a Security Guard
• An Ultimate Guide to Make a Career in Sports Management
• How to become Data Scientist/Data Analyst in India

Dipankar Sarkar

After acquiring a bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Technology from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, and a post-graduate diploma in management, Dipankar has been working as an entrepreneurial leader as well as a career guidance expert. He has provided career guidance and assistance to higher education students for over two decades with noteworthy achievements