Updated February 25, 2022
BSc Bioinformatics is a 3-4 year undergraduate course in medical science that equips students with vital skills and knowledge to analyze and interpret a chunk of biological information using information technology, statistics, and mathematics. Combining these significant disciplines helps the medical industry discover, diagnose, and treat various medical conditions.
Moreover, Bioinformatics being a multidisciplinary field offers an array of career avenues. And, students after graduating with BSc Bioinformatics course can avail themselves of rewarding and lucrative job profiles that come under the very field like Bioinformatics Analyst, Bioinformatics Programmer, Computational Chemist, etc.
The aspiring candidates require specific essential qualifications to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Bio-informatics course. Qualifications include a 12th certificate with physics, chemistry and biology as the core subjects, clearing the entrance exam, and a keen interest in the field.
BSc Bioinformatics Course Details
BSc in Bioinformatics is a bachelor’s degree course that provides students numerous skill sets and knowledge to analyze and interpret the biological with the help of statistics, mathematics, and computer science. In simple, it is an interdisciplinary course that deals with software tools or programming methodology to understand complex and extensive biological information. Under the course, students learn how to extract useful results from the spreading raw data to help in a multitude of vital works. The course is helpful for understanding candidates’ genes & SNP, understand proteomics, genomes, text mining, to name a few. Such understanding helps specialists get a complete overview of the genetic basis of disease, drug designing, unique adaptations, analysis of proteins and their interactions, and many more.
The popularity of this course has been shot up in the last few years because of the advancement of sciences and technology. It has even resulted in growing career opportunities for the Bachelor of Science in Bio-informatics graduates. The students interested in pursuing the course are needed to meet the essential qualifications. The course curriculum comprises various subjects, including Information Network, Immunology, Single Protein Sequence, and Principles Plant Biochemistry, to mention a few. Successful completion of a B.Sc. in Bioinformatics can lend you lucrative salary packages and a gratifying career opportunity.
Advantages of Pursuing BSc Bio-Informatics
The students get considerable skills and knowledge on studying BSc in Bioinformatics course. Enlisted below are some of the skills set and knowledge:
(a) Under the course, candidates understand the concepts of bio-molecules with the help of machine learning, visualization software, evaluating evolutionary genetics, data analysis, DNA sequencing, medicine precision, and many more.
(b) The students learn the programming languages and software like basic C programs, C++, Perl, Python, MATLAB, Galaxy, to name a few.
(c) Participants get proficient in using bioinformatics tools such as T-coffee, Clustalw, BLAT, Blast, clustering tools and analysis algorithms.
(d) Learn how to interpret and extract valuable data from multiple sources, which is vital for better career prospects.
BSc in Bio-informatics Eligibility
This multi-disciplinary discipline, bioinformatics, is growing in the medical science field along with expanding numerous employment areas for aspiring candidates. The students, however, are required to fulfill the specific eligibility and qualifications to pursue the course. The eligibility needed to take up the course in India includes formal education, basic skills, certificate of national or state-level entrance exam, and a few. The specific qualifications for BSc in Bio-informatics course abroad may differ to some extent from India. Preliminary criteria on the part of aspiring students include the following:
(a) The aspirants who have done class 12th standard with science as the main core subjects are eligible to pursue the course.
(b) Students in their class XIIth examinations must have secured at least 50 percent aggregate marks.
(c) Candidates must have basic knowledge of Physics, Chemistry and Biology subjects, and it is one of the primary requirements for the Bio-informatics courses.
(d) The BSC in Bio-informatics courses provide admission on the basis of marks obtained in the intermediate examinations.
(e) Students other than the science stream can pursue the after qualifying the designated entrance exams. But, students must possess basic knowledge in BIPC subjects.
Eligibility for BSc Bioinformatics Abroad–
Candidates do also have the option to pursue Bio-informatics courses abroad. Here is the list of general eligibility requirements for pursuing a BSc in Bioinformatics course:
(a) To study BSc Bioinformatics abroad, the basic eligibility criteria the students must possess is a class 12th certificate from a recognized board of education. It is also required to have basic knowledge of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (BiPC).
(b) To get entry into the top colleges abroad, applicants are required to have a valid GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) score to prove their aptitude skills.
(c) Along with LOR and SOP, universities may also demand a decent score in English proficiency, wherein many universities accept IELTS, TOEFL and PTE, etc. It is advised to the students to properly check the colleges’ admission procedures.
Popular Entrance Exams for Bioinformatics Courses
Bioinformatics is an emerging space in the field of medical science, so it has increased the demand for professional graduates in the very area. To cater to the high demand, institutes all over the world are offering specific undergraduate courses in the field of Bio-informatics. Several universities in India have also started to provide undergraduate Bio-informatics courses to the students to do extensive study. But, to study the courses, aspirants would have to qualify for the designated entrance exams as per the institute’s demand. Some of the popular entrance exams to take up Informatics courses in India include the following:
JEST (Joint Entrance Screening Test)
IPU CET (Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test)
GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)
OUCET (Osmania University Common Entrance Test)
BINC (Bioinformatics National Certification Examination)
Admission Process for Bachelor of Science Bioinformatics
BSc Informatics is a scientific and emerging discipline in the field of medicine. It requires some specific qualifications from the aspiring candidates. Qualifications for the course include class 12th certificate, basic knowledge of information technology, BIPC subjects and some others. Students will be eligible to study the Bioinformatics discipline only after completing the specific requirements. Moreover, applicants will also have to clear the qualifying entrance exams, including GATE, JEST, BINC, and many more.
Several renowned colleges in India and around the world offer Bioinformatics disciplines to study. However, admission to the BSc Bio-informatics course depends on the institute’s entry procedures. Some of the renowned institutes select students on the basis of the intermediate scorecard, while others provide access to the course through good marks in the entrance exam.
B.Sc. Bio-informatics Job Profiles
The Bioinformatics course is a rewarding career option for students who have a keen interest in biomedical science and information technology. The course provides insight into the concepts of Bio-molecules with the help of machine learning, DNA sequencing, data analysis, medicine precision, to mention a few. It is a course that offers vast career prospects in biomedical and other related fields. The explosive growth in biomedicine and related fields has led to massive job growth in this field. Moreover, along with high-paying jobs, there will be more career growth and innovation possibilities. The course offers an array of job profiles, some of which are listed below:
- Bioinformatics Analyst
- Bioinformatics Software Developer
- Research Scientist or Associate
- Scientific Data Curator
- Bioinformatics Trainer
- Network Administrator or Analyst
- Computational Biologist
- Sequence Analyst
- Clinical Pharmacologist
- Computational Chemist
- Pharmacogenomics
- Bioinformatics Research Analyst
- Database Programmer
- Science Technician
- Technical Officer
- Professor
- Application Support Specialist
BSc Bioinformatics Syllabus
A Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics syllabus is the amalgamation of numerous varied fields, including physics, chemistry, mathematics, statistics, and information technology. This interdisciplinary course builds sound understandings/concepts on drug discovery, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, genomics and proteomics, genetics, and Biochemistry. Because it is a dynamic and emerging field, so requires proficient professionals to work in. Therefore, to build efficient Bio-informaticians, the course covers extensive subjects, including Information Network, Immunology, Single Protein Sequence, and Principles Plant Biochemistry. Besides these, several other important subjects are also included in the course. Mention below is the list of year-wise course subjects.
Particulars of B.Sc. Bio-informatics Curriculum
| FIRST YEAR | SECOND YEAR |
| English | Statistical Methods |
| Mathematics | Statistical Methods (Practical) |
| Introduction to Biochemistry & Bioinformatics | Physical Chemistry |
| Chemistry | Fundamentals of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering |
| Life Sciences | Fundamentals of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering (Practical) |
| Life Sciences (Practical) or, | Physical Chemistry |
| Physics (Basic & Applied) | Computational Methods in Bio-molecular Sequence Analysis |
| Chemistry (Practical) | Computational Methods in Bio-molecular Sequence Analysis (Practical) |
| Statistics & Computer Fundamentals | Object Oriented Programming in C++ |
| Statistics & Computer Fundamentals (Practical) | Object Oriented Programming in C++ (Practical) |
| ‘C’ Language & Programming | Computer Operational System and Organization |
| ‘C’ Language & Programming (Practical) | Computer Operational System and Organization (Practical) |
| Physics (Basic & Applied) (Practical) | Physical Chemistry (Practical) |
| Introduction to Biochemistry & Bioinformatics (Practical) | Project Work |
| Environment Education | ——– |
| Punjabi or, History and Culture of Punjab | ———- |
| Mathematics (Practical) | ———– |
| THIRD YEAR | |
| Fundamentals of Genomics | Introduction to PERL Programming (Practical) |
| Biochemical and Molecular Biology techniques | Introduction to Proteins and Proteomics (Practical) |
| Introduction to PERL Programming | Fundamental of Genomics (Practical) |
| Introduction to Proteins and Proteomics | Principles of Genetics (Practical) |
| Principles of Genetics | Biochemical and Molecular Biology techniques (Practical) |
| Project | —————– |
Note- These aforementioned Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics only constitute an indicative subjects list. The syllabus can vary from university to university.
BSc Bioinformatics Colleges in India
Students can find handful of colleges that offer bio-informatics course. Enlisted below are some of the top Bachelor of Science in Bio-informatics colleges in India:
- YBM University, Ranchi
- NIIT University, Neemrana
- DY Patil University, Mumbai
- Lovely Professional University
- Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu
- Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala
- GITAM Institute of Science, Andhra Pradesh
- Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education, Tamil Nadu
- Jaipur National University, Rajasthan
- Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu
Employment Scope of BSc Bio-informatics
Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field of science that primarily deals with the organization, storage, management, and analysis of biological information. The same field is expanding with time has produced numerous career opportunities in the country and around the world. The students who graduated with BSc in Informatics can explore various domains like Pharmacology, Biomedicine, Biochemistry, Computational Chemistry, and a few. Here are the major employment spaces for BSc Bioinformatics graduates:
(a) Bio-analytics
(b) Proteomics
(c) Bioengineering
(d) Sequence Analysis
(e) Clinical Pharmacology
(f) Computational Chemistry
(g) Informatics Development
(h) Database Management
(i) Medical Technology
(j) Pharmacogenomics
(k) Information Science
Advance Courses after Pursuing Bachelor of Science in Bio-informatics
If Students are interested in pursuing higher studies after being graduated with a BSc in Bioinformatics, then MSc and Ph.D. in Bio-informatics is the viable option. Under the course, participants explore several subjects like Biology, Computer Science, Information Engineering, Mathematics and Statistics, which aid in analyzing and interpreting large & complex biological data. For the students to enhance the better understanding of Bio-molecules and should have better career prospects, graduates can go along the way. They can study MSc in Bio-informatics, and after that, they can go for Ph.D. in Bioinformatics-
List of Bio-informatics Courses Other than BSc Bioinformatics
With the growing importance of Bioinformatics in the field of technology and medicine, there are a variety of courses offered to those who are interested in studying this multidisciplinary field. These are the most popular degrees and diploma programs in Bioinformatics that you can choose for:
(a) BTech Bioinformatics
(b) Diploma in Bioinformatics
(c) Certificate in Bioinformatics
(d) MTech/MS in Bioinformatics
(e) Advanced Diploma in Bioinformatics
(f) MSc in Biotechnology & Bioinformatics
(e) BSc Biotechnology and Bioinformatics
(f) Masters in Bioinformatics & Systems Biology
(g) Masters in Bioinformatics & Computational Biology
Salary for BSc Bioinformatics Graduates
The Bio-informatics discipline offers rewarding career opportunities along with lucrative annual salaries. The starting salary of a graduate ranges from 2.5 Lakhs to 5 Lakhs per annum for job profiles like Bioinformatics Analyst and Bioinformatics Programmer. But, the remuneration of BSc Bio-informatics salary can vary depending on the job and the sector they are choosing for. The average income of a graduate is around 2-25 lakh per annum. Notwithstanding, the salary for the graduates will go up as they gain more experience and skills.